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My large dog whines when getting on furniture. Is it arthritis?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shiloh Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 6 years and 6 months old | 100 lbs

My dog, Asta, is a 6 year old Shiloh shepherd weighing in at about 100lbs. She's never had major health problems, is intact, and at a moderate activity level. Recently she started letting out a slight whine when I ask her to get on the couch or bed. This only started occurring in the last week or so, and she's never whined like that before when coming up on the furniture. She comes from extremely healthy bloodlines (+.99 PennHip ratings for both parents) and is negative for DM. Thoughts?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Lauren Jones VMD

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on October 12th, 2021

I’m glad to hear that Asta has been a healthy dog up until this issue! Since she’s such a large dog, odds are good that she’s starting to show signs of arthritis, despite having excellent familial hip screenings. Arthritis can occur with age and can affect any joint. The hips, knees, elbows, and vertebral column are all commonly affected areas. Joint supplements including glucosamine and chondroitin can help slow the progression of arthritis and prescription anti-inflammatory pain medications can help to manage pain. At this point, your best option is to take Asta to her vet for an exam. Your vet will be able to determine if/where arthritis is present and will then prescribe any necessary medications. I’ve included a few articles below for further reading. I hope that everything goes well!

https://www.petcoach.co/article/common-signs-of-arthritis-in-dogs/
https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/arthritis-1/
https://www.petcoach.co/article/early-signs-of-arthritis-in-pets/
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