Elderly Kelpie Shaking

[Isabel964]

My kelpie is 15 years old and often her rear legs shake a bit. She has arthritis and has daily pain killers and anti-inflammatories - been a couple of years on this and she is doing great... albeit increasingly fragile. She still goes on daily walks of around 15-20 minutes.

Today I found that she was shaking/shivering all over. I thought she could not be cold because the house was at 21 degrees. But when I put a heated throw rug over her bed and a little blanket over her she soon stopped shaking.

She was then fine for a couple of hours. She lay there for maybe half an hour and then came and lay in the lounge room where I was, followed me around a bit.

A few hours later she was laying there shaking/shivering all over again. I put her in the heated rug again, put a little blanket over her and she was ok again.

I called the vet surgery and asked if they could get a vet over to check her. I arrange house calls for her these days because going in the car is just too risky as she doesn't have strength to balance. The vet surgery said they just didn't have the resources to do it.

I'm wondering... is her body finding it difficult to manage/regulate her temperature because she is quite old now? She does not have thick fur. She never did except around her neck and chest. Is this is a sign of something else? I thought someone may know.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Isabel964

[persephone]

Oh, dear old thing .... she may be cool ..or it may be pain , and the warmth helps her relax ... I hope the vets can help ...

[Isabel964]

Oh you know what I did find a tablet near her food bowl tonight. I can't tell if it's the pain killer or the anti-inflammatory from this morning. I didn't know she could shake from pain. I think this was it! For two years she has had those tablets every morning... except today.

I gave her another of each tablet with dinner and she seems fine.... maybe it was pain. She is a dear old thing ❤️ Very lovely sweet and beautiful.

[JayGee]

I noticed my elderly uncle was like this with ageing. Not a dog I know, but he seemed to be cold and dressed that way, even on quite warm days. I think it was a circulation issue with him, so dogs may experience something similar with ageing. I hope you have no more shaking or discomfort for your oldie.

[Isabel964]

Thank you, yes I think circulation isn't so good with the older souls whether they be human or canine. She is back to normal today. I feel bad I didn't see she avoided done medication from the morning. Now I'm watching her and baking sure she has it by putting it into cheese etc and watching her eat that.

[Loving my Oldies]

Thank you, yes I think circulation isn't so good with the older souls whether they be human or canine. She is back to normal today. I feel bad I didn't see she avoided done medication from the morning. Now I'm watching her and baking sure she has it by putting it into cheese etc and watching her eat that.

I will say to you, “don’t feel bad,” :) :) , but you will because you love your dogs so much. However, it is one of the things: we think the meds have gone down and a couple of days later find one in a bed, under a blanket, you name it, it can be spat out with a brand of surreptitiousness only spitting-out-meds-dogs can achieve. :laugh:

Age brings on many infirmities, unfortunately, and managing ones temperature is one of them, I think. Yesterday, after days of unbearable heat, I put light coats on two of my dogs (one of whom was shaking) and they were very happy.

15 is a grand age for a Kelpie - I have a little little coming up to 17.