Brookestar

She has had two epidural steroids, the 1st one made a huge difference, the last one did nothing, that was 12 months ago, I was told by the specialist that because it didn't work, she probably would not make it to the end of the year! Not showing any signs of giving up yet, 12 months later. She has been on the maximum dose of gabapentin the only medication to assist with nerve pain for over 6 months, so I am on the final stretch. She is having acupuncture every week, with a veterinary acupuncturist, which makes the world of difference. She is also on a range of Chinese medicine supplements, by a vet who specialises in this stuff, and when I missed them for a week I also noticed a huge decline, so I am now convinced they work. We did consult with an animal physiotherapist for a while, but it got to the point that their was nothing else they could offer. I have spoken to her usual vet, and compounding has been mentioned, but the costs are something I really want to avoid.

Onsior, an anti-inflammatory. once a day Gabapentin, for nerve pain, 3 times a day Tramadol, 3 times a day.

I have a dog who is terminally ill, with lumbosacral disease, but also very stable at the moment providing I can get the pain medications into her. With the medications she is able to go for walks of about 15 - 20 minutes every day and continue to play with toys. Without them, I will need to euthanize her. She is a Labrador, so this really should be simple, and always has been in the past. Previously a small amount of vegemite was all that was needed. Now it is all beyond me. I have tried heated up roast chicken, eats around it, tried heated up and raw chicken mince, eats around it, tried yogurt, eats around it. Tried putting it between liver treats, walks away. Trying to shove them down her throat has resulted in her simply not being willing to come near me.

I do not deny the need to prioritise your children over your dog. I also agree that you need to have an open and honest talk to your vet. But I do believe that you are denial about the level of pain your dog is in. Dogs do not play games to hide from going for a walk. The dog is saying I do not want to go, because it is too painful. The dog is not playing when he sees other dogs, he is in pain and is scared of the dog jumping on him and causing him more pain. So many people see things dogs do as playing, but dogs do not play in that manner, dogs cannot act and be creative and imaginative. First and foremost you need to stop doing what you are doing with the dog. If the dog does not want to go for a walk, do not take them. It really is as simple as that. LISTEN to the dog. Keeping the dog at home is not cruel, forcing them to walk in pain, is cruel. The things you were doing to try and strengthen the rear end are great for dogs with mild hip dysplasia, it sounds as though your dog is quite severe. And those things are not going to help, but would rather hinder and simple cause more pain.

As others have stated a specialist vet is needed if you have the finances to afford it. There are procedures that can be done while younger that are much more effective and less invasive than the ones done later. He needs proper medical pain management, not supplements. Supplements are not bad and can lessen the amount of pain medications needed, but no dog should be in that much pain. You also need to get him put on catrophen or other arthritis treatments as arthritis is going to start much sooner. You also need to get an animal physiotherapist on board, a chiropractor cannot help with he hips - they might claim to but they are not trained to do so. If your current vet is not supporting these things, then find another vet. Sorry if that sounds blunt but it really is blunt. It is beyond me how a vet is not prescribing pain relief for this dog.

It is only very recently that research has actually been done on this, before that it was all theory. It is now recommended that you take the probiotics while on antibiotics if you are likely to experience side effects, or be on them for a long time. http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/prevention/should-i-take-antibiotics-with-probiotics I put mine on them while on the AB and then keep them on the probiotic for the same length of time after the AB has finished as they were on the AB.

Put simply you have to keep ignoring him. If you give into him, which you are, regardless of how long it goes on for, he has learnt that the longer I keep this up, the sooner I get what I want. ANY response at all is what he wants, and even a negative response is a response If you want to rule out medical, then take him to the vet, which is not always a bad idea. if not, then you simply have to tough it out, even if it takes a few hours of whining. Reality is that getting out of bed is a privilege, so you cannot remove anything else from him. It is about being willing to be strict enough. Everyone always says this type of behaviour gets worse if you ignore it and it will if you do not ignore it for long enough and sometimes it honestly can be hours. But reality is that if you consistently ignore it for long enough, they learn that whining does not get what I want and I may as well give up. The longer you have allowed it to go on and the longer you do allow it to go on the worse it will get and the longer it will take to get him out of the habit. He does not need anymore toys of treats, he needs you to be a MASTER and set the rules, because at present he is doing all of it.

