Well it may not be an option, but my Ginger had such bad arthritis and pain in her whole hind end she could barely walk (at ages 4 through 5). She is now 6 and a half and walks with a little stiffness but can play and run and walk without signifincant pain. I put her on a raw diet. Her body healed quite a lot. SHe used to be three legged lame, alternating between which right hind leg hurt the worst. There were times I consdiered putting her down but she always still seemed to enjoy life. I changed her diet and it changed her whole life, and mine. Like it said, that may not be an option of they don't want to feed it, but it helped Ginger.