# Finding that balance



## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

So Neb - 14.5 and not a GSD, big mutt - loves snow. Has arthritis, and has in the past de-furred his wrist by licking when the arthritis bothered him. Can't be on NSAIDs (kidneys), gabapentin didn't do a thing, don't want tramadol or whatever that 'opiate' is, so we upped his fish oil to 2000mg a day (doubled) and started him on CBD (split over three doses a day).

While I have been highly dubious about claims with CBD - nothing fixes THAT many things - one our vets had just been to a conference where they presented a study that showed promise with CBD and arthritis. Our vet advised on dosing and confirmed 100% CBD (apparently THC+dogs=BAD). Happily the Ontario Cannabis Store sells gummies that are 100% CBD, and perfectly amount for 3x/day dosing for a dog his weight. 

He did well, was happily active and trotting about on walks, fur had mostly grown back.

AND THEN

It snowed. Probably because dogs love snow, plus Neb is part husky and part spitz, he looooooves the snow. The first snowfall we did a longer walk, and he kept sprinting, so it was a bit of an interval training walk of bits of normal speed thrown in with bits of running. So happy to see him having so much fun.

Two days later his wrist was without fur again. He's still licking at it sometimes (we just came in from a walk).

So now I have to find that balance. I hate to stop him from running around, but I also want him to not be in pain after. He seems to do a bit better off leash on trail running around, so that's one possibility after snowfalls - take him to High Park and let him run around on the trails. 

Anyone have any tips for finding balance? While his wrist is bothering him, should I cut back on the exercise? We didn't walk far this morning at all (I slept in, whoops), just under 1k, and he's bothering his wrist. 

But he does need exercise to keep synovial fluid happy and keep up what muscle he has left. Plus mentally it's good for him. He tends to go faster when it's with the other two as opposed to walks where it's just him and I and it's a lot of poking around and sniffing, though since we've started CBD his speed has improved.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I swear we have the same dog! I wrap Shadows legs in vet wrap to stop the gnawing if it gets out of hand. I have small squares of an old cotton cloth cut to fit under it, because I feel like the wrap alone is uncomfortable. 
I have found that much like people massage helps, or just rubbing his legs. Also, if he will let you, I would try a heating pad for a few minutes. 
Maybe try and take him out alone, so he isn't competing with the other two, but I am pretty convinced that inactivity is bad and most things I have read about arthritis say exercise is good. 
I have it everywhere, I was not a gentle child, and I know with my hands especially I get sore if I don't flex those fingers frequently. I use a ball most of the winter almost continuously.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Oh massage is a great idea @Sabis mom - he’s pretty receptive to me redirecting him when he’s licking/bothering it and I think he’d be okay with a massage. Heat too - not sure what his reaction would be but worth a try. 

I am pretty sure inactivity is bad for arthritis, I have heard that as well.

I already take him out quite a bit on his own (he can’t concentrate his urine anymore so needs to pee a lot) but often it’s just for a quick couple of pees. I can take the other two for a walk when first waking and then him for gentler walks when he needs other bathroom breaks (poor guy has started having accidents so while he goes out a lot he also now has washable belly bands for when we’re not home - not sure how good they are because he’s yet to have an accident while wearing one - but he doesn’t mind wearing them at least).


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

As an arthritis sufferer myself finding balance is the ideal but not always possible. Cold weather does make it worse. The best thing to keep it down to a dull ache as opposed to excruciating is moderate exercise. Overdoing is inevitable occasionally, then moist heat is helpful. Of course he'd licking off the warm water then probably Wrapping the areas he licks and a couple minutes of heat throughout the day is a good idea, plus a little bit of walking around to keep the joints from freezing up.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

dogma13 said:


> As an arthritis sufferer myself finding balance is the ideal but not always possible. Cold weather does make it worse. The best thing to keep it down to a dull ache as opposed to excruciating is moderate exercise. Overdoing is inevitable occasionally, then moist heat is helpful. Of course he'd licking off the warm water then probably Wrapping the areas he licks and a couple minutes of heat throughout the day is a good idea, plus a little bit of walking around to keep the joints from freezing up.


I think I am going to heat one of those bags of grain or whatever is in them and try that on his wrist. He has trouble going down stairs now with his wrist and prefers walking up them though if he goes too fast he stumbles occasionally on the stairs.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Supervise with the grain bag. Deja ate the rice out of large heating pad a few years ago. Her poop looked like it was covered in maggots but I connected the dots. Luckily no scary consequences.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

Oh good call! And thank goodness you figured it out!


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

jarn said:


> I think I am going to heat one of those bags of grain or whatever is in them and try that on his wrist. He has trouble going down stairs now with his wrist and prefers walking up them though if he goes too fast he stumbles occasionally on the stairs.


I loved my magic bag! Lost it somewhere in my travels. Get me one to will you.


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## jarn (Jul 18, 2007)

@Sabis mom I think I got ours as a gift! They’re great. 

Well Mr. Old is barking at me. He likes to bark at me and not Toby. So I get to play “well you just went out and ate what do you want”. My big guy 😍


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