Why won't my senior dog get up? She's limping, shaking, bloated.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor girl. It could be the meloxicam is no longer enough for her pain, and she may need an additional pain medication or an increase in dosage. She does sound painful to me. Rest her as much as possible tonight, and then take her into the vet first thing in the morning. I hope this helps!

Her reduced activity level may be due to the lameness or arthritis pain. I recommend a veterinary exam for the lameness. They will feel her neck shoulder and the rest of the leg to determine the cause. They may also do X-rays to look for bone and joint problems. If they think Ruby is painful they can prescribe pain medication. I don't like older dogs to get too lazy and not exercise since they can gain weight and lose muscle mass which makes the lameness worse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Ruby.

I am so sorry to hear this. I would make sure she is on a joint supplement - I like dasuquin or flexadin. I would also look into the orthodog hip hound brace. I have had some of my geriatric patients who this has help tremendously with getting up. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on everyone. I would also talk to your vet about whether or not she needs a daily anti-inflammatory to help keep her comfortable. Finally, if you can find a vet in your area who specializes in acupuncture and Chinese herbs, this can be a tremendous help to increase the STRENGTH and decrease pain in an arthritic dog. I hope this helps!

Poor Luna! Because she is 8 or 9, my first thought is that she may be suffering from arthritis. That would cause her pain, and from your description, it sounds like she is painful. It could also be that she injured herself. Arthritis is common in older dogs. 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 conjunction with Rimadyl to help maximize relief from her symptoms. Give her vet a call today to make an appointment. Best of luck!

Since he’s still eating this is most likely from pain not an internal organ problem. There is a good chance he over did it and he has arthritis pain. I recommend giving him a gentle massage, and getting him up for several short walks during the day. Once he’s up and moving a little he should feel better. Bring him in Monday for an exam and a senior work up if he hasn’t had one lately. They may do X-rays to check his joints. They can then tell you whether it’s arthritis or a more serious medical problem. There is prescription medication for his pain and he should be back to his old self in a few days. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Milo.

There are a few more things that you can add into his daily regiment that may help. Continue giving him the current medications. You can try adding in a supplement called Duralactin that often compliments the glucosamine. You could also try giving him an additional joint supplement called Adequan. This is an injectable product that many dogs respond very favorably to. There are also diets that can be beneficial, I recommend Royal Canin Mobility support. Lastly, supplementing Bogey with an additional omega fatty acid supplement for dogs can also help in addition to the current supplements. I do recommend for Bogey to have a visit with his veterinarian. The doctor will check on the progression of any arthritis or other painful areas. It may be time to start Bogey on an actual pain medication such as Rimadyl or Gabapentin. You would likely use these meds and still continue his supplements. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Arthritis can happen in older dogs as you know. However, this is not the only condition that can cause lameness like that. I do not recommend using paracetamol without a veterinary evaluation. There are other arthritis supplements that you can start which would not hurt if this happens to not be due to arthritis and if it is, they can help a good amount. There are several joint supplements out there such as Cosequin and Dasuquin, among others. I would encourage you to start with that and if no improvement is observed, Rodger should be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day! I hope this helps!