Older Dog With Significant Mobility Trouble

[tbhounds]

One last thought-- have you checked for a TBD???

[Moneypenny]

7. Thanks for the kind words, Mary. I’m going to pick up some rugs and bath mats for Raxley. Our entire downstairs has solid-surface flooring, hardwood and tile. They usually have more beds in their half of the living room than you see in the pics. I was washing them at the time of the video:-).

 

Again, you all are awesome. Thank you so much to every one of you who chimed in here.

 

I am not sure where you are located, but the best place to buy rugs is Old Time Pottery, if you have one in your area, they have very inexpensive rubber backed throw rugs, I have them all over my kitchen and sunroom to keep my dogs from slipping all over. They are so reasonably priced that I just throw them out if we have a bad "accident" on any of them.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Kelly, prescriptions for larger quantities will be cheaper than those for smaller quantities. Get your vet to write the proper quantities for savings, and don't hesitate to ask the pharmacists at Walgreens what quantities will give you the best prices. (My vet usually prescribes a "trial" quantity of enough for 10 days. If the med is working without problems, I go back to him and request the larger quantities needed.) A 30-day supply will be cheaper than a 10-day supply; and a 90-day supply will be cheaper still.

 

I can't find paperwork on a recent methocarbamol script. But Sam's tramadol script calls for a fill of 60 of the 50mg tablets: $9.99 ("Your insurance saved you $20"). (The only "insurance" is the Walgreens card.) Sam's script for gabapentin calls for 180 of the 100mg capsules: $15.00 ("Your insurance saved you $52.98"). Score! At the maximum doses I ever give Sam, that's a 30-day supply of gabapentin (max of 6 pills a day, but usually less). The tramadol script covers 20 to 30 days. (And if you ever have a dog on clomipramine, what costs $104 at Target will cost about $17 at Walgreens.)

 

When you get a prescription card from Walgreens, make sure they know it's to cover the "family" (not just a single person). It'll work on all the dogs as well as all the two-leggers in the household. In addition to prescription savings, the card can earn you discounts on Walgreen brand-name non-prescription items (pseudo-benedryl, pseudo-claritin, etc.). And Walgreens has a telephone refill system: call, punch in the prescription number, punch in a pick-up time, and the refill will be ready and waiting.

 

Walgreens is saving my sanity. Sam's now on four prescriptions from them, plus one from his vet (because people thyroid meds aren't made in a strength suitable for dogs). You generally cannot get Rimadyl from Walgreens (it's a drug that makes people sunburn funny, so it's not prescribed for humans), but you could get other NSAIDs if necessary (e.g., meloxicam).

[DaisyDoodle]

Ditto the question about testing for tick borne diseases. That is the first thing that came to mind when I read #6 on the list above.

[greyhead]

Yes, I had that reaction to #6 myself.

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

Ask your vet about high doses of Vitamin E. It really helped with the muscle weakness in my senior girl. My vet recommended it, but I don't think it's a "standard" recommendation.

[Guest Whistle]

I just want to thank you all again and give you an update. Raxley is doing SO much better . The only thing I have done different so far is add 100 more mg of gabapentin a day and 2 or 3 more tramadol. He has done so well (for him at least) the last two days. Fingers crossed this continues. I'm glad I'll have this thread to come back to if he starts having trouble again.

[tbhounds]

Yea!!!!!

[Guest FreddyGirl]

^{Keep us posted...}

[greyhead]

Great news! Hope you'll still keep your eye out for suitable rugs to put around. He'll need them sooner or later.

[Guest happygrey]

I'm glad he is doing so much better. He looks like a total love.

[greyhoundgang]

Ahh, so many things you can do naturally to help with mobility. Glucosamine (1500 mgs daily) , Chondroitin, MSM, Vitamin C, Yucca Intensive - love this stuff, super natural anti-inflammatory, Acupuncture, Adequan, moderate exercise daily, homeopathic remedies, Salmon Oil and more.

 

Just gave a talk at Grapehounds in VA on this. My booklet, When I Am Older, (only $2) details many of natural things you can do. It's free with a 4-pack of the Get Up & Go supplements

 

This Q&A answers questions people have asked about joint supplements and what they are and how they work. This Overview gives details about each product. These Unsolicited Testimonials show they can help.

 

Happy to answer individual questions.

Email me at - Claudia@greyhoundgang.org

[Guest DeniseL]

I just happened upon this thread. Although I just adopted my first greyhound, I have exerience with a severly arthritic dog, a 60 lab mix, maya. She was on the tramadol/deramaxx/dasquan salad for many years and I was unable to further increase dosages of any of the meds. Finally, at wits end, I tried accupuncture with amazing results. Her acupuncturist then recommended adaquan injections, and I will tell you, within 2 days of her first injection, she had mobility in her back legs I had not seen since she was 4 or 5. It was absolutely unbelievable. I wish I had started her on it before any of the nsaids, which, I believe, had ultimately shortened her life in the end. (liver damage). I think adaquan is not prescribed enough. It is much safer and in my opinion, more effective, than the nsaids....good luck with your pup

[Guest gladword]

I watched the Video of Raxley and noticed that his tail was saying something like, "I may be stiff, but I am happy." Of course, I don't know him but I wish him the best. My 121/2 year old Angel, was just diagnosed July 7 with cancer of the tibia, (one of the two lower leg bones) with a location around the knee on her hind left leg. I am trusting that her amazing vet and I will know when it's time for her to go. She is getting Tramadol 75 mg every 12 hours & Rimadyl 100 mg every 12 hours. So far this seems to be holding her. She doesn't want a long walk, but she still wants to go in the car. I don't mean to make this a post instead of a response, so here is my take on it. I agree with many things already said: 1) Is it time to titrate up on pain/anti inflammation meds? 2) What about adding some alternative veterinary modalities, i.e., acupuncture? 3) Measure his quality of life. That latter is a slippery slope, as nothing is static and things look different at different times. If you trust your vet, seek her/his support in all your decisions. I will follow these posts hoping to hear about Raxley.