Arthritic Hips..

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

So I am putting this one out there as I am wondering if I am the only person who feels like this. Today, I took Frankie to a dog park and met up with this man who had two dogs A very active 2 yr old pit bull mix and also a 9 year old shepherd. The pit bull mix just loved Frankie and they played and romped like young dogs do. The poor Shepherd was trying to join in but was dragging her hind quarters behind her. IT just broke my heart. I asked him what the vet said and if there was anything they could give her for relief and he reckoned the vet said "she is NOT IN pain" Now come on...I am not a vet but I do know that any form of arthritis is extremely painful and the mere fact that she was dragging herself around just proved it was too painful for her to walk normal. Now my question to all you dog lovers is if this were you, would you just accept and carry on watching the poor thing try and walk, or would you do something about it. I know that this could be each and everyone one of us later down the road, but I am just curious to see everyone's opinion. Is this cruel? kind? or just ignorant?

[Lorraine Bromley]

Maybe the next time you happen to see him with his dogs at the dog park. Talk to him. Maybe he isn't a very open and outgoing guy so don't take that as an abuseive man. But if you aproach him with acomment to his dog and a pet and a visit. You can casually take advantage of the situation and help educate him on the ways some of the other people you know with older dogs with physical struggles handle things. If he is an older gentleman he is not likely of the era that dogs are family no matter how much he loves his dog. He may have a vet that made assumptions about what the man would do or could do for his dog and left out talking about treatment options. Maybe he has tryed alot of those things.No ones story is yours to know, to jump to such conclusions about pit bulls and shepards is not a way to deal with the issue if you want to change the outcome. All the best with your new freinds hope you can learn or help teach someone and help this shepard at the same time. Walking does help eleviate pain at times too.

[Dan, Judi, & Timbow]

I would've felt just as sad. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like this guy would've listened to anything you had to say. My heart goes out to that poor dog.

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

Thank you everyone who responded to my blog on dogs with arthritis. To those of you who are currently living this, my heart goes out to you but it appears that you are caring enough to at least give your dog meds and be aware that this IS a painful condition. My concern with this guy was that he was so cavalier in telling me his dog was NOT in pain. I am sure if he really had taken her to the vet, they would have prescribed some form of meds as her condition was so severe. The mere fact that he had taken the time to at least take his dogs to a dog park,as some of you mentioned, probably meant he was not a neglectful owner but just an ignorant one to think that his girl was not in pain. Anyway, it gives me comfort to know that most of my new doodle friends out there feel like I do and if and when the time ever came for us to handle this situation, we would not only educate ourselves on what best to do, but also treat the cause as best as we can. And for those of you dealing with it right now....my heart goes out to you and your dogs. What a tough thing to deal with. Thanks friends. You are the best:)

[Carole (*Koda*Monty*Bindi)]

One of our dogs is a "macho" dog. She is 50% shep and 50% tree walker hound. What attracted us to her was the shepherd in her. My Dad grew up with German shepherds and they were beloved family members. Our girl is named Madison. She can be found on my slide show with a red ball in her mouth. She is precious to us. I'm not sure what that "says about us" but she is a family member in ever sense of the word and much beloved. She is one of the three rescues that own us. (Gaston was/is not a rescue)

Maddy is now 9 years old this past year has developed severe arthritis in her hips and elbows. She is on Rimadyl and a glucosamine chondroitin supplement to the tune of $145 per month which does not include the cost of regular blood work she has to monitor the effects of the rimadyl. To the best of our knowledge she is comfortable and her pain is managed well. That having been said though she still walks extremely slowly and with caution. From the casual observer looking at her they would think she is an uncared for pet---she is anything but.

Is it possible that this gentleman did not share with you the cause of his dog's lameness? Did he say it was due to arthritis? Since he said that his vet said that she was not in pain implied to me that he at least cares enough to seek veterinary care for her/them. Lameness can be caused by many things. It's very possible that his dog had a stroke that left her lame but not in pain. For both conditions, regular exercise is recommended.

I would hesitate calling authorities or judging this gentleman due to the breed of dogs he owned. He obviously cares enough to take them to a dog park to let them run and socialize and has been in contact with a vet regarding his shepherd's condition so that speaks volumes to me.

[Kyoko]

My old chow is almost 15 years old. He has arthritis on his shoulders. He has been doing pretty well this year, since he has been taking Glucosamine Chondroitin much faithfully, and it has not been too cold yet.... Last winter, he limped a lot and we gave him baby aspirin every so often. Thankfully, he did not need any other prescribed medication and I am hoping that he will make it through this winter without prescription as well. I started to think about the time when he will not be able to get up and walk, and how much he may suffer with pain. Or we can manage the pain but cannot walk, etc.... I looked into doggie wheel chair as well. I think if we can manage the pain with meds, and he just could not walk, I want to try wheelchair.....( The one I saw online is about $300 ~ $400 ) If he is in good spirit and all, I want to try managing pain with meds and wheel chair.....It's super scary to think about it.... My vet said that if he ever need it, in order for him to take heavier, prescribed pain meds, his kidney ( I think ) have to be tested to make sure he can handle the medication. I guess it is pretty strong... and may be there is a side effects... :-(
I don't want to damage his organs to kill the pain either....We watch how much he walk and where, too.... If he ended up walking a lot ( Sometime he is in a really good spirit and wants to go along with everyone and hike a little) we pay close attention to him that evening. I hope this winter will not be too hursh. We get a lot of snow and ice here in Pittsburgh... One of my client put their 9 year old dog down because he could not walk well and fell down a lot. But he looked like to be in a good spirit to me.... I felt sad about that....

