Caring for elderly pet dog - arthritis and liver problems

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Hey OP, just reading through your posts. Hope your dog feels some relief today. My dog was diagnosed few weeks ago arthritis in back hind left leg. She is only 6. She is on Rimadyl tablets daily at moment and maybe doing laser therapy. Vets never mentioned injections. Got two orthopedic beds for her. We are doing short walks. She is full for energy. Thinking of trying Riaflex. Have you found it good. So hard to know what to get. I have been reading so much but then reviews are so mixed on certain things so confusing. Started too putting omega 3 through her food

I think the supplements help her. When I lapsed she became poor again. Then again, there were other factors at play too. She managed to jump to the couch a few times and then her short walks were dropped too. So there's these two coming into the equation too.

Michelle_b

Yea must order the supplements in. Just about finding what works and giving them as much relief as possible

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Hey OP, just reading through your posts. Hope your dog feels some relief today. My dog was diagnosed few weeks ago arthritis in back hind left leg. She is only 6. She is on Rimadyl tablets daily at moment and maybe doing laser therapy. Vets never mentioned injections. Got two orthopedic beds for her. We are doing short walks. She is full for energy. Thinking of trying Riaflex. Have you found it good. So hard to know what to get. I have been reading so much but then reviews are so mixed on certain things so confusing. Started too putting omega 3 through her food

I found with my dogs diagnosis her grip was poor on hard floors. Especially first thing in the morning. You find the same with your pet. If you have hard floors like wood, tiles, consider laying down rugs or runners in areas where the dog will be using.

I found a fantastic runner online that is 300 cm in length and it does the job nicely. It's non slip and the price was right too at 38 euro each. Let me know if you need a recommendation.

I also picked up a great dog jacket for 18 euro on zooplus.de - the German site that was recommended here. The cold doesn't help with arthritis.

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Yea must order the supplements in. Just about finding what works and giving them as much relief as possible

The dog was panting this morning after waking and I think this might be her way of showing pain. I massaged her legs and she found some relief and she calmed before rising.

I hope to massage her back legs again shortly before another short walk.

Michelle_b

Thank you. Yeah that's a good idea. Will pick up next week

Michelle_b

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

The dog was panting this morning after waking and I think this might be her way of showing pain. I massaged her legs and she found some relief and she calmed before rising.

I hope to massage her back legs again shortly before another short walk.

Have you used any cream. Ive read people use arnica but worried she would lick it. My dog not fan of sea so thats not an option. My dog likes me massaging her too. They are right babies aren't they:)

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Have you used any cream. Ive read people use arnica but worried she would lick it. My dog not fan of sea so thats not an option. My dog likes me massaging her too. They are right babies aren't they:)

I use mason's dog massage oil I bought in Holland and Barrett for 5 euro. I do have to muzzle the dog or she will lick it off. She does enjoy the massages and she often rolls into her back and the cut of her is hilarious.

Michelle_b

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

I use mason's dog massage oil I bought in Holland and Barrett for 5 euro. I do have to muzzle the dog or she will lick it off. She does enjoy the massages and she often rolls into her back and the cut of her is hilarious.

Aw too cute. Must try that. Thanks so much for info

tk123

Michelle_b wrote: »

Yea must order the supplements in. Just about finding what works and giving them as much relief as possible

I use Riaflex for my boy. I'd hold off ordering for a week or so if you're thinking of trying it - they usually have a voucher with 10-15% off at holidays so I'd imagine they might have one for their 'January sale'

Michelle_b

tk123 wrote: »

I use Riaflex for my boy. I'd hold off ordering for a week or so if you're thinking of trying it - they usually have a voucher with 10-15% off at holidays so I'd imagine they might have one for their 'January sale'

Thanks so much. Will do that

Broken Hearted Road

tk123 wrote: »

I use Riaflex for my boy. I'd hold off ordering for a week or so if you're thinking of trying it - they usually have a voucher with 10-15% off at holidays so I'd imagine they might have one for their 'January sale'

I'm estimating our supplements are going to run out at the end of February and I'll have to stick in an order for supplements by mid February. Voucher code will be great and if I had any sense I'd stick in an order in January with a code but Xmas has me stone broke. I'll have to work something out to try and afford at least the canine joint plus tub. I think that was 48 pounds and that came up to about 57 euro. 10 - 15% off will be huge for me. I'll have to find a 50 somewhere in January. ESB is due mid January so I think I will hold off til February at paying that.

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Thanks so much. Will do that

Postage from Riaflex can be a bit steep especially on top of expensive supplements. I use addresspal from anpost.ie to save costs here. If you haven't signed up to addresspal yet, do that now and hopefully you will get your information/details which will contain an identification number and English address.

Broken Hearted Road

Michelle_b wrote: »

Thanks so much. Will do that

Also, if you are on Facebook, like their page there just to follow them. There was a horrifying post not so long ago warning people not to buy Riaflex products from eBay/other sources because the stuff from eBay was fake or some such thing.

Broken Hearted Road

I'm not long home from the village. I was just in home and I started to massage the leg for a few minutes and took the dog out for another 2-3 minutes of a walk. Hoping to do the same again later on tonight.

Broken Hearted Road

We had a better evening here, thank God. She's still not quite herself. One of her back legs is still poor but she's putting a little weight on it but she is in good form.

Brought her for another short walk tonight and she's gone to bed now. Hopefully she will sleep in her own bed and avoid mine.

I have a few one for all gift cards from the Christmas. I hope to go to town on Monday. Hopefully some shops will be open. I want to get a hand blender in Argos and weaning pots in the baby section of boots or somewhere. I hope to buy some ingredients for making a homemade soup for her - like chicken, butternut squash, sweet potato and freezing a batchful of soup in them little pots. Just to have something every day for her supplements.

I do enjoy cooking her meals and she enjoys it too and she develops a whole heap of energy after a cooked meal but it's not ideal any more. I cooked some chicken and veg for her not so long ago, gave her some and allowed the rest to cool. Covered the chicken and put it into the fridge. There should have been enough chicken for a few days and when I came home from work the big bowl of chicken was gone. Mam fed the whole bowl of chicken to the dog. I was hoping to have chicken for another day or two for adding her supplements on top but I had nothing then. Them cooked meals will have to be reduced to the weekends when I'm at home to supervise.

Happy new year to all in the pet forums. I hope you all have a happy, peaceful and healthy new year with your furry little friends and pets.

tk123

Maybe look into getting a slow cooker if you don't have one? You can do stews in that as well as bone broth which is very good for them. It ends up like jelly so would be easy enough to mix supplements into. I sometimes just mix them into some veg for the dogs if they've had something boney rather than just mince.

Broken Hearted Road

tk123 wrote: »

Maybe look into getting a slow cooker if you don't have one? You can do stews in that as well as bone broth which is very good for them. It ends up like jelly so would be easy enough to mix supplements into. I sometimes just mix them into some veg for the dogs if they've had something boney rather than just mince.

A bone broth is something I'm definitely interested in learning how to make. I'd say it will be March by the time I will have the funds to consider a slow cooker.

Latatian

No idea what your funds are like but you can get an acceptable little one for 13 quid in Argos. Collect bones from whatever you eat in a bag in the freezer (since it's for the dog, she won't be fussy!), then put them all together into the slow cooker, fill it 2/3 up with water, and let it cook for a looooooong time. No need for garlic or onions but a carrot wouldn't go astray. You couldn't put a whole chicken carcase into it though, you'd have to joint it.


It will make the house smell lovely. Happy new year to you as well!