Has anyone experience of cartophen injections my 12 year old is crippled with arthritis all she has at the moment is tramadol she has liver damage so can't have the normal pain killers. She's going to the vet on Friday to start these injections to see if they will make her more  comfortable. So hope they work coz there's nothing more to try really.

Several of mine have had these injections as they have become older.  It made a huge difference to one of them but not much to the others. Hope it helps your girl.  Have you thought of acupuncture?  That has really helped mine together with green lipped mussel.

Yes 2 of mine have had them,did make a difference for a while but now they are on previcox.

I hadn't thought of acupuncture to be honest i see what the vet says on Friday I'm sure there's a vet at the hospital that does acupuncture thanks for  that it's certainly worth a try.

Like everything it depends on the dog.  I've known a GSD with arthritis in his awful, awful hips start cartrophen at 2yrs old and last a full 6 months pain free from one course to the next with no additional meds - but my lab lasted less than a month.

I'd definitely recommend acupuncture, I have two having it at the moment and it's made a big difference to them and another one who had it last year.  Hydrotherapy as well - just the heat from the water can help even before any exercise is done.

I'd also look at natural painkillers, if he can't have the conventional stuff: turmeric or devil's claw would be my first port of call.  Turmeric especially is a highly effective natural anti-inflammatory (DC is also but I find turmeric is often better).  Also coconut oil can be very effective, it was the one supplement that helped the above lab until I got her on raw meat and rice and she started responding to other things.  Again turmeric was good for her, then.  Raw feeding can help too by itself - I can't remember the mechanics behind it but it can help directly with arthritis, it certainly does help her.

I'm not expecting miracles with the cartrophen to be honest. Baileys is a lab she's had arthritis all her life and it's quiet bad now the vet said he thinks it's rheumatoid arthritis it's in every joint even her jaw has been eaten away by it the specalist was shocked a few years ago and she's still here. She rolls around on her back with her ball in her mouth still happy. She's had hydro for years but it's making her worse now so we're giving that a rest for a while. But acupuncture might be worth a try she has turmeric in the way of joint aid supplement never heard of devils claw so something else to look into thanks.

Forgot to say raw I'm very interested in but know nothing about so need  to research that one for all my dogs.

It might be worth trying the turmeric by itself - no idea how much is in the supplement obviously but maybe a little more would help.  My wonkies get 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon twice a day.

Saffi's arthritis is not far off your boy's by the sound of it, her left knee is almost destroyed with it and has been for the last few years but she doesn't show anything like how bad it is :-)  She would do if she wasn't on anything mind, before I started having success with the natural stuff we went through almost every NSAID on the market and only the delightfully expensive PLT made any difference.

ETA if it is rheumatoid arthritis then definitely have a look at diet - in people, changing the diet can have a HUGE effect on the severity of it, to the point of removing it in some cases.  Grains in particular are a big trigger.

Where do you get turmeric from the super market ? How much would I have to give a Labrador ? She has jwb and nature diet so she's having grains where do I start with food ? Sorry for all the questions but I would do anything to help her otherwise it's PTS I can't watch her struggling to walk its heart breaking. She had her first cartrophen jab today so we're see how that goes.

Turmeric will be in the herbs and spices. :-)

There are more and more grain-free foods appearing on the market now, I think PAH's Wainwrights brand has one or two or go online and have a look.  Fish4dogs do some I believe, Barking Heads definitely do (but at the higher end of the market price-wise).  Just have a shop around, there will be plenty more :-)  Or go down the raw/home cooked route.  It doesn't have to be complicated - there are whole-animal minces available so the dog gets everything in the one bag, I use the Naturediet minces for mine.  There are also some prepared raw diets with veg and stuff in too if you prefer that sort of diet :-)

Thanks I look at all your suggestions very helpful

Iv got a young dog on this treatment, last resort treatment , it took longer than expected to work (5weeks instead of 2) but to date it is the most successful course of treatment we have used :)

triona; thats sounds very promising im so glad your dog is reponding well to cartrophen hope B gets the same reponse. the vet did say we wont see any improvment for a few weeks if its going to work.