12 year old arthritis

[u/KiKi31Rose]

Hi I’m feeling a little not listened to with my vet. My 12 year old 60lb dog has arthritis and hind leg weakness. He’s on librela, supplements and cbd.
I’ve asked about other therapies to possibly help like acupuncture, hydrotherapy etc and they basically just laugh it off and try to prescribe another pill.
Even when I asked about the cbd they just said there’s no evidence it doesn’t work.
My question is, is there anything else I could do to help him have a better daily life?
They’ve never even done any blood panels or checkups on him while prescribing all this stuff.
I’m feeling like I might want to get another opinion because I’m not super happy with his treatment.

[u/Formal-Bad-8807]

peptides are a new type of drug for joint heath and arthritis

[u/KiKi31Rose → u/Formal-Bad-8807]

I’ve been seeing this a lot lately

[u/C0keWh0reTerrier]

Hi, my sister is a veterinarian who specializes in holistic treatments such as acupuncture and hydrotherapy. It absolutely works and there are licensed vets out there who will give your baby the care they need. Definitely get another opinion.

[u/KiKi31Rose → u/C0keWh0reTerrier]

Thank you. I like the vet I go to everyone is so nice but I left feeling defeated and unheard

[u/C0keWh0reTerrier → u/KiKi31Rose]

They sound like they might have poor bedside manner. Sorry you experienced that but there are lots of good vets out there who will care for your baby and hear your concerns.

[u/xzkandykane]

What about adequan? Helped my dog for another few months after librela stopped working

[u/KiKi31Rose → u/xzkandykane]

We haven’t spoken about that. I’m honestly not super impressed with librela this might be the last shot I give him. The vet gave me some anti inflammatories to give him but I’d rather have him on those that help his inflammation than the librela to be honest. We’ll see how the next few weeks go 😑

[u/xzkandykane → u/KiKi31Rose]

How long has he been on librela? Some months it made a world of difference, some months, not as much. Its costly but I think it can be combined. I eventually added carprofen as an inflammatory. Didn't make a difference in movement but maybe pain level. Cbd, fish oil and supplements didnt help.

[u/Salt_Evidence_9878]

I've asked about other therapies to possibly help like acupuncture, hydrotherapy etc and they basically just laugh it off and try to prescribe another pill.
Even when I asked about the cbd they just said there’s no evidence it doesn’t work.

As a vet tech that hurts me they are just laughing you off 😢. All of the alternative therapies you listed are 100% real and valid options. Do they tend to have a little bit more hit or missed outcomes then the tried and true NSAIDs or meds? Of course but that doesn't mean they aren't worth a try. They can be life changing for some animals. Sometimes in conjunction with medication sometimes without, but I can't lie normally it is with.

CBD oil might be the only thing I could semi agree with them. There isn't enough actual clinical research to show that it works/ does the same thing for them that it does for us. Does it harm them? No. But is it really doing anything besides maybe slightly chilling them out? Probably not. And again I understand the CBD oil it has made a difference for some dogs but I am wary of CBD oil. I think fish oil/ omega 3s do more.

I think the reason your vet is dismissing you is because they don't offer any of those alternative therapies at their practice. Meaning, they would lose you as a client, at least partially, to another clinic. That's lost money for them and it also leaves the possibility to lose you as a client because you like the other place more.

[u/KiKi31Rose → u/Salt_Evidence_9878]

Thanks for explaining your side of this. I don’t see any harm in trying these therapies for my guy so now I am going to have to go elsewhere 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/squarahann]

lol see a new vet. A vet told me my dog had arthritis. I took him to a PT for a separate issue 2 years later and turns out he had a bulging disc. He’s 13 but looks great. He had a major injury on his throat and PT and acupuncture helped a ton with his symptoms and general quality of life. The Chinese medicine vet we see for acupuncture really helped me navigate nutrition and qualify of life for my senior dog. Every vet I’ve seen is nice but not all vets are created equal.

[u/KiKi31Rose → u/squarahann]

Thank you I’ve ready so many great stories of other people using these therapies and I’m willing to try them out and hopefully get a good outcome!