Possible arthritis in my dog - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans

rrhoward · #1 July 3rd, 2009, 02:15 PM

My dog is a poodle terrier mix, ten years old and 23 lbs. He has a problem getting up from a resting position, sleeps all the time and at times shakes. I thought maybe arthritis so I took him to the vet Monday and the vet gave me Metacam but so far it hasn't helped unless it takes longer than that to work. I am also giving him Glucosamine which the pet store recommended. I have had this dog for 8 years and any input on making him feel better would be appreciated as I don't want to keep taking him to the vet seeing as what they gave me hasn't worked.

Thank You
Russell

bendyfoot · #2 July 3rd, 2009, 02:23 PM

IME pain releif from Metacam is quite quick and also long-lasting...I would expect to see comfort/improvement within the hour...did your vet do any blood/urine tests?

diandpat · #3 July 3rd, 2009, 02:31 PM

Aw, so sorry to hear your little guy is starting to grow old. Of course, you are looking for some relief for him.

I have a 15 yr old Golden and 11 TerrierX and have had both of them on Flex Tabs for a few years now... http://www.painfreepet.com/

In the winter I misjudged my supply and ran out for a week and the decline in my 15 yr old was visible in days :sad: Since then we make sure not to run out again. They are all natural and you can continue the Metacam if you like. As bendyfoot said, the Metacam should kick in quickly so perhaps the dosing was not high enough

Good luck and hope you find something that works soon.

Pictures are always appreciated

hazelrunpack · #4 July 3rd, 2009, 07:55 PM

If the metacam isn't working, you definitely need to have a follow-up. If your vet hasn't done a full blood panel, that would be a good first step.

One thing that comes to mind--has your dog been checked for tick-borne diseases? Anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and Lyme's can all cause stiffness of the joints. They can check for all three with a simple snap test (4DX snap test put out by Idexx Labs) and it's relatively inexpensive.

I hope your dog feels better soon!