Cartilidge builders like Ester-C can be a boon. You won't find Ester-C in your doctor's head, but I bet your vet knows about it -- it's used to treat aging horses and dogs with hip dysplasia. When I saw how well it worked on my dog (2g for a 50 pound dog, and he was messed up *bad*) I started taking it myself. Wow! My fingers and knees haven't hurt when the weather changes since.

(Incidentally, the dog is now 8 years old and runs around the yard on two legs plus a butt despite his a) lack of knee caps b) advanced hip dyplasia since he was a pup and c) arthritis of the lower back. The original prognosis was that he'd live 3 years max.)

Doesn't really get rid of the arthritis, of course, but it keeps the pain killers at bay.