My senior dog has back pain & mobility issues. What are my options?

Hello. I agree, surgery at this age would not be ideal given her age. You do not indicate what meds she is already on, but she should be receiving an NSAID such as meloxicam, carprofen, or any one of several excellent drugs in this classification. I would also have her on gabapentin, possibly tramadol, & maybe even Adequan injections, just in case some of her joints are painful. An alternative for the NSAIDs would be steroids as they are very good at reducing inflammation, but that does put her at some risk for side effects. Hopefully, these can keep him comfortable for some time to come. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dexter. When discussing quality of life with owners, I like to have objective questions that you can answer to guide the decision making process. When a dog is elderly with a chronic condition, you can expect the pet to have bad days. However, the good days should outnumber the bad. The pet needs to have enough mobility to get to his food and water independently and to be able to go to the bathroom. He needs to still have the desire to eat and drink. His pain to be reasonably well controlled. Finally, he needs to have some joy in his life. It may be different from in his younger years, but he should still enjoy things. I know this is an extremely difficult decision, but I hope this gives you some information to consider. I cannot say without evaluating him myself, but I suspect the time is near based on what you have described. I hope this gives you some peace.

I am sorry you feel like Sox does not feel well. I would recommend starting off with a really good physical exam with your vet. The vet will be able to determine why he is not walking well. The main concern is arthritis/ joint disease vs neurologic disease. There are lots of options for pain control in our loved patients. There are a range of medications, supplements and even therapeutic procedures like a cold light laser an acupuncture. You can start an over the counter glucosamine and chondroitin supplement however any other medications need to be prescribed by a vet. If you decide with the vet that her pain is not controlled and you feel she has a poor quality of life it might be time to put her to sleep. Hopefully you and your vet can make a plan to avoid that from happening.

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Woody. I have a few options for you. First, make sure we are controlling any pain he may be having that is contributing to his trouble walking. Even if he is on medication for this, that might need to be modified. Here is more information about some of the medications that are available. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&species=All&id=4951467 Second, older dogs often have trouble holding a squatting position. Using a harness like a Help Em Up harness ( http://helpemup.com/ ) can be very useful. Finally, I have had a lot of luck with acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapies for this condition, so you might see if you can find someone near you that is able to help you with that. You may be able to find someone near you here. http://www.tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jackie. Anything is worth trying including what you mentioned and acupuncture or chiropractic medicine. Alternative medical modalities are always worth trying. Not sure if cold laser therapy would help but that is another avenue to explore. I would advise reaching out to vets in your area for these alternative treatments. Good luck with Jackie.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Sorry to hear that Khan is having this issue. No, there isn't really anything else you can give him. CBD has not been studied enough in dogs to know the effective dose or if it will interact with other medications he is taking. I would not recommend that. What may be helpful is acupuncture. You should look into that. ( http://www.healingpawsri.com/ ) You can check this website to see if you can get any assistance with vet bills. ( https://www.dogingtonpost.com/need-help-with-vet-bills-or-pet-food-there-are-resources-available/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I'm so sorry Roxy is struggling with her mobility. This is common in geriatric dogs. I would recommend trialing pain medication and consulting with a rehab veterinarian. NSAIDs are often useful for dogs without kidney or liver disease. You may also ask about pain medications like Gabapentin, amantadine, or pregabalin.