My senior dog has arthritis and leg issues. What mobility solutions?

Sounds like your dog is having quite a few mobility issues. I'm not sure your how old your dog is, but with these symptoms I would suspect an older dog. There are things you can do to help (to a point) like adding a ramp or pet stairs to make going up and down easier, a good memory foam bed to soothe achy bones, glucosamine will help lubricate her joints so she moves a little easier, your vet may be able to offer some pain meds for the bad days but these are all temporary solutions. If she is an older pet this is where considering quality of life becomes important. She may be an older pet where these conditions get worse until she can't get outside to the bathroom and get to the food bowl. Simply getting to the necessities becomes a chore, that is not a life. It would be best to let her have her dignity and let her go if that is the case. Enjoy the time you have left together.

Poor Abby! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Rear leg issues in an older dog could be caused by an orthopedic problem like arthritis or hip/knee abnormalities, or a neurologic problem such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or degenerative myelopathy. Treatment recommendations will depend on what the underlying problem is, and none of these things can really be treated at home without prescription medications, so I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam. He/she can take x-rays of her hips and spine if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to treat it.

Oh my. Poor guy. : ( Arthritis can progress fairly quickly in pets, even when they are on the proper medication. The only thing you really can do at this point is to have Roscoe re-examined by your vet for a full evaluation. Repeat or initial radiographs of his back legs and hips should be considered and then if arthritis is indeed the only problem here, your vet can prescribe additional medication to hopefully help stabilize Roscoe and properly manage his pain. However, I suspect that he may have a back injury if he is crying out in pain, which may not be so easily treated. I do hope that there is something that can be done here. Some additional medications to consider are Gabapentin (for pain) and an injectable osteoarthritis medication called Adequan. Best of luck moving forward with your pet Roscoe and I hope that he regains his mobility soon. Take care.

It is very likely that Abby is suffering from osteoarthritis in her hips and joints and jumping and moving in general is painful. Take her to your vet for an exam of her hips and joints. Your vet will want to prescribe NSAIDs or other pain medicine. He will have to do a small blood test to verify that the liver and kidneys are working properly before prescribing the medication. Her life will be so much better without pain. The medication will not heal the arthritis, but will hopefully slow down the progress by taking inflammation away.

In senior dogs, arthritis is common and that could be causing Poppy's reluctance to climb the stairs. It may be painful for her. I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose if she is suffering from arthritis, and can give her some pain meds for it. Rimadyl (an NSAID) is a good drug to give to help with the symptoms of arthritis. I also recommend giving her glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate supplements. They provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Use of them helps relieve some of the symptoms of arthritis, and you can use it in conjuction with Rimadyl to help maximize relief from her symptoms. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Olivia. As they age it can be so difficult as their internal organs are functioning perfectly but their bodies are developing arthirits which can be crippling. I would start her on some joint supplements if you haven't already. I like dasuquin and flexadin. You can actually do both as long as your seaparate each one by 12 hours so you would give dasuquin in the AM and flexadin in the PM. If she has trouble slipping on slick floors I would consider buying some Dr. Buzby's toegrips to help with traction. You can also start her on an omega-3 fatty acid to help with her joints. I would also talk to your vet about an anti-inflammatory to help with pain and inflammation if needed. You don't have to give her this daily but just on the days that she is having a tough time. Although, if every day is tough, then don't hesitate to give it. Finally, I would consider getting her some acupuncture as this can really help relieve pain if you can find one in your area. The goal with geriatrics is to give the a good QUALITY of life over quantity so focus on her pain relief and her mobility to see if you can help her feel better. I hope this helps !

As a 16 year old dog it is almost a given that Nokie has some serious arthritis and that while she probably has been having pain for a few years now but did not show it, the pain now is so bad that she is afraid to jump up on the bed or climb stairs. In severe arthritis cases like that the quality of life can be significantly improved by giving NSAIDs which take inflammation away and therefore pain. Make an appointment with your vet for an exam and a blood test to verify that her kidneys and liver are working properly and then your vet can prescribe NSAIDs or pain medicine for Nokie. At the same time the vet can rule out other causes of weakness.