Is This Just Normal For A Senior?

[Guest LazyBones]

gumby is 12, and i understand some things are just normal for a senior, but i am concerned about something.

 

about six months or so ago, i talked to the vet about getting something for arthritis. she seemed like she was having a little pain in one of her knees and/or hip, and although it didn't seem to be too bad, i wanted to get her on something. so, she has been taking previcoxx. however, i am beginning to wonder if it really is helping her.

 

like i've said, her arthritis doesn't seem really really bad. on occassion, she will yip when getting up. i usuallly take her for about a 20 minute walk, but lately, i have been cutting it a little short, because she seems to start having trouble with her back legs about 10-15 minutes into the walk. i don't know if it's arthritis pain, or if it is weakness. lately, i have been noticing what looks like weakness in her back legs. when she's walking/trotting out in the yard, sometimes her back legs seem to do a little bunny hop (for lack of a better term). that, or she kinda stumbles on her back legs. she doesn't whimper or anything when this happens.

 

so what i am wondering is if this weakness is just a normal thing, or if it's something that should be brought to the vet's attention? my vet is opening up in a couple hours, and my brother's GF and i are taking wrinkles in, and gumby's almost out of previcoxx. when they open, i am planning on calling them up and asking about this.

[Guest SusanP]

No idea, here, but I will be waiting to hear what your vet says.

[Guest TinasTroops]

Booker our 10 yr old was dignosed with Osteoarthritis about 6 months ago, Booker is now on Adquan injections and it really does wonders for him.

[gazehund]

I can only go with my own experience. I have three seniors. Future who was 12 in June, Kia will be 11 Jan 1, 2008 and Bones who is 9.5. All three of them run and play as a much younger dog would. Kia has neck / back issues but even she runs like a crazy woman. I am no expert, but what you are describing sounds like it could be early symptoms of LS. I also will be curious to heaar what your vet has to say. Good luck with Gumby!

[Guest LynnM]

Arthritis and muscle weakening are two different issues, but one can definately exacerbate the other.

 

My Joplin is another 12 year old and he isn't quite as spry as when he was a strapping young 8 year old. Thankfully, aside from a few old toes, he's not too arthritic, but he definately isn't as muscular and tires more quickly. I keep him as active as possible- if you don't use it, you lose it, and once muscle is gone or cartilage breaks down, the dog is not getting it back. By keeping the dog active, we preserve as much muscle and flexibility as possible, and the dog has some strength to compensate for what aches and pains he does have. Keeping muscle tone and activity in an older dog also helps them have speedier recoveries from surgeries and accidents.

 

Leash walking on soft ground is the simplest, most effective means to this end that there is.

 

Lynn

[Guest LazyBones]

well, i took her in.

 

the vet said it is possible she has a little degeneration in her spine/hips, and if that's the case, there really isn't much they can do for that. they could do an x-ray to see if this is the problem, but i would have to bring her in another day to do that. the vet was pressing spots along her spine, checking for tenderness. gumby was yipping, but the vet wasn't sure if it was because it hurt her, or if gumby was just scared. could have been a little of both. gumby is pretty sensitive, physically.

 

anyhow, we are going to give another arthritis medicine a try. another option she gave me was some type of injections, which is a bit costlier.

 

 

[Guest KyGrey]

Lee has some of the symptoms and he has just been diagnosed with LS (Lumbrosacral Stenosis) which is a pinching of the nerve in the back end. The vet palpated (sp?) his spine and he started dropping to the floor. It's very painful.

 

 

[silverfish]

To some degree, arthritis, stiffness, and weakness are inevitable in an ageing dog - on the other hand, dogs don't show pain until it's moderate to severe, so if there are signs that Gumby isn't so mobile or comfortable, I would definitely take steps to improve things for her. Jack is also twelve, and I took him in about six months ago because he was a little stiff getting up and we were given some Metacam to be given 'as and when necessary'. It wasn't long before I realised that he was SO much more comfortable with the Metacam that he'd obviously been in more pain than I realised.

 

I think if there is doubt in the diagnosis, I'd want that clarified, though, because there's a difference between LS and standard age-related multiple joint arthritis.

 

Is Gumby on glucosamine/chondroitin supplements? The other thing you could try for her is acupuncture. It helped Jim!

 

I do agree about the exercise, too. I occasionally have to limit Jack's free running now, but he gets his two daily walks, as long as he feels able for. If he's very stiff one day, I'll reduce the amount the next day, but then bring it back up as soon as he can cope. There's no advantage in making Gumby go further than she can manage (always remember you have to get them home again after they've shown signs of sagging) but keeping her muscle tone and mobility up is essential, IMHO.

 

Give her a gentle scritch for me!

[Guest Spiff]

Spiff is almost 13! He has LS which in his case is caused by an old spinal injury in the LS area of his spine. He has similar symptoms that you have described. When untreated, his rear legs sink - at the worst, he knuckles-over his right rear leg. During running his rear legs would sort of start to go off course and would drift to one side.

 

We successfully treated him for several months with a round of Depo-Medrol shots, as described by Dr. Stack for LS.

 

When he was staying with the ILs over the summer, the vet there didn't want to give him a second round of shots, and she put him on daily Rimadryl (Carprofen) and Traumeel (a homeopathic preparation).

 

I'd say that the Rimadryl works almost as well as the Depo-Medrol for improving his mobility. And like silverfish mentioned, I think he was in more pain that I thought before starting the Rimadryl. His eyes seem brighter and clearer now.

 

I just hope to help Spiff remain mobile and as a result continue to enjoy life as long as possible!! And I hope the same for Gumby too!!

[Burpdog]

Have you tried supplements? None of my seniors have required NSAIDs because I've used supplements and acupuncture and chiropractic. NSAIDs treat pain but do not fix the issue and I remember reading they actually make the problem worse for arthritis long term. I have to find the articles again.

[Guest meandmygreys]

Goose has been stiff....especially since it's been cooler at night..I started giving him a low dose asprin with his food...he'll be 11 in December....It's just the onset of old age..we are all suffering !!