Q: Hello, we have a Beagle who is now 11 years old, he was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia when he was about a year old and had surgery on both his elbows at the time. The surgery was very successful but we are just noticing now that he is starting to get a bit stiff again and I was wondering if there was anything which you could recommend to help him?
A: Something which we would recommend and which you should find helpful is the Balto Soft Plus. This is a double brace, so will support both elbows simultaneously. It provides moderate support and can be worn for long or short periods of time as it is soft and so shouldn’t causing any rubbing. We do recommend that you take it off when your dog is sleeping however, just to give them a break. Another thing which I think your Beagle would benefit from is a joint supplement. Sadly, one of the inevitable consequences of elbow dysplasia is that your dog will go on to develop arthritis. We stock a range of joint supplements which we have found to be very beneficial.
Q: Hello, We have an elderly Labrador who has arthritis in her front right elbow. We were looking for something to help support her and make her more comfortable. We are giving her a joint supplement which has helped, she still really enjoys her walks but is being limited at the moment, what would you suggest?
A: Its really great that you are giving your Labrador a joint supplement and this will be helping her a lot in the background. In terms of giving her more support for walks or getting up and down from her bed, we can recommend the Kruuse Rehab Pro Elbow Protector. This gives moderate support to the elbow and helps to cushion it. It is held in place by a strap running over their back and attaching to the opposite front leg, without putting any extra strain on the other leg. They are made specifically for a right or left elbow, so when ordering be sure to select the correct side!