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Stiffness and Lameness

Depending on the reason your greyhound was retired, and the amount of exercise he has been used to, you may find that initially he becomes stiff or lame after exercise. This will often pass in time as your dog becomes fitter, and adjusts to a new exercise regime.

In the short term, or after any particularly arduous bursts, the homeopathic remedy Arnica can help to ease bruising and stiffness.

In the longer-term measures to consider include a variety of over the counter supplements that can be added to food on a daily basis. Most of these are slow acting, and it may take up to two months to see improvement, but once in the system they can offer real long term benefits without any unwanted side effects.

Some commonly used supplements include Green Lipped Sea Mussel, Glucosamine, MSM, Deer Velvet, and Cod Liver Oil. All of these are discussed in greater depth under the heading of Arthritis and Spondoloysis.

If you are planning to try some of these supplements it is best to try one at a time, so you can easily decided if it offers any benefit to your dog. Keeping a journal may sound time consuming, but setting aside a notebook for your dog and trying to write one to two lines each day about his exercise and feeding regime will be really helpful. I am often amazed at how clear a pattern is when looking back over several months of notes, but it is not something I would have seen without the aid of a journal.

Treatment of stiffness, lameness and, in the longer term, arthritis and spondylosis, is an important consideration in greyhound healthcare. Accordingly, I've given a more in-depth discussion of this important topic here.

The advantage of all the suggestions given elsewhere is that your dog can't lie about the effect. If it works you will know, and if it doesn't then they won't fake a good reaction just to make you feel you are getting value for money. A combination of observation and journal entries should help determine which treatments and supplements are most effective for your dog, and prevent you wasting time and money on things that don't work.

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