Dog arthritis

[Desperatetime]

Sorry posting here for traffic rather than pets hope its okay.
My dog is 17 and suffering with arthritis every now and again it gets really bad and he can hardly walk or stand etc then we will get medication from the vet and we consistently give him joint supplements all of this works for a few weeks then he will suddenly without warning go off his legs again. Last flare up the vet gave us the choice to put him to sleep but we decided against it as I knew he had gone like this before then picked up again which he did although the vet did say its progressive and we will be back.
What do you guys think do we keep the old man going like this or not.

Personally, no. You have an elderly dog who you cannot maintain a good quality of living for. I’m afraid, hard as it is (and I’ve done it many times so I do know), I’d be calling it a day if the medicines are not working enough for him to be comfortable. It’s very distressing for n animal to be in such pain they cannot stand, not just physically but mentally as they will feel very vulnerable.

With a likely hot summer ahead, I’d be making that decision sooner rather than later. I am sorry. It’s really shit, but 17 is a grand age.

ChannelyourinnerElsa thing is is that he picks up enough to get up and downstairs and a short walk and he shows enthusiasm for a walk god it's confusing.

Personally I’d do it now, rather than wait for a situation where you absolutely have to do it straight away.
Better a month too soon than an hour too late.

God I feel awful

We’ve recently had one of our dogs euthanised on the advice of the vet, still heartbroken. You will know when it’s time and you’ll put your dog’s best interests before your own.

I know it such a horribly painful decision (I’ve been there) but I’d let the poor old boy go.

I had a very elderly cat with arthritis. We kept her on continuous medication and she was fine. If the arthritis can be controlled then fine. What supplements, medications, other therapies have you tried?

Have you tried the librela injection? Takes a week or two to work but it has been massively helpful for my dog. Having said that she’s only 9 so not at the end of her life. Incredibly difficult decision to make.

Yes, it is confusing- but ask yourself if you think the brief pleasure he gets from going downstairs and a short walk, which is going to be super limited over a hot summer anyway, is enough to counter balance the pain and distress of losing his back end strength repeatedly?
im sorry, I know I’m being strong here. In my experience when vets start to offer it without being asked, it’s because they think it’s sensible.

I’ve got a collie who’s turning 15 in a couple of months. He gets wobbly days which I know are going to get worse in the near future, so I sympathise with you. The thing about dogs, especially active types, is they don’t give in, they’ll keep going for you. So we have to be able to give in for them. If the vet has suggested it, it most likely is time. I’m so sorry OP, I know how hard it is. But it is the last thing you can do out of love and care for them.

I was going to recommend trying librela. It gave me an extra 18 months with my old boy. I'm so sorry, it's such a hard decision to make.

Thanks for the suggestions I though arthritis got better in warm weather do you think the weather could be knocking him about

We had him on yumove which worked great for a long long time then it stopped so changed to vetzyme high strength off Amazon along with an anti-inflammatory off the vet we did stop the anti-flamatory and have been carrying on with the vetzyme and he has been great for weeks but here we are again.

Human with arthritis here - also a dog person. Yes, the recent weather patterns (hot/cold, all seasons in a day) had been playing havoc with my arthritis. So it could be the (up until the last few days) very changeable temperatures.

I know these decisions are hard, but I would neither tell you to do it nor would I say don't. You know your dog. Providing pain is being managed, arthritis isn't the end of life. In my own experience, you absolutely know when it is time because your dog will tell you that they are no longer enjoying life.

I don't know whether this will help, but I have personally experienced fantastic results with Flexwise, and it was recommended to me years ago by other dog owners. In one case it saved a young dog with joint troubles (at 3 years) from being euthanised after all vet treatments failed and the vet said there was no other option. That was 9 years ago, and the dog is still walking in the park! That said it does take time to kick in (but can be used alongside pain medication).

Quveas thank you

I agree with the adage better a week to early than a day too late. However, I would seriously look at getting the Librella injection. It has totally transformed out old arthritic dog. Even if it makes him more comfortable for a while longer that has got to be a good thing. It might take a month or two to kick in but results are very good usually.

*too early

My cat is 17. He was diagnosed with arthritis when he was 10 but the vet thinks he developed it much younger but didn't show it. He's on daily anti inflammatory medication which keeps his symptoms in check. The weather can make a difference as with a human. The medication is not cheap (we get a prescription from the vet and buy it online as it's 1/3 the price our vet charges) but it is worth it. Ask the vet about daily medication before going down the pts route....

Another recommendation for Librella. Our 13 year old lab has been on it for about 2 years and it’s made a huge difference to her.

Arthritis is often better in warm weather. But, he’s a dog, and arthritis is often worse for sitting or laying still and not keeping gentle movement up. In this heat, he won’t be walking much and will likely spend a deal of time laid still so the stiffness may make it worse.