Meandmy

I'm so sorry that you had to say goodbye to Money. Run free, sweetie...

My Shadow used to get them. When he did I'd pet his belly and put a bit of pressure (not too hard) just below the center of his ribcage. They'd stop pretty quick

Jen, I'm so sorry that you have to say goodbye to Neyla. I'll be thinking of you.

I'm very, very sorry that Strider had to leave you. Run free, sweetie...

Sorry, I have no advice, but I'll be thinking of you and Isis. I hope the vet is able to get to the bottom of this soon!

Pretty Girl gets nervous at the vet and was nervous at the acupuncture vet. Shadow, on the other hand, was *terrified* at the regular vet and loved to go to the acupuncture vet. He knew only good things happened there so he was always happy to go

I had Shadow doing acupuncture for the last couple years of his life and it was *amazing*! He had problems in his low back from a fall in the yard and had some pain and mobility issues. We went every other week and you could see the difference from when we came in and when we left. He was a new dog! I fully believe acupuncture kept him more comfortable than anything else and he loved it. When we adopted Pretty Girl earlier this year we could see right away that she has arthritis issues, so I tried acupuncture for her and it didn't work at all. She hated going and was terrified. She'd freeze up and shake the whole time - it ended up doing more harm than good for her. So yes, I really do believe in acupuncture, but I think its effectiveness will depend on the dog.

My vet also recommends laser therapy. However, Pretty Girl gets progressively more anxious with each trip to the vet and her excessive panting starts kicking in her LP symptoms. That is why we are discontinuing the acupuncture. As much as I believe that it works, for her it's just too much trauma with not enough relief.

I had her on Springtime Fresh Factors and Joint Health, and recently started her on a sample of Get Up and Go to see if there was any improvement (there hasn't been so far). So how do you know that your dogs' arthritis is controlled? I guess that's the question I have. How can I be sure she's comfortable and not in pain?

Pretty Girl definitely has arthritis in her hips and knees. We have her on supplements and tried acupuncture, but it was very traumatic for her and didn't give us any noticeable results, even after repeated visits. So it looks like we're going to have to go with the traditional med route to make sure she stays comfortable. My question is, how do I know if/when she's in pain and actually needs the painkillers? She's 12 1/2 but she just came to us this last summer, so I can't use a change in behavior as a guide like I have with my other dogs. She gets up slowly and sometimes moves a bit gingerly, but there's never a peep out of her. She's not limping at all either. What it comes down to is that I want to make sure she's comfortable, but don't want to medicate unnecessarily, either. What are your thoughts?

I'm very, very sorry Heather. May your time left together be sweet, and her passing be easy and gentle.

I'm so sorry to read this. I hope that the progress of the tumor slows down and that you have some pain-free time to enjoy being with her. Hugs to you.

Thanks so much for posting this. We adopted a senior in July, so I hope the request I submitted isn't too late. Pretty Girl has arthritis and we just started acupuncture with her. She's also on supplements (Springtime Joint Health and Fresh Factors) but they don't seem to be helping her as much as I would like. Maybe Get Up & Go will do the trick!

I've been feeding Chicken Soup to my pups for a few years now. Their coats improved when I switched them over from the brand I had used before and they've always been happy to eat it. Definitely a great food, especially for the price!

I'll be thinking of you and Deeni. Best wishes for a speedy and uneventful recovery.

Love that bald tookus! If there was ever a place for a baldy grey, Hawaii is it! We'll be thinking of you. Hope things continue to improve.

So glad to hear that things are improving! I hope they continue that way. Best wishes to you and Sand

Darcy, you just never cease to amaze! Enjoy all your exercise girlfriend