# Knowing when to say when



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

How do you know when your dog is in pain from arthritis if he shows no "visual" signs of pain. I have been paying more attention to all the creaking joints he has in his hind quarters and it's really pretty loud. Apache is almost 9 and he on the generic brand of rimadyl (cant think of the name) and glucosamine. I have reduced the distance he goes out on daily. I had been taking him out on the bicycle as slow as I can go but he feels he has to jog anyway, so I decided to start hand walking him. He still has spunk and is rearing to go even when it comes to playing in the yard.
Am I wrong for making limitations for him? Should I let him go at the pace he seems comfortable with? I have arthritis and I'm not currently taking daily pain meds. I know I feel worse if I don't exercise daily. I think if he were in pain it would show. His gait/pace is steady no head bobbing. His facial expressions seem upbeat not stressed. My vet seems to feel he's in pain but just doesn't complain


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

Our 7 year old boy has arthritis, our vet told us that when he shows that he's in pain, he's really in pain. He still loves going out, but he is in obvious pain, he gets to control how fast/slow we go on our walks, and when he's ready to go in he'll go to the house. 

It's really hard, but I always think about what my vet said, if they show pain they're really in pain, they hide it until it's really bad.. he is also on pain meds and glucosamine.

If his gait/pace is steady you're better off than us- ours hops/limps. I don't agree with keeping ours alive suffering, but he's my moms dog.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I also have my 7yr old girl Kiya who is now having an issue in what we think is in her shoulders. Since she has seizures and on meds for that I have to be careful adding anything. She drags her hind paw, so too much walking on roads will cause her nail to bleed, so her exercise is pretty self limited, I don't push her. She doesn't hide anything. I can take her out with my bicycle and she goes at her own pace which is a walk, unless she sees a squirrel, then she perks up. She doesn't really play anymore, just the occasional outburst but it never lasts that long. Sometimes when I look at her I think she's depressed or maybe it's pain, I'm sure she has artritis issues too. At least with her I know. Apache still acts very much like a playful pup. I don't complain when he acts all goofy sounding like a grizzly bear when I say "ok lets go potty". I know when he stops doing that....


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