Leia today lives a life she loves – without feeling limited!
Almost nine years ago, Nikolina’s best friend came to live with her – the Boxer Leia. Nikolina explains that animals have always been a great part of her life. Ever since childhood, when she kept birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, and dogs, she has known it is an interest that will stay with her forever. Nikolina had plans to compete in obedience or working trials with Leia, but those had to be set aside following some difficult news from the vet.
Nikolina is 33 years old, lives in Stockholm, and works in sales. You might be able to guess which industry? It is, happily, the pet industry. Nikolina works as a sales representative at MUSH, which also means that Leia is lucky enough to be able to come along to work with her owner!
Leia is a cheerful female Boxer who will turn nine in July. She loves joining Nikolina on all of life’s everyday adventures, both at work and in their free time. She is content being a companion dog – as long as life offers a mix of adventures and lazy days on the sofa.
Both Nikolina and Leia love being out in nature, and the forest is their natural home.
“We love discovering new places where I get to put my utterly terrible sense of direction to the test while Leia leads the way, deciding the route, length, and pace. We have got lost more often than not, I can tell you. And after a day in the forest, there is nothing better than curling up on the sofa together.”
How did you discover Leia’s condition?
With Boxers, both hips and knees are X-rayed at the age of one, in order to assess breeding suitability and ensure that dogs with poor joints are not used for breeding.
Leia’s X-rays did not show what had been hoped – she had severe hip dysplasia with arthritis on one side. The other hip was unfortunately not much better, though slightly so.
How did you move forward after receiving the news about Leia’s hip dysplasia with arthritis?
Shortly after the X-rays, her problems began to show. She became stiff after activities they had always done without any difficulty, such as long walks, playing with other dogs, tracking, or training.
They sought out one of the leading vets in the field and, following the recommendation, began with physiotherapy and pain relief. After doing this for just over six months, it became clear the results were not what had been hoped for. She was still struggling to manage even the most everyday things, such as walks on the lead.
After much deliberation, they made the decision to replace the worse of the two hips.
In January 2017 the operation took place and Leia received a hip prosthesis. It went without a hitch, and she was back on her feet quickly – in fact, a little too lively and cheerful for the vet’s liking. After a period of rest and rehabilitation she was like any other dog, able to do all the things she had previously been unable to do.
The hip that was not operated on has shown some symptoms in more recent years, but nothing like the problems she had before. She is kept on a small dose of pain relief, supplements, and rehabilitation work to build up her muscles properly so that she will stay well for the rest of her life.
The prosthesis has most likely allowed her to take enough strain off the other hip that it has not deteriorated further – which is not something that causes concern at present, as she shows very little sign of it and can still do all the things she loves, without limitation.
You mention that you give Leia supplements – why have you chosen to do that?
I give her supplements to support her joints and give her the best possible conditions. Especially for a spirited senior like Leia, I believe we can prevent a great deal of damage with the right supplements.
I give Leia Green-lipped Mussel, as it supports the cartilage and increases joint fluid. I also give Collagen, which helps her tendons and muscles to retain their elasticity. And finally I give her Rosehip Powder, as it contains a generous amount of vitamin C. I give it because we know that vitamin C helps to increase the absorption of other supplements, but also because rosehip powder has anti-inflammatory properties.
Would you recommend other dog owners give their dogs supplements?
Yes – why not give your dog the best possible conditions? Especially for an older dog or a hard-working one. But I would start giving joint supplements to a puppy if I knew it was a breed with an increased risk of joint problems, or a dog I intended to train intensively – as I would rather prevent than treat.
There are also other issues beyond joints and movement that we can support with supplements, including digestive health, dry coat, flaky claws, and so on.
If you could choose just one supplement, which would it be and why?
A difficult question, as I like to combine different supplements to get the best possible effect. But if I could only choose one, it would be Green-lipped Mussel, as it works for all stages of life, from puppyhood to the senior years.
