My 11-year-old lab's mobility improved so much after 6 weeks on fish oil and joint supplements

I want to share this in case anyone else is going through it with an older dog. My lab Buster turned 11 in February and earlier this year he started really struggling on walks. Getting up from his bed was slow, he'd take a few stiff steps before loosening up, and he just seemed tired all the time. Our vet ruled out anything serious and said it was just arthritis progression, which i kind of expected but still felt bad about.

Our vet recommended adding pharmaceutical-grade fish oil and a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement with some UC-II collagen. I'll be honest i was skeptical - it seemed like the kind of thing people throw money at without real results. But six weeks in and the difference is honestly kind of remarkable. He's up faster in the morning, he's back to wanting his full walks, and last week he actually trotted a few steps to greet me at the door. He looked at me like he remembered he was still young.

I know it doesnt work for every dog and his age means we're still managing things carefully. But if your senior dog is getting stiff and your vet is open to it, i'd say it's worth trying. Just took longer than i expected to see results - dont give up at the 2-week mark like i almost did.