Most dogs get a bit sore and arthritic as they age. How much and how much it bothers them varies dog-to-dog. Some of the common signs of soreness to watch for include:
- Sitting up in front first before pulling their rear up when lying down
- “Hopping” their hind legs up stairs two at a time instead of striding up
- Hopping the same way in the rear when they run
- Walking with their head low
- Development of their neck and chest area so there is “a lot of dog” in front of the shoulders—their front end looks like it belongs to a bigger dog than the back end
- Groaning when they lie down
- Hesitating or refusing to jump in and out of the car or up and down off of furniture, cutting games they used to play short – esp. right after a spin or twist
- Lying down to eat when they used to stand up
Home care that helps:
- Keep your dog lean
- Give joint supporting supplements
- Use nonskid runners before and after corners, over slick flooring and especially at the bottom of stairs and below favorite furniture napping spots so your dog has a nonskid landing,
- No chasing toys or balls on slippery surfaces
- No ordinary fetch games (though up slopes can be fine)
- No or minimal rough play with younger, bigger, rougher dogs
- Supervise around children closely and respect the fact that pain can cause aggression; if a young child flops down on top of the dog for a hug and hurts him, the snap can happen before a thought does.
Medical care that helps includes:
- Pain medication
- Adequan injections
- Acupuncture
- Physical therapy
- Massage therapy
- Chiropractic care
Taking these steps can help keep your old dog as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
by Sarah Wilson, MySmartPuppy.com