Transferring them to a quarantine station would have meant huge risks to other animals. They would not have been allowed to step foot outside that house until they were on the way to the airport. They would have been quarantined at home, to ensure the safety of Australia, and it was much safer to keep them there than to transport to Melbourne. It would also have been too big a risk to have them in a quarantine station. Dogs require 6 months of testing and multiple vaccinations for numerous diseases that we do not have in Australia, rabies, is simply the most well known. NO DOG is quarantined for rabies in Australia, if they are not both vaccinated and titre tested they are not allowed to enter. They cannot even book a spot in quarantine until proof of that is presented. And it cannot be any standard vet doing it. While I do not dispute that most of the world is not aware of how strict Australia's quarantine laws are, fact is you cannot simply fly any dog anywhere in the world and do as you want. ALL countries have regulations and health requirements for bringing dogs into them, including the US. For the US I think it is simply a rabies vaccination, but the UK requires about 6 months of preparation, as the pet passport requires titre testing as well. But with the exception of the rabies vaccination, titre testing and a tick treatment, that is all the pet passport requires and everyone in Europe is fully aware of that, but most simply do titre tests all the time, as then the passport can basically remain up to date, just have to have the dog tick treated 72 hours before departure. The assumption that most airlines allow dogs in the cabin of the aircraft it also wrong. Most do not. simply do a google search of different airlines and you will find it not that way at all. It is basically only the US that does and then it is only small dogs that can fit into a small cage that MUST REMAIN UNDER THE SEAT at all times. If you so much as move it or attempt to open it, then it can be taken from you, locked up somewhere else, the planes have at times made emergency landings and people have been bared from catching planes again. However they have very weak assistance dogs laws and so people pass of the dogs as supposed assistance dogs, but given the amount of so called assistance dogs they have had peeing and pooping in the isles that is currently being questioned. I am aware of at least 3 planes that have been forced to make emergency landings as the amount of dog poo, that was slimy and not able to be properly picked up had stuck to the carpet and no one could breathe.

Dogs choose toileting surfaces via their smell. If the pet loo smells differently and to my understanding they have chemicals in them, to help neutralise the oder that is likely to be the problem. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not associate fake grass with real grass, as it smells like plastic and nothing like the real thing. They do not look for a toilet, they smell for a toilet. If you cannot get him to use the pet loo, I would ditch the fake grass and simply use puppy pads, which you are already using underneath. No point in having two layers, it only means more cost and expense.

While catrophen would not be of any use in relation to the bone spurs it would help the arthritis. The main things of use are going to be very similar to those for a dog with arthritis in terms of lifestyle management. Providing ramps instead of stairs. Raising food and water bowls so they are not having to bend over to try and eat and drink, having firm flat surfaces, such as orthopaedic memory foam or egg shell foam mattresses for them to sleep on, keeping them warm, jumpers can help with this in winter if necessary. Keeping water bowls near the bed, so they are not having to walk to have a drink. Physiotherapy can help if you want to purse that, very gentle exercise, preferably on soft surfaces, such as grass is better than walking them on the footpath. In terms of medications, anti inflammatory, and pain relief will help. If it starts to affect the nerves which it can do, then Gabapentin would be the drug of choice in terms of pain relief, as that directly targets nerve pain.

Where do you get your 5 dogs or less from?? The code says kennel club breeders can have 9 fertile females, and any number of other dogs. Non kennel club breeders can have 3 fertile females. The code does not apply to any kennel club breeders with 9 or less fertile females, which is the vast majority of kennel club breeders.

Fish oil is something that has natural anti inflammatory properties in it. Not going to do anything to prevent anything. Glucosamine long term is not going to do any damage, it is not given in large enough quantities for it to hurt. I also agree with what CavNrott said, in that Glucosamine will be much more effective, when combined with chondroitin and MSM The key to tiring a dog out is mental stimulation. Walking them in different places, with lots of things going on around them is more tiring, than walking through a park. It is all the sights, sounds and smells that tire them out. Making them earn their food, so feeding them via food toys is also going to assist to tire them out. The other reality is that dogs need to be taught how to settle down, and usually will when they are taught to do so. Sometimes they can get too much stimulation and be unable to settle themselves easily.

