What It’s Like to Treat My Dog’s Arthritis
Key takeaways:
When Samantha Robertson’s 6-year-old pit bull, Max, began showing signs of pain, a visit to the vet revealed he had spondylosis.
Spondylosis is a type of arthritis in dogs that leads to bone spurs in the spine. It can cause a lot of pain and limit mobility. There is no cure.
After years of trying various medications for Max, Samantha found success with Librela, a monthly injection for managing pain in dogs.
GoodRx for Pets: Here’s how to save on pet medications with GoodRx.
In March 2020, as the world grappled with the onset of COVID-19, Samantha Robertson faced an extra concern. Her beloved pit bull, Max, began exhibiting troubling signs.
“He acted like he was in pain,” recalls Samantha, 32, of Freeport, Illinois, who shares snapshots of her life as a self-described “childfree millennial dog mom” on Instagram. Her 6-year-old dog was vibrating and shaking, and his teeth were chattering.
Samantha immediately took Max to the vet. Initially, the pain seemed temporary, prompting a prescription of carprofen (Rimadyl), a canine ibuprofen.
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The root cause turned out to be arthritis
Months later, when Max was still showing signs of pain, Samantha’s vet did an X-ray. That’s when they got a diagnosis: spondylosis in the L2 and L3 vertebrae of Max’s spine.
Spondylosis, a type of arthritis, is a common degenerative disorder in dogs. It often happens in older, large-breed dogs, causing tiny bone spurs to develop on the spine and resulting in pain and mobility issues.
The condition is most often associated with aging, but spondylosis can also occur in dogs who suffered an injury. Samantha suspects that could have been the case with Max, who accidentally got his foot stuck in a recliner when he was a puppy.
“He was limping for a few days, so I think it was that injury, [though] there’s really no way to tell,” she says.
The quest for effective pain management
Over the next 2 years, Samantha watched as Max grew more uncomfortable — even with the carprofen.
“Max has always been a big, active boy [and] liked to go hiking, but I had to start backing off because he was in too much pain,” she says.
In 2022, the vet bumped up the carprofen to 200 mg and also added gabapentin, a pain reliever that targets nerve pain specifically. But it still didn’t help much. In addition to the pain, Max started becoming less active, and new anxieties emerged, particularly during thunderstorms.
By 2023, with the addition of amitriptyline for anxiety, Samantha feared the worst.
“I thought, ‘I’m gonna have to put my first baby dog to sleep because he’s in so much pain.’ It was rough,” she says.
Monthly Librela shot is bringing Max relief
Then one day, Samantha’s mother mentioned a commercial she had seen on television for a medication called Librela (bedinvetmab). Marketed to pet owners as a once-a-month injection for pain control, Librela is new to the U.S. in 2024, but European pet owners have been using it for 2 years. Samantha asked her vet about it.
It had always been hard for Samantha to give her dog medication in pill form. She’d try wrapping pills in cheese, but Max would fish out the pills and eat the cheese. “It was always a struggle,” she says. “And he was just in pain.”
So an injection seemed like a better option. When she asked her vet about Librela, he said it was so new that Max would be the first dog at their clinic to try it.
What are symptoms of arthritis in dogs? Here are some signs that your dog might need to see a vet.
What treatments and home remedies can help a dog with arthritis? Read about common medications, supplements, and alternative therapies.
How do you know if your dog is in pain? Dogs can be good at hiding their pain, but here are some telltale signs of discomfort.
“He got his first shot at the end of May [2024], and he’s had one every month since then,” she says. “He’s a completely different dog. He runs around the yard. He’s playing and he’s happy — and he likes thunderstorms. It’s amazing.”
Plus, it’s more affordable
Another benefit is that Max’s new medication is less expensive than his previous medication.
“I think I was up to $180 a month,” she says. The Librela is $88 per month. “Even if it was $200 a shot, I would do it because it’s so much more convenient, and it works so much better than anything else.”
As for side effects, Samantha says Max hasn’t experienced any. “I’ve heard people say there can be a lot of side effects,” she says. “But it’s changed [Max’s] life for the better. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
What does the veterinarian say?
Ghanasyam Bey, DVM
Veterinary Reviewer
Arthritis is a common joint problem in dogs, often caused by aging or past injuries. Arthritis worsens gradually and can significantly affect a dog’s quality of life because it causes pain and difficulty walking.
Dogs with arthritis might show obvious signs of pain, like limping, shaking, or whining. Or they might show more subtle signs, such as sleeping more, loss of appetite, or hesitation to walk or play.
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Arthritis cannot be cured, but there are several effective ways to slow its progression and manage symptoms in dogs:
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is crucial. If your dog is overweight, gradually encourage weight loss through diet and regular exercise.
Rehabilitation therapies, such as water treadmill exercises, massage, or acupuncture, can also provide relief.
Joint supplements and medications (pain relief and anti-inflammatory), including new options like Librela injections, can be beneficial.
In some cases, surgery may be necessary to address chronic injuries.
The best approach to manage arthritis will be a combination of methods tailored to your dog. Since arthritis is such an important factor in quality of life, it is important to work with your veterinarian if you suspect arthritis to help your pet enjoy the best possible life.
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