(NA) Poor puppy

sferguson524

sferguson524

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
1,761
Location
Las Vegas
Display Name
Display name:
FormerSocalFlyer
Well, he's not really a puppy anymore, but my dog (age 14), is starting to have trouble getting up and down the stairs, he is SLOW going up and fast going down (gravity is a *ITCH). I've been kicking around the idea of giving him glucosamine and chondroitin to see if that frees up his sticky hip, but the kicker is he is having trouble holding his bladder through the night. I hate to think that he's at the end of his life, but i don't know what else to do.
 
Glucosamine and Chondroitin do indeed help dogs with their joints, you should feel free to use them. Your dog might be experiencing kidney problems which may or may not be subject to medication. Low protein food for starters, though there are other things that can be done. That, and don't let him drink at night. Also, can you rule out a bladder infection?
 
sferguson524 said:
Well, he's not really a puppy anymore, but my dog (age 14), is starting to have trouble getting up and down the stairs, he is SLOW going up and fast going down (gravity is a *ITCH). I've been kicking around the idea of giving him glucosamine and chondroitin to see if that frees up his sticky hip, but the kicker is he is having trouble holding his bladder through the night. I hate to think that he's at the end of his life, but i don't know what else to do.
Click to expand...

It sure seemed to help my 14 yo Beagle.
 
I'm thinking the grandkids are saying the same things about me.
 
Absolutely use the Gloucosamine. It works.

Best Pet Health products are great. Get them from Costco and elsewhere.
http://www.costco.com/Best-Pet-Health™-Joint-Support-Medium-Wafers-for-Dogs.product.11530309.html

41zJICL%2BsvL.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/HealthTM-Join...d=1374103626&sr=1-12&keywords=best+pet+health

You can also ask your vet about giving aspirin, either 325mg or the 86mg, and there are prescription medications that cost a lot more.

Pancho took Metacam:
http://www.1800petmeds.com/Metacam-prod10588.html

Talk to your vet for that and you also may get some meds to help him with bladder control.
 
Last edited:
The good news is that they no longer think there's need to worry about neutering.

tmyers said:
Wayne, You are way too feisty to think of putting down. :wink2::yesnod:
Click to expand...
 
For the OP, I used to be married to a Vet so I saw lots of stuff with people and their pets. Some pets can take a lot of pain and never complain. Enjoy all the time you can and they will let you know when something else has to be done. As for the supplements, try anything that helps.
 
Geico266 said:
For what it is worth I draw the line on bladder control and bowel control.
Click to expand...

Agree completely. I just like to make certain that all that can be done has been done. Those trips to the vet are memorable in the worst way imaginable.
 
tmyers said:
I hear ya but in the last couple years I have noticed that after about 1.5 hours in the air the boys tend to shift into the most uncomfortable position, and there is little that can be done to get things back in order.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about your dogs, or your *boys*? :D
 
steingar said:
Agree completely. I just like to make certain that all that can be done has been done. Those trips to the vet are memorable in the worst way imaginable.
Click to expand...


+1. It's the worst decision to have to make WRT owning a pet. makes me not want to have pets anymore.
 
tmyers said:
I hear ya but in the last couple years I have noticed that after about 1.5 hours in the air the boys tend to shift into the most uncomfortable position, and there is little that can be done to get things back in order.
Click to expand...

I don't know anyone who enjoys sitting on nuts
 
Our old gal (mutt, 43-ish lbs, 13yrs old) is on Fish Oil and Glucosamine. We have some pain pills for when she's favoring a leg. We can tell if more than 2-3 days go buy w/o the supplements.

We also did a "senior wellness exam" at the last vet visit which comes with a few add'l tests. There was some borderline numbers related to liver function so the vet put her on Denamarin (sp?). Followup test put all numbers back in the green.

She's a little shakey in the back end when she just wakes up, but she seems otherwise fine and is in good health. Now that she's on that newest supplement, Denamarin, we are doing a blood "workup" every 6 months or so.

As the doc explained - dogs tend to age very quickly when older. That is why she (the doc) is a bit more on top of any "yellow flags" at this point.

We know the day is coming, but we don't want either of us to rush to get there :)

regarding "leakage" - I think there is a pill for that....seriously.
 
steingar said:
Agree completely. I just like to make certain that all that can be done has been done. Those trips to the vet are memorable in the worst way imaginable.
Click to expand...

sferguson524 said:
+1. It's the worst decision to have to make WRT owning a pet. makes me not want to have pets anymore.
Click to expand...

My dad was a veterinarian. Cried like a baby when he had to put our pets to sleep. It isn't any easier for them. And I still miss the ones we've lost over the years.
 
My little Moogie dog is 13, very elderly for a small breed. She's had kidney problems for years, and I think they're getting worse, as she's having a harder and harder time making it through the night. Can't use the stairs very well anymore either (the hardwood doesn't help that any). I'm pretty certain she's mostly deaf, though she never paid much attention to what I said anyway. Kinda like my wife in that way.
 
We buy the big bottles of glucosamine at sams club, per our vets rec for our 12 YO black lab.
The dog-specific ones have the same stuff in them, and cost twice as much.

Yes, it helps.

As for bladder control - is the doggie on any pain meds? Ours is on Novox (nightly) Tramadol (night and day) for pain, and I cant recall which, but one does lead to lack of bladder control.
 
You could try Dasuquin, and fish oil. DGP (Dog Gone Pain) also works pretty well.
 
Saying goodbye can be one of the hardest things to do. But if they are suffering a lot, there comes a point that it’s better to let them go humanly. Dogs are pets, but they can be family. It hurts a lot to see them suffer or have them die.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top