Dogs are naturally more active and alert at dawn and dusk and so fit in perfectly with our normal working lives. If you give them time before and after work, they will be fine. The most important thing is to start as you mean to go on. I agree with giving them access to grass to speed up the toilet training. Make sure they have access to a kennel or something similar that they can curl up in and feel safe and secure in. Just because they sleep inside and have access to shelter it is not the same as having a kennel outside, which is like a den environment. Do not think of putting out hundreds of toys. Too many and the dog is too distracted by them. Ideally you want about 3-5 different toys each day. You want to make sure he has different toys each day. If you leave them with same toys over and over again, they will become bored with them. Taking them away for 2-3 days, and getting them out again, means they are like new to the dog again. You also want completely different toys. Some softer ones, some harder nyla bone type ones, etc, it allows them to use them different, and keeps them interested. If you do not want them digging in the garden, then providing a clam shell swimming pool full of sand and giving him a sand pit to dig in is ideal, but he will need to learn to dig there. The key to separation anxiety is to simply ignore the puppy, do not say any long goodbyes or long hellos. When you do get home, make sure he is aware of you being home for 5 minutes before you let him inside and when you do let him in, ignore him for 5 minutes again. Do not run straight to the dog and pat and make a big deal of them. You coming and going needs to be no different to you walking from room to room, going to the toilet or the like. Make sure they are tired out before you leave them, leave them with food to keep them occupied, ideally feed them via kongs to keep them busy and occupied. Coming home in the middle of the day for a midday feed is great if you can do it while they baby puppies, but again, do not make a big deal of coming and going. Spend some time with them, but not the whole time you are home.

raising the bowl is the solution. It is also much better for their backs, joints and spine, as it has them standing in a correct position, not putting undue pressure on any joints or the back/spine.

Underwater treadmills in Melbourne are at Dogs in Motion in the southern region and Advanced vetcare in Kensington. Both also have animal physiotherapists, which would be of a great help in working out a rehabilitation program to guide the strengthening, what to avoid, etc. In terms of protecting joints you would need a joint supplement, that has glucosamine in it. Glucosamine plays a role in building cartilage, so it can slow the progression of the condition, as arthritis is caused by wear and tear on the joints, and the cartilage is worn away, so it is bone on bone. Rose hip vital and other similar products are natural anti inflamtories. They have NO role at all in preventing or slowing down the progression of arthritis. They can sometimes help to alleviate very low levels of inflammation, which occurs when the arthritis becomes severe. It has no role in prevention at all, and would not be of any use. I agree with the advice given by others you need to be careful of the activities you do let her participate in, especially running at a ball and things like that, is really hard on the joints and can cause massive problems.

Agreed with all that is said there. Seen some with mental illness do well with dogs, others who were made significantly worse by them. Unfortunately many choose dogs who have acute anxiety disorders and rather than help the person, it makes things a thousand times worse for them. A stable dog can be positive. Equally many can have a great deal of trouble looking after the dog, and that needs to be taken into account. I know of 2 cases where people with mental health issues were supposedly given assistance dogs. While OK at the beginning, things got very out of control, both dogs eventually bit a child in a shopping centre, and both ended up being euthanized. It was a loss for both the human and the dog. The people concerned, laughed at what the dog did and while video surveillance showed it could have been prevented, they were not well enough to read the dogs signals. The dogs should never have been in the situations they were in, equally the individuals should never have been given the dogs. No dog is a robot, they all require a competent person to look after them, and if people are likely to have periods of being able to make informed decisions, then things can go very badly wrong.

That is exactly what mine do. I brush my own with an electric toothbrush and as soon as they hear it go on, they are at the bathroom door waiting for theirs to be done!!

I have an almost 11 year old Labrador that has never had a dental and never needed one. My vet says he hasn't seen a 6 month old puppy with teeth as good as hers. I do however brush her teeth every day with a tooth brush and pet toothpaste, and have from the day I got her. She has never had a bone, is fed on dry food.

Licking at the paw, even the foot would also be a sign of pain. Pain could be coming from the back, spinal area, not the leg itself. If you are looking for pain in the leg, but it is originating in the back, not going to find it in the leg. Having said that I also agree with Persephone, if the dog is carrying on as normal and does not appear to be in any real pain, then sometimes just letting him carry on as normal is the best solution. I agree that muscle wastage would be caused by not weight baring, consulting with an animal physiotherapist would give good advice in relation to that, but that would assume you had access to one nearby, or could do so via those that are willing to do online consultations. I would also agree with the vet that arthritis would very likely set in and possibly already has. I would have him on glucosamine supplements and also on catrophen or similar injections, if that is not already happening. If you are not seeing a difference with anti inflammatory I would not use them, as they do have side effects, similarly with other pain med's. It is about balancing out the risks. I would not leave a dog in pain, and would rather risk side effects if they assist with the pain, but equally if they are not working, then why use them.

Gabapentin is a good one and also very cheap, much cheaper from a chemist than a vet, so I recently discovered. The vet had none in stock and was unable to get any in before it run out, so wrote me a prescription to get one filled at a standard pharmacy (since it is a human medication). I did not even know it was possible to do. Ended up paying $16 for 100 tablets, verses $48 at the vet!! I have since found discount pharmacies stocking it for $9 per 100 tablets. My dog is however being weaned from it, so hopefully will not need it for long. Gabapentin is primarily for nerve pain, and often dogs have multiple issues going on. If the dog only has arthritis it is not likely to be of any use, but if there is any nerve damage/pain which is common in older dogs, then it would be great. Weakness in the rear end is often the result of nerve pain/damage, stiffness is the sign of arthritis.

