Pain Management

[Tanya]

Rocky is 11.5 now. he's been on rheumacam about a year now and gabapentin for a bit longer (400mg 3x a day I think). He has some arthritis and possibly some mild HD (we x-rayed his tummy a year and a half ago I think and we ended up seeing some of that in the x-ray).

Over the last year he's really slowed down. I've had to reduce his walks, at first I thought it was just the summer (he always slows down in the heat) but while he has more "pep" with the cooler weather, he isn't bouncing back like he normally does. He is very slow. He is better as far as "pep" goes and absolutely wants to go for walks, but he is slow.

We have lots of stairs and he is doing ok. once in awhile he stumbles a bit but generally if it's been a day with more activity. Once in awhile he'll "get stuck" upstairs (he won't follow me back down like he normally does) but then some morning he chooses to go hang upstairs after eating/doing his business so he is choosing to do stairs on his own sometimes.

so my question: what kind of meds are you using for pain management? Rock's annual is in a few weeks and i'll discuss again wtih the vet. I am looking at maybe adding some glucosimine mix as well and maybe changing things up so he's more comfortable?

Ultimately I think i need to just work with him on walks hard for me to walk slower and then drop him off. He needs to move just - at a speed and distance he can handle I guess I know dogs his age that can walk so much more though!

[Annette47]

Sorry to hear he’s struggling - it sounds pretty typical of an older, arthritic dog, but I agree he is too young for this!

All of my dogs take joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and hyaluronic fluid) from the time they are “middle aged” at around 5-6, so before problems usually start. I have no idea if they help as I don’t have a control group, LOL, but they don’t seem to hurt.

Scully also had acupuncture which did help a bit, as well as Deramaxx and we eventually added Tramadol to the mix. Gabapentin would have been the next step for her but she never needed it. The best thing we did for her was to get her swimming as much as possible - it allowed her to build strength and some flexibility without added stress on the joints. Even so, slow walking was just a way of life her last few years. She had bad elbows which started being a problem around age 8 or 9.

Mulder was on the joint supplements, and around when he turned 14 we put him on Rimadyl for some arthritis in his hips. Swimming didn’t help him though, as he had arthritis in his front feet which never seemed painful, but prevented him from spreading his toes and swimming effectively, which made it too much of an effort for him. Again, slow walking became a way of life as he aged, too.

I find that for the old dogs, several shorter slow walks seems to be better for them than one long one. Either way though, they are slow. When we have had older dogs with younger ones, we have had to go on separate walks as what works for the older ones just isn’t enough for the younger.

[POPTOP]

Life gets slower when they age. Exercise is important but only what is tolerated. Mardi is at the slow amble stage, more sniffing around than a true walk. She is on Rimadyl now and tolerating it well. Be sure to have blood work done/liver panel, before starting and then a 2 weeks followup, then in another 4 weeks.

I daily do range of motion exercises on Mardi. We both love our special time together and it has helped.

Do your stairs have carpeting? That also helps along with good footing underpaw throughout the house.

Mardi, and Archie, get Cosequin DS, 1000 mg of vitamin C a day and Grizzly salmon oil.

[Tanya]

thanks guys

oh we have bloodwork done often haha. at least every 6mts over the last 3-4 years for various reasons!

The longer stairs have carpet. the ones to the front door do not but they are shorter. A year or so ago he was having issues with the stairs (hesitant) and that doesn't seem to be an issue, if anything he seems to be taken them too often just randomly to follow me :P But every once in awhile I hear what sounds like a stubmle behind me. But otherwise improvement.

It's really his back end that seems off. i am thinking possibly more displasia or something and less "just arthritis" (though also arthritis). Yesterday he was all exited so I put penny on teh agility table for a break and then sent him in an easy tunnel (he was very keen). Anyhoo Pen was all upset Rocky got a turn and came zooming in and tried to engage Rock in play (this doesn't happen often). He took off after her but then tripped. Like his back leg just fell under him. Same thing the other day when he was exited so I gently tossed a tennis ball for him, he was after it full tild and tripped. It's fairly heartbreaking. But he totallly bounced right back right away both times.

Curious how all the different pain meds are different. Like Cosequan VS Adaquin VS Demeraxx and so on. I'll google it then chat with the vet.

I am guessing even with a better pain management plan that weakness that pops up when he runs is like to stay?

He is happier to trot on walks again. He's been staying more level with me more often with the cooler weather but definitely aboslutely slow. So I need to remind myself to keep it at that.