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Linda-My boss did the same thing with his dog for 2-4 years. She just died. This isn't right. There's got to be a peaceful way.
My sister did have a wheelchair for her dog. I give her credit for trying, but it didn't last long. She put the dog down

[Laura and Bailey Brindi and coco]

i think its cruel Bailey is only 8mo old and she had her surgey today on both elbows i know she was in pain arthritis is very painful in dogs or even us poor dog

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

I saw the exact same thing this week. The man had his dog on a leash and was pulling it along and sometimes his legs worked and sometimes they didn't. The dog was dragging it's hind legs at times. When it did take steps, they were all crooked and awkward. I was really upset by this but since I didn't know what the dog's issues were, I didn't say anything. I couldn't take a dog for a walk that was having that much trouble. I have seen other dogs with their back ends on wheels. That is a caring owner.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Personally, my first clue is the fact his other dog is a pit bull mix!!! Shepherds I have been told are hard dogs to work with and are usually not friendly towards other dogs or humans. Besides, they are known to have huge hip problems. You can tell just by the way they walk with their butts hunched down. Knowing that this man has both breeds of dogs says something about him. He is about being "macho" and not that interested in his dog's well being. Men usually are not that nurturing or sensitive to other's needs (dogs or people)...again this is just my personal opinion. It's just a man thing! I bet it is that or the money because that dog certainly has to be in pain or discomfort. Geez, I have arthritis in my left hand and it hurts like hell!!! And...I am not ready to have arthritis, damn it!!! If this were my Gracie Doodle I would be going to every vet I could find until someone would listen to me. I know tons of people who have their dogs on arthritis medication.

[Lorraine Bromley]

I am sorta close to that situation as I have a 9 mth old doodle and a 16 yr old shep/lab x. Our older dog has arthritis in her front elbows. She had the elbow issue since she was younger and it acted up in the cold and would get stiff. She has bad back hips now that slow her down. Two weeks ago she had a problem with her bumm and needed cleaning as she can't clean herself like she used to. But being an old farm dog that isn't used to any pampering like the doodles is she was struggling aaginst us and my husband had to hold her down. Then she got up and was walking strangley and I am sure in pain. They next day my son took her and the doodle out to a farm to play with another dog. So another day of more excercise. I increased her meloxicam that day when she came home that night. The next day she fell down the last couple of steps to our basement where she likes to sleep. So i HAD to put up a barrior so she couldn't go downstairs. She spent most of that night walking around getting the doodle up and he would stand in front of the barrior so she couldn't jump over at all. (I swear intentionally) I increased her pain med again to twice a day over those few days. I took her to the vet as well. I brought in a cushion for her to lay on as she can't get up on the couch anymore and the doodle ate her last two beds. It doesn't work that well as it isn't mong enough but atleast the doodle didn't eat it. She is also going blind with cataracts but can still see some. Her hearing is very poor. But she is just slow. And not as active. She has had improvment since beginning meloxicam a few months ago. It greatly helped and she gota little quicker and alittle more active. But with fatty tumors that may come to a surgical decision? Bowel and bladder issues that may get worse? I worry everyday that she will get worse and a decision will have to be made. But she enjoys her life, she is the mother to the new doodle although it was stressfull forher at first. Now she needs him. She loves to lay in the sun on the front porch. She has adapted this week to not going down stairs with the kids so much. I let her if someone is with her so if she falters they can help her instead of her getting hurt. (they are all in their 18-24s 6 ft guys) She loves her ears rubbed. I found treats she really loves so she doesn't have ot do any tricks for them ;) She still likes a car ride and lets us know if today is the day she needs one. She started going to the dog park and enjoys the walks in the bush . She wishes the doodle wouldn't play so ruff with the other dogs and worries. As long as we stay with her and reassure her she will settle down after that walk around the bush.
Our vet didn't think she needed pain meds either as she looks like a young dog. People can't beleive she is 16. She is a good weight. She walks good. But it is the starts and stops that take a lot longer. If she couldn't walk with out dragging her butt that vet would have to prove to me that it was nerve damage and no pain was involved ( quite a likely scenario) I would definelty want to trial pain meds to see if anything worked. If there was no change and she still walked and enjoyed other activities and her tail wagged and she seemed happy to be alive just alittle differently I would hold off until I knew she wasn't a happy dog no matter how unhappy it would make me. Because I love her more than that.
I hope the dog in the dog park just walked funny and made you feel sad. That he was still a happy dog. His ears perked up for a pet. he layed and lapped up the sun.
Although his mobility is restricted may not mean his happiness is. But unless I knew for sure. I'd feel sad for him too.