Hi all, and hi to Alison, I remember well when you got Dudley and you had a boxer called Chloe and lived in Stillwater? Glad to hear Dudley is going well.
Well, my poor old boy who is 11 in January is not going so well, and I would appreciate anyone's thoughts:
He has been a bit stiff for some time (not surprising considering his age) and we have done all the normal things with glucosimine etc. About 10 days ago he became quite wobbly and unstable in his back end, even fell over. Took him to the vet, who gave him a good examination and concluded he had arthritis in his hips, he really cried when his hips were pulled about, but not concerned when the vet put pressure on his spine or back. Said to exercise him as he has lost muscle mass in his hips/legs. We do exercise him 2ce a day for about 10 minutes, but he stops often, so I wouldn't want to exercise him more than this, he also exercises around our property. I was happy about this as was worried it may have been something worse due to his 'wobblieness'. Anyway, on Thursday when I took him for his short walk, the first time ever LIFTED up his front leg and limped badly on it. Rested him next day and he is a bit better but now I am worried a) it is not just arthritis as it seems to have 'spread', and b) I feel cruel making him walk when clearly he is not enjoying it and stops half a dozen times! We have owned him since he was 3 months old and I feel I know him well enough to know if he is enjoying walking or not. He is happy and healthy in every other way, still interested in food, and his ball etc. We are very stressed, a bit scared to take him back to the vet, my husband thinks we should just keep doing what we are doing, but I can't help feeling there is more going on. He has been on 1.5 metacam for 7 days and today is the first day he is off them. Also, do any of you know of medication for arthritis that is OK to give every day safely?

Hi Lou

If you turn his back paw under, how long does it take him to right it?? Reason I am asking is that my Karly started getting a degenerative spine disorder which made her shaky at the back end, made it hard for her to get up off the floor and made her drag her feet slightly when she walked. While she had arthritis in the hips as well the vet didn't think there was enough to be causing the issues she had.

Also, if you aren't happy with the advice the vet has given you - go to another one. I think we are far too trusting sometimes in the professionals, and need to stop being scared to seek a second opinion, especially when it comes to our babies

Hope you find out something soon

Hi Andrea,
I am convinced Buck has degerative myelopathy. He has got worse, walks wobbly, scrapes his back paws, and stands with his back paws curled under, although he does correct them quickly. He has also taken to doing the crouch as though he needs to do a bowel movement, but doesn't go to the toilet. He is not constipated. He also has scabs on the tops of his feet where he has scraped them when walking. His back end is very weak, even strugges to climb from the floor of the car onto the seat. He seems happy every other way, eating, toileting, playing ball etc.
I will take him to the vet this week, although I know there is nothing he can do, also he is 11 now and I know that is up there for a GSD.
Incidentially, I have found a website www.myvet.co.nz, which has pet medication at around half the cost of the vet. Buck is on 1.5 metacam a day which are $3.80 each through the vet, and this company can supply them for $2 each, a big saving.