We are all glad that Thori's doggie is feeling better... most dog owners who are lucky enough to have their dogs living into the double digit years will probably have to deal with canine arthritis at some point.
Most vets will treat canine arthritis with some combination of anti-inflammatories, pain killer, and substances that protect or promote healthy joint cartilage. Added to this would also be weight management, providing warmth and a proper orthopedic bed for the sleeping area, and appropriate exercise and/or physical therapy.
I was glad to see that Thori's vet didn't immediately prescribe Rimadyl or Etogesic. I feel that many veterinarians are way too quick to prescribe these very strong drugs, and many of them still do not provide adequate information about the sometimes-lethal side effects to their patients' caretakers.
ALL of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), even aspirin, can cause gastric upsets and sometimes gastric or intestinal bleeding. That doesn't mean they are not an appropriate treatment in many cases... just that caution is needed, as is trying to use the lowest possible dose that gives relief.
The Senior Dogs Project website has one of the best, most balanced sections on Rimadyl and other NSAIDs on the web. If your vet is prescribing Rimadyl for your pet, please read it so you can be fully informed.
One treatment that I have personally had good results with is giving a glucosamine hydrochloride/chondroitin sulfate combo twice a day. Although it takes from 2-4 weeks for the good effects to be seen. it has few to no side effects. It supposedly helps the body to form healthy new cartilage, and to draw lubricating fluid into existing cartilage. I have not seen any clinical studies on this but I have quite a bit of anecdotal evidence with my own dogs as well as dogs belonging to friends and acquaintances.
At present all of the dogs here are taking the glucosamine/chondroitin combo for various reasons. Oscar's OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) x-rays were fine for hips, but showed Grade 1 DJD (degenerative joint disease) in his elbows. Heidi has had anterior cruciate ligament repair on both knees; the ACL injury made her more susceptible to arthritis in those joints. Jake is moderately dysplastic with some arthritis in his hips; Missy is... well, she's just old :) I do feel it has helped all of them stay comfortable and active.
One place I like to buy from is B-Naturals ... the product they carry is human grade and at a very competitive price. Owner Lew Olson is quite knowledgeable about natural health and herbal remedies for dogs and cats; if you drop her an e-mail before you order with any questions you have, she is sure to have some good suggestions for your pet.
Just... *hugs*
Hmm, I wonder how much of this applies to cats also. As I've said before (somewhere) one of my cats has slight arthritis in her front elbow. I don't want to give her anything for it while she is still fit and healthy but I know one day it will be an issue. Burmese are naturally long living cats and mine are showing no signs of aging whatsoever as yet (they are seven and a half) but these things are inevitable. I think I'll talk to my vet about this stuff at their next checkup (since I can't afford to buy from an American webiste). Heh, he didn't even pick up the arthritis last time we went (new vet since we moved towns last year) which shows how minor it is :D