Why is my senior dog suddenly in pain and struggling to get up?

Hi there! Your dog may be getting sore and arthritic, which would make it harder for her to get up when she's laying down. There are many possible treatments for arthritis in dogs, including pain medication, physical therapy, acupuncture, Adequan injections, laser treatments, specially-formulated foods, and a variety of supplements. It would be a great idea to have your dog examined by a veterinarian to determine if treatment is needed at this time and, if so, which treatment would be more appropriate. Please remember there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs, so you will need to have these prescribed by a veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best of luck to you and your dog!

It definitely sounds like Lola is having a hard time getting around. This can be a common change in dogs that have arthritis, but the sudden onset has me concerned that something more serious could be going on. Possibilities include meningitis, intervertebral disc protrusion or rupture, muscle spasm, among many other things. Lola needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible for a full physical exam. The vet will pay particular location to muscles, the back and may do a neurologic exam to assess for any deficiencies. Bloodwork may be recommended to screen for internal causes of sudden pain, such as infection or kidney disease. Based on diagnostic results, your vet will be able to prescribe appropriate pain medications. Unfortunately there are no over the counter pain medications that are safe for Lola. You can try to raise her food and water bowls up to a more comfortable level, and have plenty of soft bedding for her to lay on on the floor.

Hello, while I am glad you have been using a good joint supplement, it sounds like your girl needs some more serious pain medication for her osteoarthritis. There are many to choose from, and they can literally give an aging pet a new lease on life. I have literally seen crippled dogs that owners wanted to euthanize become happy, active pets. The first thing to do is see your veterinarian for a thorough exam, blood work & possible x-rays & hopefully start your pet on a medication to ease her pain. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Pepper. It is so hard to tell you what is wrong with the moving and not eating without an exam. It could be arthritis along with something causing a decreased appetite. He needs full exam, lab work, and x-rays, and pain control to be able to answer that question. Call your veterinarian first thing in the morning and make an appointment

I'm sorry Jay is having trouble walking! In a senior lab, common causes of difficulty walking include arthritis, hip dysplasia, and joint problems. My recommendation is to have Jay seen by a vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing his difficulty walking, and can discuss treatment with you. He may benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

I am so sorry that Milo is not doing well. I would be concerned that the hopping on both back feet could be an issue with his lower back. He should get checked out by his vet again. This could be a neurologic issue (which could be caused by a herniated disc) or could be caused by severe pain in the hips, which could be arthritis. NSAIDS could help with inflammation and arthritis, and Milo may need additional pain medications.

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.