The dog's yearly is coming up. I discuss this every year (more than once a year) with the vet but having a hard time figuring things out. I go back and forth on if adding something like cosequin (or equivalent) would help any.

I am sad he isn't "top of the class" when it comes to health/mobility (compared to other labs his age). but that's just how life goes! He is doing not too bad overall, and we just need to find the right management plan for him.

[Maxx&Emma]

Talk to your vet about cold laser therapy also. I swear the treatments are like new life for Emma! I do not use any NSAID's for her but she does have Tramadol and I give her Hylasport, vitamin C, (1000 mgs), and Grizzly Salmon Oil, daily. I have been mostly walking her separate, even with the cooler weather. She just has one speed, it is just easier. I let her go as far as she wants to go and head back when she is ready. What used to take me an hour twice a day now stretches out to over two and I doubt she is walking half the distance I do with Maxx. I just want her to stay as mobile as possible for as long as possible. It sucks, she is only 10 but keeping her happy is more important to me than anything.

[Sue-Ram]

I had tried green lipped muscle for Ram, but I think he was allergic to it. I've switched from Hylasport to Recovery SA extra strength because it also helps with pain and inflammation.

Penny's smile in the bottom row of your sig pic is hilarious and so cute.

[Maxx&Emma]

I had tried green lipped muscle for Ram, but I think he was allergic to it. I've switched from Hylasport to Recovery SA extra strength because it also helps with pain and inflammation.

Penny's smile in the bottom row of your sig pic is hilarious and so cute.

What is in the Recovery SA that helps with pain and inflammation? Did you notice a big difference? I think Emma is good right now with everything we are doing but I like to have options in case they are needed in the future.

I agree with you about Penny's smile, I smile every time I see her happy face!

[3ChocMom]

Is he on any other supplements? You might consider giving him a high dose of Vitamin C daily (Brandy gets 1000mg per day, divided in 2 500mg doses). Start slow with that though, and build up, because it can cause loose stool. Brandy is 10, but closing in on 11 (her birthday is in February). She has mild HD. I have her on several supplements, but Glyco-Flex III and Vitamin C are the biggest ones for joints. Plus omega 3s. I rotate salmon and flaxseed oil. I have not had to use any pain meds yet, but I do use a pain relieving and anti-inflammatory herbal formula daily, called Body Sore. She gets the lowest dose for her weight because I just notice that she's slightly better on it than when she's not.

I would also suggest an evaluation for a possible chiro adjustment, if you haven't done that. Brandy gets adjusted, even just slightly, every time she sees her holistic vet for her allergy treatments. I think it helps. But the biggest thing that helps her is her bi-weekly hydrotherapy sessions. I've been taking her for 3 years now, since she was 7, for the sole purpose of keeping her hind end strong to support her weak hips. She has great muscle tone and no mobility issues so far. Her therapist finds and fixes things occasionally that I would have otherwise never known about because she shows no symptoms of an issue. For example, her left elbow subluxates every once in awhile. She never limps or anything, it doesn't seem to bother her, but I think it would if left unchecked for a long time. Her therapist always works it back into place. I can't recommend it enough!

[Snowshoe]

Oban takes Body Sore. It does help though we are trying to find something to help his wonky gut and his sore elbow at the same time.

Have you tried Cartrophen Vet injections? Even though we are afraid to use them again on Oban I am a big fan.

Sorry, would have said sooner but just seeing this thread now.

[Tanya]

No we haven't tried much of anything really. I am making a list of stuff recommended by everyone for our vet apt in a few weeks to discuss options.

Sometimes too many options is the most difficult, hard to know where to start!

He is very sore. When I rub him shoulders he flinches and his back end is sore so I suspect he likely will need some rehab to get him back into shape

ETA: the last time i chatted with my vet he said none of those herbal ones hve been clinically proven to work (he mentioned one that was) so should be an interesting conversation :P If he won't bite I will at least cover "safety in mixing" if I try. Maybe I should ask around at the vets who will be at the Pet Expo who is more open to things I like my vet as he is more hands on during physicals than my previous vets. He does a full body work over to test movement and such. This year I will be asking for an assessment on Pen for dog sports (i.e. is there anything in her structure that makes her at risk for more injury or whatnot).

I haven't done chiropractor yet. I know those in the dog sport world use a few local ones regularly. I have done rehab via cavaleties and laser treatment.