8 year old Cleo came to us on tuesday (boxer) she has arthritis in her right hind knee, the vet said from a whatyamacallit ligament/tendon (?) injury?? lol anyway I just would like to ask how best to care for her with it, she has been limping a bit more than she did on tues/weds I think because she's been out for more walks than she got when she was in kennels and when we are out walking she does a little hop on that leg occasionally, and has also been holding it off the floor more too.

How good are bioflow collars for this? and is there anything else I can do, should I keep her on the lead so she doesn't get to run?

Thanks again, your help is always much appreciated :-)

Viv

Hi Viv
i have an 8 year old springer who has some arthritis in his spine, a while ago i started him on glucosamine and it seems to be really helping! he hasn't been sore for a while and usually he is worse in winter. I get them from the local health food shop, it seems to work out cheaper.

Purdey has had Bioflow collars for the last 4 or 5 years, and they were definitely a help at the onset.    I too have given her glucosamine & chondriotan - either from Boots or Holland & Barrett (depending on where cheapest) on her food.  I believe that it helped prolong her activity.

Margot

Bioflow are great.  I know several dogs and people who use them, including myself! I have tendonitis in my wrist and the pain has been kept to a minimum ove the last 5 or so years with the Bioflow braclet.  If I leave it off for more that about a day, then all the pain returns.  I would definatly recommend that you try one.  If you have any problems getting in touch with an agent, I will give you the number of mine on a PM.

But don't pay too much, attach a fridge magnet to a piece of velcroed fabric and you've got the same thing :)
PS Don't forget to the take the comic animal thing off the magnet first  :D

Hi Viv
My dog has a Bioflow collar and she has been great since wearing it, my friend bought a cheaper one off e-bay and it did nothing for the dog. She then bought a Bioflow after seeing my dog's, and her dog's mobility improved greatly. Bioflow state that they have their own unique Central Reverse Polarity, and you buy them with a 90 day money back guarantee. The magnetic properties are guaranteed for life, but should you wish to exchange or upgrade the collar, return it to the distributor, and they will credit you 50% of the price you paid, towards the cost of a new collar. Worth knowing about if, something happens to your dog, and you go for a smaller or bigger breed next time. You can also buy them online, www.ecoflow.plc.uk  Also for arthritis, Glucosamine, Chondroitin & M.S.N. caps can be bought cheaply from, www.zipvit.co.uk

I would give Bioflow a try but I bought an authentic one on Ebay cheaper than my local distributor quoted me!!

I use Apple Cider vinegar for my horse - its brilliant stuff. Not sure if you can use it on dogs - might be worth looking into though

Hi Chloe  I have pm you.  I would like to know more about apple cider vinegar

Hi Viv,

My old veteran Boxer now sadly departed (she died in 2001 aged 10 yo) suffered with some
arthritis in her knees.
I did find that a Bioflow collar helped her, she was also fed a complete diet which had the glucosamine
in it. I also tried the Cortaflex (quite expensive) which also helped her.

I just used to let her run around as she wanted but when she got back from walks I used to rub/warm
the joints up. She still acted like a youngster and was the fastest racing veteran Boxer when she was 9 yo!

You can't beat the endearing grey face of a veteran Boxer :)
I've got a 6 1/2yo r/w Boxer who is now going grey in her face - she's not growing old gracefully and still
is a maniac :D
Kirstine

One of my springers has arthritis. I got her a bioflow collar after advice on here. Someone on our shoot also advised green-lipped mussel extract which had worked on his labrador. Poppy has been wearing her collar and having the mussel extract and hasn't limped since. I'm not sure which has worked but i'm glad that at least one seemed to. She has been beating on several days with no ill effects.

It is surprising how they work isn't it, my dog went very lame on her back legs aged 22 months (x-ray showed arthritis and gross hip dysplasia), but since wearing her collar she has never even limped, and is full of beans and bounce.

I had to return the Bioflow collar I got for my arthritic bitch, because at best her deterioration may have slowed. There was certainly no improvement.

To their credit they refunded my money without quibble.

I'm definitly going to get her a bioflow collar, we've not even had her a week and its so much worse, her knee is now clicking when she's going up stairs :-( ANd I will do some more resaerch into the supplements cos quite a few have been mentioned now!

I have to say I'm a little bit miffed with the rescue people who failed to even realise she was incontinent (now on propalin) and also said she didnt have arthritis, or any health complaints for that matter. Its not he money for treatment that bothers me, just the fact I have quite young kids who are gonna be heartbroken sooner rather than later when things deteriorate more, although I guess I knew the risk taking on an older dog. Ho hum she's a lovely dog and I will do my best to make the rest of her life happy and comfortable.

Thanks everyone, Viv xx

Viv,
It does seem unfair and strange that the rescue didn't realise or recognise these health problems.
I know that if she was kenneled that they may not have spotted the incontinence (but surely if they changed her bedding
often they would have spotted it was wet?)
Propalin is great for incontinence - alot of Boxer bitches can suffer with incontinence after being spayed.
Not sure why the breed seems to suffer with this problem. Saying that my old girl didn't suffer with it until the end
(she was spayed) and in the end we found out it was a kidney tumour causing her problems.

Hydrotherapy can help with the exercise/arthritis problem but it can be quite expensive.

With regards to the cortaflex product there is a boxer owner that has her own hydrotherapy business and she
also sells shampoos,sprays, creams, herbal remedies,& supplements.
They do their own version of Cortaflex called Flexamine (I've never used it so can't comment how good it is)
Might be worth a try?

Kind Regards
Kirstine