# Difficulty getting up



## blord

Hi there,
In the past month or so I've noticed a few new things with Ellie. She has recently begun to take longer than usual to stand up from laying down and seems really stiff. She has also been having a hard time jumping up on our bed and looks like she's questioning whether or not she can go up the stairs or jump in the back of our car. Like I said, this is fairly new. I'm wondering if the cold weather has been taking a toll on her. She did have some sort of injury this summer that we had checked out by the vet, but she seemed fine for the rest of the summer and into the fall. She also used to love the snow, but doesn't seem to want to go out too much. Should I be worried or is this normal older pup stuff (she's 10-1/2). We give her glucosamine supplements daily and she eats TOTW fish formula. Suggestions on anything we can do to make her more comfortable would be appreciated. She was just at the vet for a thorough checkup and for her senior bloodwork (everything looked good).
Thanks!


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## rjvamp

Does the supplements also have MSM in it? that is supposed to really be the part that is lacking in a lot of the joint pills.

It can be harder on older dogs during the winter months.

Have you tried a heating pad?


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## doggiedad

sounds like your dog is gracefully getting old. don't let her jump on things. take her to the Vet.


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## blord

Yes, they have MSM in them. I have not tried a heating pad. Problem is that she lays in different spots all the time! Maybe if I put it on her actual bed she would notice and go to lay there more. This is what we are using for glucosamine (we give her the maintenence dose now):

http://www.petmedstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=petmedstore/PROD/GlucosamineDSwithMSM120ct

Again, thanks for the help. I hate to see her in any pain!


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## rjvamp

Your welcome! I would also see the doctor as well and he or she may recommend upping the dosage or maybe even a pain pill like Tramadol or Metacam for arthritic pain, depending on your dogs diagnosis. Tramadol can be addicting...also used in humans. Metacam is something we ended up giving Lobo with the Tramadol and that helped too. He wasn't on it all the time though - summer wasn't as bad for him.

We had used Dasquin brands....I tried the later product that had Avacado in it - but he did better on the original. I don't know anything about that one - but the ingredients look good


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## BowWowMeow

I use Springtime Inc. Longevity and for the older dogs or dogs with joint problems I double or triple the dose. Sounds like she definitely needs more. Ester C is also an excellent anti-inflammatory. I give 2000mg/day but work up to it gradually b/c if you go to quickly it can cause diarrhea. At night I also gave Chama a supplement from Only Natural Pet called "Get Up and Go." I also had orthopedic beds in different rooms as well as a water bed for her.


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## AngelJ

My Bailey will be 13 this month and is a little slow getting up and around. He has arthritis in her elbows and right knee. We give her Glyco flex 111 and she is now getting adequan injections. In the cold weather she really likes to have this on top of her bed upstairs. She also has on in the family room. 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+20748+3363&pcatid=3363

I don't like using things that plug in with my dogs so this is a good alternative and she loves it. It does a great job of keeping her warm.


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## debbiebrown

i agree with the Adaquan injections this help my seniors alot...


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## blord

How often do they get the injections? I will get he another bed for upstairs, but I do think she prefers to lay on the floor for some reason. We've tried all different kinds of beds and she still lays on the floor most of the time. I wonder why? Our vet recommends Dasquin, but I had heard that it's not worth the money and that it was one of those things that vets push (like Science Diet, etc) so we've been using what they recommended to us at the pet store (not that they know any better, right?). I guess that's why I'm asking you guys!







I'm guessing that it would be fine to double up on the stuff we have until it's gone (probably 2 weeks worth) and see how that goes for now. There must be somewhere on here where people discuss the different joint supplements? I searched, but didn't find anything. Must have done it wrong. This place is so helpful!


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## LJsMom

Dasquin worked wonders for my Wooly Bear.


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## debbiebrown

the have the initial loading dose which i believe is about once a week for a month then its about once a month. well worth it. you can have the vet do it, or if you have a vet thats willing to show you how to do it, and your willing, you can do it yourself. i was shown how to give the injection and did it myself. its just a muscle shot and there are several areas you can do it in....


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## Woodreb

Rica was on the Adequan shots for at least 3 years and I believe they helped her alot. Our vet showed my husband how to do the injections and we would get a bottle and he did them at home. The bottle was good for about 5 doses (Rica was 70-75 pounds) once a month. We also found that (if your vet will write a prescription for you) you can get the Adequan from one of the on line suppliers for about 1/2 the cost as from the vet.
I also second Ruth in the recommendations for Longevitiy from Springtime and the Ester-C. Those also helped Rica alot during her last months. Springtime also does a pill form Joint supplement and Factor Four. If you combine these two as a set of supplements, it's almost the same as the Longevity - if you prefer tablets over powders for dosing.


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## AngelJ

We give the adequan injections at home as well. You can find a good deal online, but at least the first injection should be given at the vets office so you can learn how to properly do it. We gave Bailey two shots a week for four weeks when we began, but now give her one shot per month.

Bailey likes to lay on the floor as well. That's why the cozy cushion I recommended above works so well for us. Sometimes she can kind of trip getting on or off our thicker dog beds. She also can have a more difficult time getting up. This cushion is thin, but warm for her. Also her bed upstairs is about an inch of memory foam with a cozy cushion on top. It's her favorite place to be!


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## blord

Ok, I've doubled her glucosamine for now and will look into the cozy cushion and adequan injections. I think I'd like a cozy cushion for myself!! 
It really pains me to see her getting old. I call her my first born since we got her a couple of years before we had our son. She's my baby.


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## aubie

We also use Dasiquin, I order it online from Allivet, the cheapest I've found, and they deliver in like 2-3 days. It works better than what I was buying at the petstore.

I also use a HA supplement, fish oil and chews with any sort of gluc/chro I can find--beef trachea, fish based chews, chicken feet, anything.

We also are doing k-laser therapy which is offered at our vets office--it was between that or the adequan injections.


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## ninhar

Dasiquin with MSM was like a miracle drug for Sheba.


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## renegrl510

I am new to this site, but I am so glad I found you guys! My sweetheart Nikita is 10 now & she is breaking my heart to see her having more & more trouble getting up & around. She is currently on Tramadol & Derramaxx, but I need some advice on what else to give her for relief & how to just make her more comfortable in her senior yrs. I am so confused if I'm doing the right thing. Please HELP! She also takes Proin, which really helps her with bladder control.


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## arycrest

ninhar said:


> Dasiquin with MSM was like a miracle drug for Sheba.


I've also been very impressed with Dasiquin. I started using it on the Senior Hooligans a few years ago and it really made a difference. Mac who's 9-1/2 is now taking it. 

When things got bad with the Seniors, I also put them on Metacam which made a huge difference.


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## boeselager

I have tried a lot of things for my girl Cierra that is now 12 years old. The only thing that has worked for her is Perna or also known as Sea Mussel. It has done wonders for her, and she no longer whines in pain when getting up or laying down. I have found it at www.vitacost.com just go into their search engine and type in Sea Mussel. I get the sea mussel plus for her, and grind it up to a powder form to put on her food, unless they have capsules. It is for humane use but works extremely well for Cierra.


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## adri

My 12 year old male, Robin, started having trouble getting up. He is now taking Rimadyl tablets and a food supplement Compass - a green lipped mussel extract for dogs. It seems to help him in getting up easier.


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## Gib Laut

just throwing it out there if you may be interested in it, but my past boy was arthritic due to ACL surgery....it wasn't until I switched him to a home made diet, upped the fish oil supps. and gluc/chond/msm supps that it nearly disappeared.....my experience only of course.


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