What can I do to make her more comfortable?

Question

My ten yearl old dog is suffering from arthritis in her back hips.

Answer 1

You can give your dog Glucosamine/Chondroitin to help with
the joint pain, also an aspirin. Another thing that may help,
if she has to go up and down stairs, you can make a canvas
sling basically cut a rectangle of canvas about 10-12" wide
and 25-30" long, enough to wrap under her belly and come
up over her back, make a long strip and sew on as loops
on each side so that it makes 2 handles, then if she is
going up stairs, you wrap this around her tummy and
use the handles to help lift some of the weight off her hips
so she can get up easier. I made this for my landlord's
Akita and he used it everyday for the next 2 years so she could
make it up his front stairs.

Answer 2

i dont know how big your dog is, but we had a small dog that had arthritis, and when he would come in from being outside in the cold, we would wrap him in a warm towel that we threw in the dryer while he was outside. get her a comfy bed to sleep on, try to keep her from jumping down off high furniture very much, the vet can give her some medicine to help with the pain, and when she's hurting, just comfort her, she knows you love her, just be there for her. thats what we all want when we are hurting. take care, i hope we've been of some help!

Answer 3

Try an epsom salt bath,but dont use as much as you would for your self. I would only leave her in there about 7 to 10 minutes at a time. And afterwards apply an aloe vera lotion(cuz the salt could dry out the skin),also the mild massaging with help ease the sorness too. Try a heating pad on a low setting for a couple minutes at a time. The docter could prescribe something for pain as well. Also your vet could make recommendations on how to care for the puppy,and looking online could be a place for more ideas on getting through it .Alot of it is just tlc and time! Hope the pup gets to feeling better!

Answer 4

Ask your vet about Glucosamine&Condroitin, which I believe can be purchased at the store, judging by the Kroger logo I've seen on the bottle we have for our dog, and about another type of medication called Rimadyl. I believe Rimadyl is only available from a vet. Short walks and exercise times can be helpful too because prolonged periods of immobility can cause a dog's muscles and joints to stiffen, and the arthritis to become worse. And finally, nothin' beats a whole lot of lovin' from it's owner.

Answer 5

Give her an antiinflammatory, either one designed specifically for dogs, such as Rimadyl or just plain aspirin.

NO Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc) as that can damage the kidneys and is very bad for dogs.

NO Acetaminophen (Tylenol) which is also extremely bad for dogs.

Also, keep her moving. Lights walks and exercise can help keep her synovial fluid moving thus helping reduce pain.
Perhaps swimming?

Try Glucosamin/Condroitin supplements, some have MSM in them, also. An excellent one recommended by my vet is Synovi MSM. Be aware, it takes several weeks to see the results.

I also highly recommend acupuncture. There are many veterinary acupuncture doctors around. Acupuncture saved my life when I had a herniated disc in my back. We did acupuncture on my old dog for 4 years, he had severe arthritis in his spine and it kept him up and mobil for the rest of his life. (we just lost him to bone cancer)

And if she is outside, keep her back and hips warm.

Answer 6

Try giving her coated aspirins daily. You can call your vet and ask about the dosage.The vet may also proscribe a dog arthritis drug called Rimady. <----- check out this drug online carefully before getting for your dog.
here's also some other drugs to ask about
* Rimadyl, Adequan, and Palaprin, all available only from veterinarians.
* Rimadyl (generic name carprofen) has gotten raves from veterinarians for its ability to relieve pain with few side effects. Long-term use of this drug requires periodic blood tests for liver function, but most dogs apparently do well on it. Like all drugs, however, Rimadyl is not effective for all patients.
* Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan)(5) is given by injection twice each week for four weeks. It not only relieves the pain of arthritis, it binds to damaged cartilage to facilitate repair, blocks the action of destructive enzymes that cause inflammation, and stimulates the production of healthy joint fluid.
* Palaprin6 is a buffered aspirin specifically for dogs; it can be used in the same circumstances in which aspirin is used but without the gastrointestinal irritation that sometimes occurs with aspirin.

here's web site that offers tips for arthrith dogs http://www.canismajor.com/dog/arthrit.html

Answer 7

Ensure she has a really thick, soft, fluffy bed to sleep on (it must be soft but somewhat firm enough to mould and support her body when she lies on it. And it must be thick enough so that her body doesnt touch the hard floor when she lies on it)
Ensure no children (or people for that matter) play with her roughly and inform everyone who comes to ur house of her condition.
Ensure she doesnt have to climb any stairs.
And i really hope ur vet is monitoring her well- she should be on pain medication. This will probbably mean regular trips to the vet and vet bills but surely its worth it.
If u cannot afford the bills or dont want to then rather have the dog put down than have her live in constant pain.
And lastly- give her lots of love!!

Answer 8

Try a glucosamine suppliment in her diet and see if that helps. Also, they make heated bed pads for dogs if she is kept outside. If she is allowed in the house, try to limit the amount of time she is spending outdoors. The cold, damp winter conditions can definitely make the pain and stiffness worse. If all else fails, see if the vet can give her a cortisone injection.

Answer 9

If you haven't already, you should take your dog to your veterinarian to find out if there are any medications that may help her with the discomfort and muscle strength in her back legs and/or lower back. Your veterinarian can recommend products to help keep her joints flexible and painkillers that should relieve her discomfort. If she is carrying any extra weight, getting her to lose even a few pounds may make a big difference in her comfort level and ability to get around. It may also help to provide a soft surface for your dog to sleep on.

Answer 10

I WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING WITH MY DOG. THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO GIVE HER A SOFT BED TO SLEEP ON. MY PARENTS AND MY BROTHER CARRIED MY DOG, TIPPY, UP THE FLIGHT OF STAIRS AND BACK DOWN AGAIN EVERY MORNING BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE SHE ALWAYS SLEPT. WE HAD TO PUT HER DOWN LAST MAY AS SHE HAD SUCH BAD ARTHRITIS THAT SHE WAS LIVING IN PAIN ALL THE TIME. WE HAD A VET COME TO OUR HOME AND PUT HER TO SLEEP AND SHE IS NOW BURIED IN OUR BACKYARD UNDER THE APPLE TREE.