Read End Weakness And Question About Activity

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Way back when she was 8, the vet lifted her right leg and noted it was a lot stiffer then the rest. But now as she approaches 13 she is showing some weakness. Specifically when standing, after a couple of minutes, she starts to sink in the rear. Sometimes she will stumble a bit on the right.

 

We have a vet appointment for next week but it wasn't for this but I obviously will bring it up.

 

Until then,,,I am wondering if it is worse for her to exercise it vs resting it. She still wants to get up for her morning walk most days, but some days the 3/4 mile is covered quickly, others not so much. At least once a day she will do zoomies in the yard,,not like the old days,,but a 13 year old's version.

 

She does not limp.

 

So my question is should I still take her for her walk (willing or not), should I only walk her if she asks (she does this by pacing before I am ready), or should I just let her out to do her business and not do the walk until I see the vet.

 

She does get one Rymadl a day. I am thinking perhaps I should accept this is an old dog and this is what happens.

 

The back of my mind is screaming because I think,,when things as this happen,,maybe the clock is running out. If you're interested, she does still eat , drink and go as normal.

[Brandiandwe]

Keep her moving, is what my vet hs told me about mine. You might like to investigate some other options as well. If you've got an animal physio with an underwater treadmill, they can be great for strengthening muscles and exercise while reducing the weight being carried.

 

It's hard when they get old.

[RedHead]

IMO light daily exercise is very beneficial for dogs with arthritis, stiffness, etc. The only reason I would stop would be if it was an actual injury that needed rest (or if the dog was reluctant due to pain). Stopping daily exercise only makes the muscles get weaker and things just deteriorate faster. It is so hard to see our dogs age, but a bit of weakness and limping is pretty normal for a 13 year old. It doesn't sound like it is really bothering her and she still sounds like a happy pup!! If you haven't already, you may want to feed some joint supplements/high levels of omega 3.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Keep her moving, is what my vet hs told me about mine. You might like to investigate some other options as well. If you've got an animal physio with an underwater treadmill, they can be great for strengthening muscles and exercise while reducing the weight being carried.

 

It's hard when they get old.

Tonight we decided if she lies around too much we are getting her up to move just to do it and keep her loose. She slept for like 3 hours straight so we just woke her and took her outside by the leash. That helped get her moving and woke her up and now she is in my face being the pest she is at night,,,and of course we love it.

[NeylasMom]

Keep her moving, is what my vet hs told me about mine. You might like to investigate some other options as well. If you've got an animal physio with an underwater treadmill, they can be great for strengthening muscles and exercise while reducing the weight being carried.

 

It's hard when they get old.

This. The more core strength she loses from inactivity, the more her weakness will affect her. Having said that, walks on level ground don't do much for core strength so hilly walks, even if they're shorter, stairs, little jaunts in the yard and PT are your best bets. We have balance boards at home and Zuri does some PT on those. We also do underwater treadmill when we can't get outside as much. Edited March 8, 2016 by NeylasMom

[seeh2o]

Ron, I can't renege where you live in SoCal, but my vet's office had been doing cold laser treatments for Doodles once every three weeks our or more, if needed. It has made a world of difference for my recently turned 13 year old girl.

 

As I recall, I think you live pretty far from my vet's office, you may want to check and find someone who does cold laser. There is no pain to it at all. I sometimes wish I coold get get her to do it on me while I'm there!

[smurfette]

You can add rice bran oil to her diet. It is a natural way to build up muscle or to prevent muscle loss. And walking to keep mobile.

[racindog]

I had quite a few get old and what you describe sounds 'normal' to me with advancing age. It seems to me that they do best when allowed to be as active as they desire. I have to hold my breath sometimes to let them run their discombobulated old dog run etc but it seems only to make them happy and help them stay in as good a shape as they can. I am quite certain none of mine have been harmed by activity and also quite certain it helped them. Hugs to the princess!

[msjpk]

Is she on any meds? My Lou is on Gabapentin which has helped him greatly. We just started the Adequan shots which have kept him from sinking. We take short walks, and depending on the day and weather we can go a little longer.

