Do we need to worry about our beloved dog?

[Limy]

Hi all

Our beloved dog is around 8-10 years old and we think she is a labrador/staffy cross (rescue dog, we got her when she was approx. 2-4, no previous history on her at all). She has been slowing down since last winter, and had a lump removed from her side (benign) over the new year, she seemed to perk up a little bit after that but soon started slowing down again. She refuses to go on a walk before bed so she has dropped from three walks a day to two. We are a little worried because her legs, front and back, have started shaking when she is resting. Should we take her to the vets and get her checked out or is this just an age thing? Although I have had dogs in the past they have always been small dogs and I have never come across anything like this before.

Many Thanks

I'd say it's worth getting them checked over regularly as they age, for example if there are early signs of arthritis then getting them on medication earlier can slow the progress down. To be honest if she's resisting going out for a walk I'd be concerned that she's getting stiff and painful, and while it's not cheap the vet can prescribe a few things to help with that.

Please, please get her checked out by a vet. There could be many reasons for the "wobbles", but if she has arthritis, then there's a lot that can be done to make her more comfortable, including pain relief. If she's refusing walks, that suggests to me she's in considerable discomfort/pain and this needs to be sorted out. Once you have an accurate diagnosis, you can then think about managing her lifestyle accordingly (diet, exercise, therapies, etc)

We have one elderly grey with "wobbles" who still charges round like a lunatic and another with arthritis who's 12, and with good management is still enjoying an excellent quality of life. Without her pain meds though it would be a very different story.

Thanks we will take her to the vets, I thought we should but wanted to see if it was just a normal 'getting old' thing before we did. The cost does not matter, she is fully insured anyway but even if she wasn't we wouldn't have her in pain, we would find the money somehow. Getting tablets down her, now thats another matter, she always seems to find them and manages to spit them out! Party food did the trick in the new year but thats not exactly good for her long term.