HopOnTrot
Well-Known Member
I would ask physio & vet, physio should be able to give you a rehab plan to work with and have an idea of what can be achieved.
Elderly dog with weakening back end - to walk, or not to walk.
- Thread starter scruffyponies
- Start date
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
I suspect that this is going to be one of those threads which will be very useful to a number of us who want to do the best by our dogs as they age, with exception of the OP who does not appear to agree with any suggestion of getting her stiff old dog reassessed by a vet.
OP has been on the forum and posting this morning on the XL bully thread, but she hasn’t even been courteous enough to ‘like’ the post on her thread by a qualified vet suggesting options for her dog.
Thanks, Aru, your post was most informative.
OP has been on the forum and posting this morning on the XL bully thread, but she hasn’t even been courteous enough to ‘like’ the post on her thread by a qualified vet suggesting options for her dog.
Thanks, Aru, your post was most informative.
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
This is very much in line with my thinking. Currently SHE wants to go for a walk (that's why I don't think she's particularly in pain). Did I say wants? It's more than that She's giddy with excitement at the very suggestion.
She has had a period of lower activity due to my broken leg. I don't think it has done her any good.
KittenInTheTree
Well-Known Member
Well, I favour actual science when it comes to pain management, and I also wouldn't let other animals climb on top of either of our elderly dogs, but you do you, OP 
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
You must get to a vet that has special interest in pain management and yes it make a huge difference to dogs if you intervene and make the dog more comfortable .
There are masses of options including giving doggy gastroguard type drugs if thats going to be helpful.
I might try Gallipriant which is usually well tolerated or the Gallipriant paracetamol combo ,Librela is also an option there’s a mass things that transform older dogs lives now .
Don’t delay getting help .
There are masses of options including giving doggy gastroguard type drugs if thats going to be helpful.
I might try Gallipriant which is usually well tolerated or the Gallipriant paracetamol combo ,Librela is also an option there’s a mass things that transform older dogs lives now .
Don’t delay getting help .
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
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TheresaW
Well-Known Member
We have an 11yo Malamute. He doesn’t act like an old man at all. We’ve only had him around 6 months, he was picked up as a stray with a huge tumour between his back legs. It had been there some time, and he’d adapted the way he walks. He never showed sign of pain, but vet suggested metacam, as when he runs, does zoomies etc, you can see his gait isn’t normal.
We would rather be on top of anything before he is in pain. He has regular checkups.
We would rather be on top of anything before he is in pain. He has regular checkups.
CorvusCorax
'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
The dog is either camped out/doesn't like being lifted, with a weak hind end, or it's fit as a fiddle and happy as larry.
There's also the option that the vet might say something we don't want to hear. But glad to hear you're only accepting answers which align with your own point of view
There really needs to be a tick box option with 'Validation! Everything you're doing is right! There is no problem!'
My Mum wants bacon sarnies and is giddy with excitement to get one. Then she is crippled with her gallbladder later. Rinse and repeat.
No one is saying don't exercise her at all. But expecting her to do what she's always done at her age and with the issues you describe and no intervention is unrealistic IMO.
There's also the option that the vet might say something we don't want to hear. But glad to hear you're only accepting answers which align with your own point of view
There really needs to be a tick box option with 'Validation! Everything you're doing is right! There is no problem!'
My Mum wants bacon sarnies and is giddy with excitement to get one. Then she is crippled with her gallbladder later. Rinse and repeat.
No one is saying don't exercise her at all. But expecting her to do what she's always done at her age and with the issues you describe and no intervention is unrealistic IMO.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
I just feel that any advice (even from a vet) to give this poor dog adequate and appropriate pain relief has fallen on stony ground.
AmyMay
Situation normal
Interestingly our dog that we lost in 2022 wanted to go out for a walk up to a day before he went dramatically downhill. He was at that point diagnosed with bone cancer (X-rays revealed the bone almost gone, where the tumour had eaten it away). Up until that point he’d displayed the odd moment of lameness only. He must have been in a considerable amount of pain for (sadly) several months - but hid it.
You seem resistant to supporting your dog medically which I’m dismayed at, even after advised to by @Aru, who’s taken time to give a very detailed and supportive post (free of charge….).
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skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
I know you have already mentioned this but just to reiterate:
Endorphins, released when a dog is excited and having a good time, dampen the pain temporarily.
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I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Just as an aside, muscle wastage hurts. The muscles waste away and dont have the strength to move properly. Trying to make them move properly hurts and so movement is limited. Its also uncomfortable to sit or lay down in a muscle wasted body. I think that most people have never experienced significant muscle wastage so assume its unsightly/old age etc but never consider that it actually hurts. I have and it hurts!
Please get your dog to a vet OP. They sound a lovely and much loved pet and they just need a bit of medical intervention now. With painkillers I'm fine, without them my life is absolutely miserable, and like most animals to look at me 99% of the time you would never know, we are all hard wired to hide pain.
Please get your dog to a vet OP. They sound a lovely and much loved pet and they just need a bit of medical intervention now. With painkillers I'm fine, without them my life is absolutely miserable, and like most animals to look at me 99% of the time you would never know, we are all hard wired to hide pain.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
Have you taken your poor old dog to the vets yet?
