My dog Deputy, and his Arthritis

My dog Deputy, a 15 year old Yellow Lab, Is experiencing arthritis in his hips, and other places. He has been showing signs of the affliction for a couple years now, but of late it seems to be interfering a little more with his normal activities. The vet prescribed Dura-Max and Glucosamine - Chondroitin, I think that it has helped, with no or limited side effects. Because Deputy has been more reluctant to get up, after laying for a while, and been more unsteady on his feet, I asked the vet if there wasn't a better pain med that I could use. He Prescribed Tramadol 50 MG. That may have helped the pain, Deputy doesn't say much about that, but it seems to have caused a good deal of anxiety and constipation. Poor Deputy was up all night pacing and panting, and I mean all night, he was in and out of the bedroom, around the bed, back and fourth for hours. About every hour or so he would start to whine to go out, where he assumed the position, and waddled about with no results. After two days, I stopped his new pain meds, and he had a good night, allowing yours truly to have a good night also. The pain meds must have made him anxious, causing all the panting and pacing. Poor guy, it seems that either it's the arthritis pain or some side effect that continues to effect him. I've been massaging, rubbing and scratching his hips and hind legs and he loves that, I wish I knew better, how to do that. When ever I walk up to him, he looks up with that longing look and arranges himself to best receive the rubbing. I suppose that some of you may be thinking at this point, why not just put him down. I have given that some consideration, and I don't think that it's time yet. Otherwise he is happy, smiles whenever he see us, eats aggressively and seems to be enjoying most things much as he always has. He brings his toys, and wants to play fetch, or tug of war, sometimes he romps about like a puppy. I too have arthritis, and wince when I stand up, sit longer than I used to, am a little unstable on my feet, but you better not be considering putting me down just yet. I think I'll know when it's time. It's the massage thing that I wish I knew more about, he loves it so, I wish I could do that better for him.
Tom

 

awww poor guy, I just love dogs an one in pain just makes my heart cry. The glucosamine-chondroitan I know works in humans rather well, but the only thing is it takes weeks to work. It has to build up in the system to be at full potential. Maybe ask your vet if its something he should stay on, an what he thinks. Lots of people I know take that, an say they can move very easily again. The only draw back that I know of is once you start to take it, you can't stop with out the joints goin back to hurting again. I know it "oils" the joints really good. Its just a thought, but I would ask my vet if it works the same way on dogs as it does on humans.

 

I think you are doing what you can for Deputy, Tom. I'm certain he's happy as long as he enjoys his life so much after having stretched and softened. Good luck with finding better medication for him.

 

My heart goes out to you Tom and poor Deputy. It is such a sad event in one's life when one knows one's dog of so many years and knows that the poor guy is in pain.

I used to massage my previous dog when the same affliction hit him - old age and arthritis. My previous dog (a German Shepherd) got to be 14 human years old. Eileen is right - I also allowed my dog to swim in my pool (it was a heated pool) For Deputy to be 15 years old is really something.

I hope you find something to ease his pain.

 

I think there is probably plenty of life left in the old pooch. A few aches and pains are part of growing old. :-| We had to give our old sheppie a cortisone type shot every week for the last year of his life. You will know very well when THE time comes. Hopefully he may go peacefully in his sleep.

 

I thought that I might just add a few pictures


These are those, nearest and dearest to me, missing only my wife Mimi.



There must be a scent in the air.

 

What a handsome looking dog. Seeing picture 2 gave me an idea for his bed-maybe a heated bed would help him through the nites.

 

I think Petunia is right, a heated bed would help. Was he placed on Rimadyl for his arthritis? That usually works very well, but the glucosamine is certainly a plus. I was the business manager of a vet hospital for two years. I just had to put my baby to sleep a couple of years ago. I still miss him.

Scotty Dawg


Now about the hard thing, you will know when it's time. When it hurts you more to see him live than it does to put him to sleep you will know what needs to be done.

 

Deputy is a lovely dog. I like his smiling face. Your Scotty looks comfortable there, crazyboutflowers.

 

Oh, Deputy is so .............I love labs and even after vowing not to have another because she was a handul when young. Now she is 4 and I would go out and get another yellow lab when the time comes.

((hugs)) to help find somethig that helps him feel better...sometimes you just have to keep trying new things. I know I can't take many medicines. But the warm bed sounds good to me.. Best of luck and let us know when you do find something that works.
My cairn terrier loves to be massaged...it relaxes him and then I can trim his nails with no problems.

Around here all I have heard about is the Rimadyl.

 

I am a vet tech and I can tell you that there is another pain med for arthritis. It is called Rimadyl. The only draw back to this med is that it can cause problems with the liver. The vet that I work for requires that all pets on this have bloodwork done yearly. Just like with humans any meds can have side effects. Tramadol we generally use for soft tissue pain. The rimadyl is what we just in our elderly pets. I would ask your vet what he thinks of this. There is also a diet called J/D. It is fomulated for the joints. It contains omega fatty acids that help the fluids around the joints. I will give you as much information as I can. Let me know if there is anything else that I can do for you.

TexasGal

 

Thank you TexasGal, I'll definitely check into that.
Tom

 

Deputy is very handsome Tom. Our Lucky Dog has arthritis too, I hate seeing her in pain.