Treating Joint Problems in My Dog Boxster

DISCLAIMER:  This is not veterinarian advice (I am not a vet) and you should consult your vet before trying any health diet changes.  This is just a story about my dog Boxster.

Limping with joint pain

When Boxster, my french bulldog, was about 2.5 years old, he started limping.  Now I thought there was something wrong with his left leg the way he was limping.  Taking him to the vet did enlighten me to the fact that it was actually is right front leg and pinpointed to his left elbow.  After several hundreds of dollars on xrays and different vets, I did get a diagnoses of diffuse arthritis.  I was kind of shocked.  How’s that possible at 2 years old, but after they should be the xrays (being a chiropractor) I could see newly forming calcium deposits in his joints.

Through all this Boxster was limping for about 2 months.  I finally got a call from one of the vets saying they really didn’t know what was wrong with him.  Gave me a few possible scenarios, but not common for his breed.  Then the vet suggested that he have exploratory surgery and suggested that they may remove part of the elbow and … that’d he’d probably still limp after the surgery.  (p.s. I later met another Frenchy who had the surgery and still limped).  I said to myself “what’s the point he’ll still limp.”

Frustrated, I decided to at least started treating Boxster like I would a patient with arthritis.

Supplements to help joint pain and arthritis

To start I was using RegenMax Liquid, which I get from Xymogen – if you need a patient account call or email me and I can probably get you set up.  RegenMax was one of these products that was developed for helping to build better bone structure, especially for people developing osteoporosis.  During the research of this product clients would come back in saying how their hair, skin and nails improved so quickly, and because of that it is one of their best selling products.  I have a famous actress who ordered it by the case from me because it worked so well for her.

So with Boxster who was 34lbs at the time, now 28lbs.  I was giving 5 to 10 drops per day in his food (maybe twice a day in the beginning.)  I also gave him injections of adequan that I received from the vet.  Just those 2 thing and in 2 weeks Boxster was much better and then after a month he stopped limping.

I kept this up for 2 or 3 months, but didn’t want to be giving injections for the rest of his life.  So I tried stop adequan for 10 days and I noticed a little limp, put him back on and it stopped.  Then I tried to stop the RegenMax for 10 days and same deal started to limp and it stopped when I put him back on it.

So from that I reasoned he really needed both.  I decided to try a substitute for the adequan by using Collagen Hydrolysate from Great Lakes Gelatin (which I use with my joint injury patients, mixes well and easy to find).  I started giving him 1/2 teaspoon twice a day in his food for a week and then weened off the adequan.  Everything was good no limping even after a few weeks.  One time I ran out of the Collagen and after 10 days saw him started to limp again.

This was a great protocol for 6 years, no limping unless he played too hard then I’d see a touch of a limp for a day.  Then he was playing really hard one day and injured his left knee (in the back opposite the side of his elbow injury).  The vet said he most likely tore is ACL.  I could feel the play in joint myself as well.

Put him back on adequan for a month or two, treated his knee with cold laser therapy and some movement therapy and he stopped limping; kept him on the same protocol after stopping the adequan and also added fish oil for inflammation and started Pet Kelp – The Missing Link – joint formula as well as Connectin by in Clover Research, Hip and Joint Formula (fantastic) – has more the joint support lacking in just the collagen for the knee injury.

Boxster is now 10 1/2 still doing really well.  Occasionally if he get up in the morning and his joints are stiff I may see a little limp.

I stretch his back, legs and neck regularly and gently manipulate his spine (cause he also has scoliosis by the way).  I posted a video on my instagram of how I do this with Boxster.  instagram.com/drkenbest

Summary of what I found helpful for Boxster:

RegenMax Liquid by Xymogen – 5 to 10 drops twice a day

Collagen Hyrdolysate by Great Lakes Gelatin – 1/2 tsp twice a day

Pet Kelp – The Missing Link – joint formula – 1/4 tsp twice a day

Connectin by in Clover Research, Hip and Joint Formula – 1/2 tsp twice a day

Fish Oil – salmon or mackerel – 3 pumps per day

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As a side note with humans I have seen some pretty amazing results using 10 mg of Boron/day to help arthritis.  BORON