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
All 5 adults who live with the dog and have known her all her life agree that she is comfortable and not in pain. However for my own peace of mind, I tried her on Loxicom (Metacam). It made no difference at all, although she did tolerate it, which is good to know, as she has is not generally great stomach-wise and may well need it in future.
What has helped is regular short walks (off-lead). She is very keen, and climbs banks, wanders off into woods, paddles in lakes etc. whenever opportunity presents.
She also now gets a tin of sardines every few days for a bit of extra protein.
She's mostly deaf and a bit wobbly but her eyes and coat are shining, she's exuberant, active and sociable. All things considered, she's doing fantastically well.
What has helped is regular short walks (off-lead). She is very keen, and climbs banks, wanders off into woods, paddles in lakes etc. whenever opportunity presents.
She also now gets a tin of sardines every few days for a bit of extra protein.
She's mostly deaf and a bit wobbly but her eyes and coat are shining, she's exuberant, active and sociable. All things considered, she's doing fantastically well.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
I take it that's a 'no' then. If you are not prepared to pay for veterinary advice, don't get a dog.
If you are saying that she is fine, (and by the way she doesn't sound fine from the information you have given on this thread) what is it that you were treating with the Metacam?
I suggest you listen to this: https://www.cameducation.co.uk/course/is-my-dog-in-pain
and this:
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SkylarkAscending
Well-Known Member
Wow, just wow……
My mother is doing “fantastically well all things considered” - she has advanced Alzheimer’s, is on rispiradone and has no quality of life whatsoever.
Go To Your Vet And Get Some Proper Advice PLEASE! You owe the poor dog this much, regardless of what 5 untrained adults may think.
AmyMay
Situation normal
I just had a read of your original post. And I keep coming back to…
And, even though she does sound as if she’s enjoying some quality of life, I’m still agog that you haven’t had her checked out. Especially given her history.
Metacam isn’t always the go to medication for dogs suffering a degree of pain or arthritis.
And, even though she does sound as if she’s enjoying some quality of life, I’m still agog that you haven’t had her checked out. Especially given her history.
Metacam isn’t always the go to medication for dogs suffering a degree of pain or arthritis.
SkylarkAscending
Well-Known Member
Agree totally @AmyMay - I would not have tolerated George being in any pain, however much I adored him, his welfare was always paramount. His pain was managed with Librella and Loxicom/Metacam on the vets advice. And he was “only” a small dog …..
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I think this is turning into a sanctimonious witch hunt. We all do best for our dogs and I’m not sure this thread needed bringing up again.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
Come on Clodagh, you're not serious? Do you really think turmeric and black pepper is the best treatment option for this dog?
SaddlePsych'D
Well-Known Member
How long did you try the medication for? I only ask as I am currently doing a trial of pain relief for my dog and the instruction from vet has been to do 2-3 weeks then go back. It's only now we're well into week 2 that I'm feeling more confident there is positive change. Granted in our case the problems are quite subtle so possibly harder to spot any change but the one day of Metacam we gave pre-vet consultation didn't seem to make any difference at all. If things have been 'ouchy' for a while I wonder if it just takes that bit longer for the pain relief to really make a difference to how they move and for us to see it.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
The vet in the 2nd link I posted above suggested analgesia trial for up to 6 weeks and that a combination of 3 different drugs for the different types of pain associated with arthritis might be needed.
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Clodagh
Well-Known Member
No but the thread was no longer in use and got restarted, maybe there was a prompt for that in another thread I don’t know, I don’t trawl the forum.
If this was my dog it would go to the vets, but there’s no point going for group shaming of anyone.
Just MO.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
See post #73. I quoted a post from today posted on different thread and replied to it on here.
SkylarkAscending
Well-Known Member
It quite probably got “restarted” because forum members were concerned about the quality of life experienced by the dog in question?
Jenko109
Well-Known Member
I can't understand how you can describe your dog as weak, regularly standing like an over bred GSD and acknowledge there is some stiffness and that you believe dogs that age cannot be free of pain.....and not think a pain killer is required.
meleeka
Well-Known Member
I agree. Nobody is going to change the OP’s opinion, so there’s absolutely no point in bringing this thread up again. I think some people get quite hysterical about what they think the poster should do, when they haven’t even seen the animal. It’s a bit like the thread by SO1 the other day. That felt like a pile on too and probably why a lot of people don’t ask for advice on here.
skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
I listened to talk by Jana Gams DVM CCRP, about recognising pain in dogs. One of the signs of pain was roached back with legs under body.
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skinnydipper
Well-Known Member
Nobody is hysterical but you are right, nobody has seen the animal - including the vet.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
but going on the information provided this dog is in pain and needs a vet, the SO1 thread was very different in that people made a couple of snarky comments, but the vet has been involved from day 1. So it was unpleasant as people were annoyed their advice wasn't being followed, but SO1 was following advice from vets and rehabbers who have seen the horse multiple times.
This poor dog hasn't been seen by a vet and is described as being in pain, and the owner appears to dismiss it as just something that happens to old dogs.