Pet of the Month! Loki!

Loki’s Story

Loki is a 10 1/2 year old Alaskan Malamute who came to us in March 2024 as his owners reported that he was struggling to stand up. He was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis of the hips and back legs and started on non steroidal anti-inflammatories. A week later he began monthly injections of Librela. Loki was doing well with the Librela but in October his owners noticed that the Librela only seemed to be working for 3 weeks instead of the full 4 weeks. In November Loki started on Cartrophen injections alongside joint supplements. Early December his owners reported they had seen a huge improvement with Loki’s mobility and he continued with his Librela & Cartrophen injections. In January 2025 following a recommendation from our nurse team Loki started on the Hills Metabolic + Mobility food, he also attends our nurse led Osteoarthritis clinics so we get regular updates on how he is doing. Loki will continue to be monitored for his condition and any treatment plan will be adjusted if/when needed.

Osteoarthritis, commonly referred to as just arthritis, is an inflammation of joints and the associated structures around. Osteoarthritis occurs as a result of wear and tear of joints and can be seen in any joint in the body, at any age. There is no cure for osteoarthritis but there is a huge amount that can be done to address the pain and support joints so your dog can have as pain-free and normal a life as possible. Any dog suffering from OA always benefits from regular examinations so any treatment adjustments can be made.

We asked Loki’s owners some questions about him:

What is Loki's favourite thing to do?
Loki’s favourite thing to do would probably be road trips. He loves to watch the world go by with his head out the window the whole journey..

Does Loki have any nicknames?
Loki has many nicknames, Spud, Loki poki, my lil’ prince, babba, baby boy, Lokes..

Does Loki have a particular daily routine?
Loki’s routine starts with an early morning walk around 6am. He gets to choose where he wants to walk. He then has his breakfast and sleeps most of morning in the office with us at work. He has a lunchtime walk sometimes round the local park. Then he sleeps some more. During the afternoon he’s pampered and brushed, especially this time of year as he’s shedding his winter coat. He’ll then sleep some more and has another walk around 5-6pm. Then dinner time! He chills with us all evening, if he’s wanting another walk, we take him a short walk around the park again..

What do you enjoy the most about Loki?
We love Loki so much, he’s absolutely unpredictable and we love that the most. He’s funny, mardy, always changing his mind and we go with that, always! In the right mood he’s very, very loving and we adore those times too. We also really enjoy taking him for cruises on our narrowboat. Once settled he will sit in the bow of the boat and relax as we chug along. We really enjoy mooring up and walking along canalside with him, different places all the time so Loki gets to explore new sceneries..

What advice would you give to others?
Advice to others regarding their pet, know your dog and understand them. Always try and make sure they are comfortable and happy. Never make them do anything they don’t want to do. Always give them reassurance.

If it’s advice to others regarding Loki then we say…Please give him space and don’t fuss him unless you’re in his circle of trust hehe!

How has the Healthcare Subscription helped you?
The healthcare subscription has helped us immensely. He is no longer struggling as much with his mobility and pain. He is back to his old self thanks to all the advice and care from Horner vets and we cannot thank you enough.