Food recommendations for 6 year old dog with joint issues

[lunaris]

Hi All.

First time poster here. Thanks for taking the time to read. All comments are appreciated.

I took my 6 year old collie cross to the vet last week as he was suffering from limping, stiffness and difficulty getting up after sleeping. She said that he had some slight muscle pain (from over-exerting himself at the park) but also due to his breed it could be an early form of arthritis. He is currently on anti-inflammatory tablets and is due to go back to the vet this evening for a follow up.

She has recommended that we consider switching his food to Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d Joint Care as a precaution. I am currently feeding him Wainwright's Grain Free Adult Complete wet dog food.

Can anyone recommend any dog food brands that are good for joint issues? Have you noticed any improvement in your dog's mobility since being on said food?

Many thanks for your help in advance

[Dottie]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your collie cross is rather young to be suffering from arthritis. Hopefully rest and medication will help.

Re Hills JC, see here for an explanation about prescription diets. The ingredient list (from Zooplus):
Ground corn, ground rice, flaxseed, chicken and turkey meal, ground soya beans, soya bean meal, protein hydrolysate, animal fat, fish oil, dried egg product, dicalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, L-carnitine, L-tryptophan, Taurine.
Additives:
Vitamin A (11 304 IU/kg), vitamin D3 (478 IU/kg), vitamin E (652 mg/kg), vitamin C (76 mg/kg), beta-carotene (1.6 mg/kg). 

I can't see anything in there that would be helpful to a dog with joint problems except for maybe the flaxseed but you might want to confirm this with the vet by asking him or her why they think it will help.

Wainwright's grain free wet food is a much better quality product (it scores 4.8 on the Dog Food Directory) and if your dog is settled on it I would advise you not to change. There is no joint additive in Wainwright's but that is an advantage.  This is because when a dog has joint disease it needs a therapeutic dose of whatever supplement you choose. Some foods do contain glucosamine and chondroitin or perhaps green lipped mussel but the amount they get is dependent on the quantity of food you are giving to the dog.

Anecdotally I have heard that the Nutravet product Nutraquin+ is helpful but you might also want to look at green lipped mussel and devil's claw. I understand that the latter is particularly helpful - link.  Look for the better quality supplements - some are not so good. 

Possibly the best thing to do with your dog is to go for short lead walks to keep the joints working but not strained.  Hydrotherapy could be very useful but discuss this with your vet first.  Qualified people who offer this service would want a veterinary referral.

[COASTER]

Lots of good advice already...my comments may duplicate some of the above to some extent so apologies for this..

I confess to prior considering foods with ingredients that claim to assist joint issues...in my case I was considering a preventative approach rather than treatment.

Many owners supplement/medicate their dogs by administering specific products rather than feeding foods with relatively lower amounts.....If I was In your shoes this would definitely be my approach.

Do some research online......Glucosamine, Chrondatin, MSM & fish oils are often given either individually or in combined products.

Lots of varied discussions online & on various forums so do your research properly.

It may be worth while to seek the advice of a veterinary specialist by way of referral. You can choose to whom you are referred to. Your insurance may cover this so check policy (if insured). If my vet merely gave anti-inflamatory meds & showed me the Hills range I might be motivated to seek further opinion(s) elsewhere.

[Dottie]

Lunaris - I had forgotten to link this in my previous reply.  It is a news article that is linked on the home page of this website referring to legal action being taken in the USA about so called 'prescription diets'. You might find it useful so have a look at it before you decide whether to change food.
Please can you keep in touch and let us know how you get on with your dog?  I hope that you soon see some improvement.

[COASTER]

Lunaris,

Mindful you first posted some months ago but we collectively gave significant advice....An update would be appreciated