Guest SusanP Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Our old girl, Zippy, 14, is having more trouble with the stairs (our back door is down a full set of carpeted stairs), but is becoming more willing to let us carry her up and down. I do notice that sometimes if I set her down a little too hard, she gives a little air snap at me. I'm wondering if the time has come for some pain meds for general senior aches and pains--My first thought was Tramadol, because the NSIADs scare me a little, but I wonder what other people use for long-term pain meds with very elderly dogs? I want to have some ideas before I talk to the vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Tramadol would be an excellent thing to try. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrianRke Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I agree, Tramadol is what I would try. Are you giving her any kind of supplements? I love the GNC Hip and Joint formula 3 for seniors. I know of some seniors that had trouble with stairs and getting around, and after they started taking these, it really seemed to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 (edited) I talked with the vet, who suggested Dasuquin supplements first before going to anything like Tramadol. Has anyone tried that? Edited June 15, 2012 by SusanP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I used Dasuquin for my old girl, I think it helped. I used it for Fletcher for awhile (he's only 10, but has had bad arthritis for a few years), now I am using Arthrisoothe Gold. I think any good supplement is worth a try, plus, I would recommend acupuncture if it is available in your area. That was what has really helped my hounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 We use Tramadol and Gabapentin both for our 11-1/2-year-old, who was having great difficulty with getting up and down and with stairs. Protruding disks like he has are not rare in older hounds who have raced, the vets tell me. You might want your vet to take a quick x-ray of the spine so you know what you're really dealing with. Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yankeegreyhound Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Sara takes Deramaxx daily for arthritis and I give her tramadol when I see she's having trouble getting up (she's a tripod). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatricksMom Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 (edited) Cosequeine, fish oil supplements, and 200 mg. of tramadol daily, been doing that for years with no trouble. Meloxicam as needed (usually only during the winter), but I'd risk adding it everyday if his pain got worse or going with gabapentine instead. Eta: we started with Cosequine (similar to Dasaquine) at about 7, I think it held arthritis off for a while, but I've never seen it knock it back once it's started in an older dog. Edited June 15, 2012 by PatricksMom Quote Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Missy will be 13.has had LS for a few years. she gets fresh factors, advanced hip and joint chewables (both springtime), salmon oil, vitamin E, coq10, acupuncture, meloxocam and tramadol. We are keeping her off the stairs now as she is having more trouble to be safe. Since Garry's passing this wednesday she is lonely at night..so I am going to try to have her go up with me so she can stay in our room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Also ask the vet about adding pepcid (about 30-45 minutes before pill time) to ease the impact of pills on her stomach. When my Sam was taking meloxicam, I got up half an hour early each morning to give him a pepcid. (I needed to get it and his regular pills in before leaving for work, so it was get up early or leave for work late. My boss preferred get up early.) Meloxicam usually ends up being one pill a day. If I need to put Sam back on that one, I may move it to the evening round of pills. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 IMHO Tramadol works better combined with an NSAID than by itself. Joint supplements & fish or coconut oil also helps my old guys. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Well this is interesting. I suddenly realized she began showing more symptoms of instability etc... while on Metronidazole for diarrhea. Asked vet about it, and she said, yes, that Metrondoazole can cause some neurological symptoms. Solution was to end her course of the meds early, start the supplements just because she's old and slower in general, and wait until Monday to see if she really needs anything like Tramadol. The vet is betting the symptoms will improve by then. Why didn't I think of that sooner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Elsie now 13 doesn't do steps anymore. We have a ramp in the back yard and I now sleep on the couch in the den so she is not alone. Usually Ponchie will Sleep with us. Can't wait till my house sells so we Can not have to worry about steps. Elsie now 13 doesn't do steps anymore. We have a ramp in the back yard and I now sleep on the couch in the den so she is not alone. Usually Ponchie will Sleep with us. Can't wait till my house sells so we Can not have to worry about steps. Sorry. Duplicate posts. Quote ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties. Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest betheab199 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 We are having the same issue with 12 year old Carol. She was getting really bad this week, even just on flat surfaces. Prepping for a vet visit, I went to trim her nails and discovered a very inflamed paw. She has a small red growth way up between the pads. She is on antibiotics and ointment now. Poor pup has been wearing a cone too, because she won't leave it alone. I like the lists pf supplements up there, they hopefully will help the old girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Well this is interesting. I suddenly realized she began showing more symptoms of instability etc... while on Metronidazole for diarrhea. Asked vet about it, and she said, yes, that Metrondoazole can cause some neurological symptoms. Solution was to end her course of the meds early, start the supplements just because she's old and slower in general, and wait until Monday to see if she really needs anything like Tramadol. The vet is betting the symptoms will improve by then. Why didn't I think of that sooner? It'll be interesting to see how this works out. I thought the neuro effects of metronidazole took a pretty long time to build up -- like years. Keep us posted! (Spencer was on it for most of 3 years and still takes it from time to time when he has an IBD flare. He probably does have some aggregated neuro effects from it.) Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Elsie now 13 doesn't do steps anymore. We have a ramp in the back yard and I now sleep on the couch in the den so she is not alone. Usually Ponchie will Sleep with us. Can't wait till my house sells so we Can not have to worry about steps. Elsie now 13 doesn't do steps anymore. We have a ramp in the back yard and I now sleep on the couch in the den so she is not alone. Usually Ponchie will Sleep with us. Can't wait till my house sells so we Can not have to worry about steps. Sorry. Duplicate posts. Robin..started doing the same thing with Missy..she is lonely and we decided we didn't want to risk her falling. What we do for our pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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