My dog (21 kg) was prescribed 100 mg, 3 times daily, so 300 mg a day. She has been on it for the last 6 weeks, and we are now going through withdrawal in trying to reduce the dosage. In my opinion I would start with a lower dose and then increase if necessary. You will notice effects within an hour of giving it, so it should be pretty obvious if they need something higher. As someone else has said it is normally prescribed at 1 - 5 mg, per kg of body weight, so my dog was on the maximum. At the time I just gave it as prescribed no questions asked. While I agree that Dr Google can be dangerous, there are decent websites, that simply tell you standard dosages and standard side effects, and I see nothing wrong with those. They allow you to understand where the prescription lies in the norm, etc. From my perspective I would have preferred to have started with a lower dosage for my dog and see how she was, rather than simply putting her on the maximum at the beginning, and have no idea of what was happening. In an ideal world vets would have these discussions and open up discussions about them, unfortunately many do not. Tramadol does have a short half life and so really does need to be prescribed at least 8 hourly to have any real benefits. Otherwise the effects will have worn off before the next dosage is given. I guess that can allow you to know what level of pain the dog is in, but the idea should be to minimise and reduce pain.

Could not agree more with all you have said. It never ceases to amaze me how many rude dogs are out them, running and just jumping on top of other dogs and the owners call it playing and being friendly. It would be the equivalent of a human running and fully leaping feet off the ground and bear hugging a complete stranger, in the middle of a shopping centre, and you are right they would be arrested.

My dog also users her front dew claws all the time, I would see it as cutting off my thumb, to take them from her. She holds her bones, toys, even kongs with them. From my perspective they are as essential to her, as my thumbs are to me. Would I find a way of living without a thumb, yes, but not as quality a life, or not as easily as I do. Dogs have body parts for a reason, unless there are sound medical grounds for removing them, then I believe they should be left. My dog does not have rear dew claws and no marks from where they could have been.

My usual vet is overseas, and I am waiting for them to return before I see anyone else, I will require a referral from them. I trust my usual vet completely and have a great relationship with them, and they really get and read my dog well. I could possibly get a referral from another vet, but I think it is better to begin again, from the beginning and get my vet involved. I have however booked my dog in for the epidural steroid injection for Tuesday, so that I can at least give her more pain relief for now.

Veterinary Neurologists are incredibly rare in Australia and you could count them all on one hand. In most states there are none at all. None the less one of the specialists was a Neurologist, the other was a specialist surgeon, who are the most common to treat the condition in Australia. A full MRI has been performed, I do agree completely with the results. I also agree with the belief that nerve pain is the worst. Before the MRI our general vet did full x-rays and while under a full general anaesthetic was wincing in pain when her feet were touched, which is the most sensitive part for her. She now lives with boots permanently on her feet to stop her from chewing them off (all nerve pain), and when I cannot supervise her completely she also has a bucket on her head, as she will chew at her legs often as well, but I can distract her from that, the feet I cannot. She is doped up on pain med's, including Gabapentin, which is supposed to the best for nerve pain, but I don't think it touches the surface. She does not have problems walking unless she is in acute uncontrollable pain, ie, if she suddenly moves in a funny way, she will suddenly stimulate the most painful nerves and her body will spasm in response to it, meaning she cannot walk. But once that acute pain is gone she will walk normally. I keep being told she can be treated via cage rest and the reason she has not is that I have not done it properly enough. Anyone that knows me would disagree with it completely. I have gone and purchased brand new physio approved bed, bought small step to put food and water bowls on, so she does not have to bend down, putting extra pressure on her spine, etc. The ONLY time she ever had out of the crate was to toilet and that was on command, not when she wanted. The pain has not resolved and as such the swelling has never gone down, hence any attempt at torn outer rim healing itself, has not been able to occur. It is being suggested that an epidural steroid injection into it, MIGHT reduce the inflammation and hence allow it to heal itself, but given how much pain she is in, that seems doubtful to me. I'm also being told that the condition is not being worsened by her being in the crate and so she can safely live in the crate for life if necessary. The dog should have at least another 5 years of life, assuming normal life expectancy, and I'm being told to leave them in a crate for that length of time, well that is what it feels like to me. I would really like them to explain their reasoning to the RSPCA. While I agree that crating for medical reasons has a very important role to play that is for weeks, not years!!