I need winter advice for old dogs ( with bad hips) please :)

[watchoutforthatsnail]

my beloved boy is now 10. He has hip dysplacia ( spelt that wrong) and is on the wonder drug preacox.( also spelt wrong).
To look at him you would have NO idea he has very bad hips. You wouldnt guess he was 10 either, most people think hes around 6.
Hes lean, but ive fed him up a kilo or two as i was worried about the winter and he had got so thin you could feel his vertebre on his back. Obviously its better for him to be lean with his hips but i am worried about him being cold.

He has a coat but im not sure that that actually does anything.

last winter was a bit difficult as he loves the snow and runs and jumps about, but we had a few inccidences where his leg got caught ( possibly slipped out of the socket or something) and he was stuck standing on 3 legs for about 15 mins until it sorted itself out.

I cant carry him.

The vet said that this can happen, its not happened since and id like to avoid it happening again. Probably caused by the cold and/ or slippy ground.


But does anyone have any good advice regarding old dogs and the winter... i just want to make sure hes ok/ happy.

[Scuttlebutter]

We love our oldies, don't we? Previcox is wonderful stuff - our old girl has arthritis and this has been a real lifesaver for her.

I'd go back to the vet, and have a discussion about your dog's meds - it may be that an additional painkiller might be helpful on top of the NSAID he's taking. Making sure he's comfortable in the cold weather is critical - our girl always suffers more in the cold.

Please have another think about the weight - it's much better to be slightly too lean than overweight.

Coats do make a difference but it very much depends on the coats you use and when you use them. For our old girl, she has a fleece housecoat that she wears at night in the winter, as although our house is modern, warm and has central heating, it gets surprisingly chilly in the middle of the night. The housecoat makes a huge difference for her. On walks she has a selection of coats, ranging from a lightweight shower coat (Goretex with a mesh lining) to a proper winter warmer with a lovely thick fleece inner. Many coat mfrs allow you to layer according to weather/wind. She also has a little scarf that a nice volunteer I know knitted for her that she wears too in the winter. You can also get snoods that help keep necks and ears warm.

I'd also look at your dog's bed - is he sleeping away from draughts? Could you consider an orthopaedic type bed for him to offer even more support? This could be worth looking at. In the car, is he travelling on a hard surface in the boot? We've put dog beds into the boot of the car to give a comfortable, cushioned ride.

To help maintain flexibility and muscle strength around the damaged joint, have you considered hydrotherapy? This has really helped our girl and she's now running around again and much perkier. Everything you can do to help keep the muscles from wasting around the joints will help to strengthen and support him.

Lastly, if it's very cold and snowy, it may even be worth cutting down on or even not going for walks, especially if it's very slippy. You can still have fun in the garden or do training together. There were a couple of days last winter in the snow when we didn't take ours out - mostly because I was worried about falling. In the great scheme of things, they get masses of exercise the rest of the year, so I didn't worry about it.

Hope this helps.

[watchoutforthatsnail]

thank you.

Im seeing the vet next week so ill ask about other medication, do you know anyhting thats really good?

Hes not overweight by a long stretch :) hes still lean as anything, but he had got too lean, you could see every bone along his spine and his coat when all fluffly and dry. Hes a lab but isnt a big eater and i dont think he was getting enough. He looks much better now and his coat is all glossy again.

The fleece lined coat seems to be the thing, can i asked where you got it? or shall i just google.

He has an orthopedic bed, raised off the floor and with a ton of fleeces on it, its not in any draughs. He doesnt ride in the boot either... and tbh maybe only goes in the car once a month if that ( we live almost next door to a huge park)

I have considered hydro therapy, but im not sure, hes really fine, you would have no idea, he runs, jumps, swims, all that, he just has a slight bunny hop occassionally. You honesly wouldnt know, he passes for a dog half his age. S

[Scuttlebutter]

Not sure about pain relief - your vet is the best person to ask. Ours takes a codeine/paracetamol combo, but your vet will be able to advise.

Hydro is worth thinking about - again, have a chat with your vet, as they have to refer you. The key is to keep as much muscle round the joint as possible so ideally it should be started before you see significant deterioration, if that makes sense. As a Lab, he'll probably love it!

Coats, ours are greyhounds so we get ours from specialists for pointies. But I've heard very good reports about Equafleece dog coats. But there are many, many mfrs out there, and you'll probably get a good selection on Ebay too. If you know anyone who can sew, there are lots of patterns on the internet, and fleece is easy to buy so you could have a few custom made.

[Signet2012]

Mine limps all the time not badly but a definate stiffness after a good run etc.

Also limps when in trouble

Ive found alternative days of him having a good run on the beach one day, walk round the street the next seems to stop him being too sore.

In the winter I avoid taking him out when its raining because his coat is so think no matter how much I dry him Im sure he is damp underneath for a while after so that wont help his bones. He wont tolerate a coat in the slightest.

In the snow I plan it a bit more than I do a normal walk. in the car til we get to somewhere snowy not icey (local field is a good place near us) let him out to chase snowballs which he loves. Before I have left the house I put a warm towel on the radiator and cranked the heating up a notch. He gets in the car five minutes til we are home and he gets dried and warm again - this seems to limit his limping.