Arthritis advice for 8 year old spaniel - please help

[TwitterQueen1]

Help please :(
Beautiful, beloved spaniel diagnosed with arthritis day after Boxing Day. She hadn't been right for a couple of days - sitting down on walks etc, but otherwise was OK.

She's been on anti-inflammatories for a week now but I'm not seeing any improvement - just the opposite in fact. She won't eat - she had 2 sausages the day before yesterday, nothing since. She is barely drinking. She won't drink from her bowl, only from a bucket when she goes outside twice a day. I'm rubbing her mouth with water on my fingers, which she doesn't like but it did encourage her to go outside this morning.

She's still peeing and pooing but is completely inactive otherwise. She just lies in her basket and sleeps all day.

I haven't walked her for 3 days. Would it help if I just took her out for 5 minutes do you think? She can walk but is very wobbly - will it cause her more pain if I encourage her to have a tiny walk?

Any other advice much appreciated. I don't know what to do. As a child we had a spaniel whose back legs went at 9.5 years. I hadn't expected this in a dog of only 8.

Someone who knows more will be along soon, but if she's stopped eating the ant-inflammatories may well be making her feel sick. One of my dogs stopped eating like this as well and didn't start again until he'd had a few days of stomach tablets a different anti inflammatory. I would speak to your vet asap.
If she's up for a five minute potter around I don't think it could make anything worse.

Thanks Bubble
I'll ring the vet and see if any other tablets are available.

My old girl was off her food when first started anti inflammatories, and we had to adjust doses to get balance between working and able to still function correct. I also got her yumove supplements which made a surprising difference to her level of pain / mobility, so worth a try plus working with vet to find the meds / dose that best suits her. Hope you sort it, it's awful seeing them Poorly and not being sure how to help

I used Boswellia instead of steroidal anti-inflamatories, but my dog's arthritis was mild.

Had to go in again yesterday and have bloods done. It now appears there is a problem with her pancreas. We've stopped the anti-inflammatories and she's now on light diet (except she's not eating) and kaolin stuff to try to calm her stomach.

She perked up a bit at 5am and wanted to go outside where she had a huge drink of water.

I'm hoping she might eat later. No idea of outcomes for pancreatitis though - I'm guessing it's not great.

Our spaniel was diagnosed with pancreatitis, similar symptoms but he also was panting a lot and drinking lots. The vet has put him on a strict low fat diet and he's back to himself, totally happy again! So with diet management the outlook can be very good. Hope he gets better soon.

PTS Friday 6 January
so very very

It was apparently a brain tumour. Despite being on a drip all day Thursday she didn't really pick up and didn't eat or drink. We realised she had lost her sight and just couldn't walk without falling over.

She was only 8. I don't know what to do with my days now. I work ft but from home, so I used to have a lovely mid-morning walk. I've sat on my arse for days. She was my rock.

Oh no how awful :( That seems so sudden and a terrible shock for you at only eight.

Oh, that is such sad news for you.

It sounds like she had a wonderful life with you. She was loved and you did your absolute best for her.

Thanks Bubble
Me & 3 DDs cried our eyes out all day. It's very hard. This is a younger version of Lucky.

I'm in tears for you here - she is so beautiful. I'm sorry that her time with you was cut short, but you can be assured that she had a lovely life with you. xx