Hip Arthritis in My Corgi?

My female corgi is just 7 years old but I have noticed she has really slowed down lately. She doesn't want to walk down steps, and is very stiff upon rising, like her back legs drag before she gets her bearings. She can walk normally after a few steps, will do some running and playing with my other Corgi, but tires quickly and just wants to come back inside. She was overweight a few months ago but we have gotten her weight down to 31-32 lbs. Is it unusual to have a corgi develop hip arthritis this young? I know there are medications to help with pain and inflammation--I was wondering if anyone out there has had experience with them. Please email me. ccuz@bellsouth.net

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on June 16, 2009 at 2:13pm

Yes, she can already have arthritis. She may have another issue so you should talk to your vet. If my corgis weight was 31-32 lbs. I would be putting them on a diet so you may need to continue trying to get the weight off. You should look from the top and see if there is an indentation just before her hips. That is one way to check proper weight.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Wilson on June 18, 2009 at 7:24pm

Sunshine Corgi Rescue takes in quite a few dogs each year and we see "arthritic" corgis frequently. More often than not, these are overweight dogs which have experienced joint damage from lugging around extra weight. Fat dogs have very little energy and stamina.

Corgis can be dysplastic, but frequently do not show signs of dysplasia unless they are overweight. Most males are between 28-32 lbs at a correct weight. Most females are between 23-27 lbs.

Put your fingers on both sides of your dog and gently press the ribs. If you barely press and feel ribs, the dog is at or close to correct weight. If you have to press to feel the ribs clearly, the dog is fat. You should see the "hourglass" figure between ribs & hips from above.

Your best friend is a 1/3 cup measure for food. Our dogs get about 1/3 cup of good quality food, twice a day for maintenance. High activity dogs get more. This allows for a couple of small dog treats daily. You may give more treats if they're veggies.

Some dogs in our program have arrived in excess of 45-50 lbs. When given 1/3 cup of good quality kibble twice daily, they lose weight, get active, get happy again and will tire you out on walks. As often as not, the "arthritic" dogs have no physical issues within 6 months. We do not use weight-control foods.

If the dog is really arthritic or has bone/joint issues (you'll need x-rays), talk to your vet about starting her on glucosomine & chondroitin supplements. This is very helpful for joint repair and is particularly helpful on old dogs with real bone issues. We have our older boy Cody (13 y.o & 28 lbs.), on these supplements and after about 2 months, his mobility issues in getting up and soreness after play have been greatly reduced. He'll continue to be the perpetual puppy for as long as we can help it happen. Good luck!