[DocsDoctor]

Definitely keep taking her out for walks, if she wants to go. It'll stop her stiffening up, and the change of scene is good for morale. But I'm not sure about 3/4 of a mile, all at once - could you split that into two or three shorter walks, spread out across the day? That was what I used to do with my wobbly old boy Doc, on the vet's advice. See what your one says.

 

The other thing that really helped Doc was regular visits from a lovely veterinary physiotherapist - she also gave me exercises to do with him every day, which were really helpful for maintaining his rear end strength.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Let;'s see to get these all at once:

 

,,no she is not on any meds save for the Rymadl,,and I was wondering about something else so now I have an idea

 

I am 95% sure my vet does laser,,,

 

my wife and I decided to walk her because she does love to sniff and she will tell me if she is done,,

 

...and yes I think much of it is old age and I am terrified when she runs,,I am waiting to hear a loud snap or to see her just drop in her tracks but my heart says this is in her DNA and she needs the release

PS: We did 3/4 of our 3/4 mile walk today. She enjoyed the sniffing.

Let;'s see to get these all at once:

 

,,no she is not on any meds save for the Rymadl,,and I was wondering about something else so now I have an idea

 

I am 95% sure my vet does laser,,,

 

my wife and I decided to walk her because she does love to sniff and she will tell me if she is done,,

 

...and yes I think much of it is old age and I am terrified when she runs,,I am waiting to hear a loud snap or to see her just drop in her tracks but my heart says this is in her DNA and she needs the release

PS: We did 3/4 of our 3/4 mile walk today. She enjoyed the sniffing. BAck in the day she was good for 5+ miles a day

[Remolacha]

I'll just add my vote for keep her moving, and let her run if she wants to. The cold laser is a good idea, and you might try acupuncture if there is a vet that does it near you.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

The other things she does for energy release ,,,and my DW hates it,,is that she is a trench digger. So I wait for the DW to go somewhere,,I release the hound,,let her trench,,then I fill it in.

 

So far today we have walked between 1/2 and 3/4 miles,,,,we went out and did zoomies,,then we dug our trench. So she does have these days too. She will now probably sleep until like 4 or 5,,then she will be wobbly until bedtime. Not wobbly at all this AM.

[msjpk]

I would ask vet about the Gabapentin and Adequan shots. The shots have really worked for Lou. If Adequan is your choice, make sure it is manufactured by Navartis and ask if your vet will price match. It is expensive.

[racindog]

The other things she does for energy release ,,,and my DW hates it,,is that she is a trench digger. So I wait for the DW to go somewhere,,I release the hound,,let her trench,,then I fill it in.

 

So far today we have walked between 1/2 and 3/4 miles,,,,we went out and did zoomies,,then we dug our trench. So she does have these days too. She will now probably sleep until like 4 or 5,,then she will be wobbly until bedtime. Not wobbly at all this AM.

I love this. What a perfect plan! zoomies and trench excavation! She is so very blessed to have you. Your love is no doubt why she is still so happy! And yes I realized the same thing you did. If I restrained them and bubble wrapped them to protect them there is no doubt in my mind they would have left much sooner in a depressed state of mind. I know that for Momma her 'freedom' to do her old lady wobbly run was the only true enjoyment she had left in life and nothing meant more to her. I went through the same thing with my tripod Ivy. When I expressed my concern to the vet about her possibly injuring her last remaining leg from running so fast as a tripod the vet admitted to me that 'you've got to let her go." I knew it - she was born to run and some of them it is critically important to. She was never so happy as after a good run. And I have to admit none of them ever hurt themselves. They just enjoyed life as much as they could until the very end. Hope your wife goes shopping soon so the real queen can dig another trench! God bless you.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

I would ask vet about the Gabapentin and Adequan shots. The shots have really worked for Lou. If Adequan is your choice, make sure it is manufactured by Navartis and ask if your vet will price match. It is expensive.

I see what you mean,,,Adequan seems pretty steep and my vet will charge a fortune,,no discount from that guy. But it seems like what she would need. Wonder if there is something cheaper but the same type of drug.

 

@Racindog: You are so right. You can see the happy and determination in her eyes during a run and after a dig. He lungs sound like they will explode when she is done but she is so happy afterwards. I cannot take that from her. I am the fun parent.