Old dogs

[Floridatilly]

No Mickey House this isn’t about your gang 🤣🤣🤣
Tilly is 12, she is/was extremely fit and healthy to the point everyone assumes she is a puppy. However, over the past couple of months, after her walks, she has started to limp on her back legs, mainly the one she had an operation on a few years ago. Most of the time she jumps up onto the sofa but after a walk she can’t make the jump.
She is so eager to ho for a walk and gets really excited when we lift her lead up but we can tell she has had enough after 15-20 mins. Long walks through the woods is a thing of the past 😪
She is on wainwright’s dry food for older dogs as recommended by our vet. She can’t have treats because she has always had a sensitive stomach. Her weight is perfect and otherwise happy and well, eating, drinking and going to the toilet fine.
She gave checked her paws and legs, she doesn’t pull away or yelp so no obvious signs of anything. Her nails are very long though and she won’t let us cut them. Groomers can only fit her in at the end of September.
She is at the vets on Tuesday for her boosters and yearly check up so I will speak to the vet about her back legs.
I am wondering how other people have adjusted to life with an old dog?
Do you still walk them? Is there anything that you do or give them for joints etc?
Any advice, hints and tips?
Thank you

[Talland 2016]

My GSD X Husky is 9 and was hit by a car aged 1 & needed surgery to back leg
We were told that he would get arthritis when older
He got a lot stiffer in movement in the past year
I’ve started him on YUMOVE ( think Seven Seas for dogs), there are also other joint supplements with turmeric etc in, and the vet has started him on a small dose of Meloxicam anti inflammatory daily and he is much better
I find he enjoys shorter walks rather than longer ones
Definitely discuss it with the vet

[Trickytenrec]

I work in a vets, although not a vet. It could be something simple like arthritis in which case the usual treatment would be long term painkillers. You are doing the right thing by getting her seen though. Our vets sell joint care tablets too which is something our vets usually recommend to older dogs or ones with joint issues.

[Floridatilly]

Originally Posted by Talland 2016

My GSD X Husky is 9 and was hit by a car aged 1 & needed surgery to back leg
We were told that he would get arthritis when older
He got a lot stiffer in movement in the past year
I’ve started him on YUMOVE ( think Seven Seas for dogs), there are also other joint supplements with turmeric etc in, and the vet has started him on a small dose of Meloxicam anti inflammatory daily and he is much better
I find he enjoys shorter walks rather than longer ones
Definitely discuss it with the vet

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I am sure she was on meloxicam after her operation on her leg. I am imagining that the vet will put her on that again. 👍🏻👍🏻

[Floridatilly]

This may sound crazy but does anyone use a dog pram (no idea what they are officially called) we love going for long walks but Tilly can’t manage them anymore and we feel so guilty leaving her at home.

[Lell]

Originally Posted by Floridatilly

This may sound crazy but does anyone use a dog pram (no idea what they are officially called) we love going for long walks but Tilly can’t manage them anymore and we feel so guilty leaving her at home.

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Not a pram but we bought a dog back pack for our older dog. We have 4 Border Terriers and we do 8 plus miles at the weekend but our older dog is 12 and her optimum walk is about 5 miles so now we just pop her in the back pack when she starts to lag.

[Trusty ian]

When our dog got arthritis vets gave her pain killers. Seemed to help but at 11yrs she no longer could cope with long walks , so she was happy with a short walk then slept all day pretty much. Got a liking to lying on the sofa ( which we never encouraged) . Took her on a holiday a few weeks ago so she had a change , spent most of the day asleep or gentle walk along beaches. Had to be carried a few times.unfortunatly that was the last hol/ walk she had.

[Sandra & co]

My westie is 8 and has got slower, she has a mad fit and acts like a puppy but then sits puffing and panting. I bought a bag to carry her but she’s too heavy and I’ve hurt my back. We used to do a hour walk but now she wants to be carried home after 45 minutes.

[mitch84]

My dog is only 3 but has elbow dysplacia. He is on Yumove which I buy from Amazon as it is far cheaper, and if he starts limping again I give him a dose of Metacam in his tea

[disney20042012]

Yumove is great, we noticed an improvement in both our dogs.