Help a 60lb lab get around

piperh

A friend of mine has a 60lb 12yr old lab who has really bad arthritus and is in a lot of pain, she's spending over €150 a mnth on vets bills for him. He hates the car and refuses to get in it and her vets is 2miles away and she feels really bad making him walk that far knowing he's in pain. So the vet just dishes out tramadol and metacalm without seeing him. Its been suggested she tries to get him on Cartraven injections but she'd have problems getting him there for them.

She does walk him but only for 5/10mins at a time because she feels cruel so he's putting on more weight which isn't helping i know. I've also suggested swimming but theres no where local.


Somebody suggested a pushchair but getting him in and out of that would break her back. Any suggestions of a cart type thing to make the trip easier on him?

scudzilla

Doesn't this vet do home visits? Sure if your friend explained the situation to him he'd call round

are you serious

Its not easy but I know if that was my dog I would have him put down, no animal should be left in pain like that.

He is now in a rut and no doubt it is going to spiral downhill and the problems are just going to get worse as he puts on more weight by not being walked enough.

tk123

piperh wrote: »

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She does walk him but only for 5/10mins at a time because she feels cruel so he's putting on more weight which isn't helping i know. I've also suggested swimming but theres no where local.

I think she needs to ask herself what quality of life he has and what would be best for him?

lorebringer

Dog carts are generally used for smaller dogs; they are about the same size as a normal baby pram and will fit a dog up to Cocker/Springer size. I really don't know if there are ones available for bigger dogs (I haven't looked into it myself) but I don't know how much use it would be is getting the dog in and out of it would be an issue. Just want to give you a few tips that may help your friend deal with having an older dog that isn't too mobile...

First thing - your friend needs to get the dog to go in the car, walking the poor pet two miles to see a vet is very unfair on him and, regardless of how much he hates the car, it has got to be a better option than forcing him to walk. Maybe tempting him with something yummy for the short trip or getting someone to sit in the back with him would help.

Secondly, if your friend is not happy with the care the vet is providing she should get a second opinion. Arthritis is a very painful illness but there are loads of treatments for it and finding the right mix could make the world of difference to the dog, relieving the pain and giving him back some quality of life.

Lastly, the dog needs to get some weight off. Really, in this situation, the main way of doing this is food reduction. Following the instructions of the pack, then reducing it by 10% will make quite a difference. If she is worried about the dog feeling hungry, a diet/light food would be a good option. I know 60lbs isn't too bad for a lab (depending on his build) but getting him down a bit would make a world of difference. When he walks he won't have to carry so much weight on his joints. Cutting out tid bits totally, limiting treats (cutting out high calorie ones, like pig ears etc.) and walking him twice a day for 10/15 minutes at a time to get him moving will really help too.

Just a quick point - dogs, as they get older, do reach a point of no return where they will gradually deteriorate and there is nothing that can be done. If your friend feels that he is at this stage, she may want to think about having him put to sleep. I'm not saying that he should be put to sleep at all, just that with an older dog it is always something to be aware of and if she is pulling at straws to give him some quality of life, it might be a question that she needs to ask herself (ie. is it the best time?).

piperh

scudzilla wrote: »

Doesn't this vet do home visits? Sure if your friend explained the situation to him he'd call round

No he won't do a home visit unless the owner cannot physically get there and as its that the dog doesn't like the car he doesn't consider this to be a good reason. :rolleyes:

garkane wrote: »

Its not easy but I know if that was my dog I would have him put down, no animal should be left in pain like that.

He is now in a rut and no doubt it is going to spiral downhill and the problems are just going to get worse as he puts on more weight by not being walked enough.

tk123 wrote: »

I think she needs to ask herself what quality of life he has and what would be best for him?

I agree with you both tk and garkane but she won't even consider it and we have all said it to her. Its a hard decision and one i understand her not wanting to make but if it was me then i would have to put the poor thing out of his pain.

piperh

Thanks Lorebringer, i'm not sure i'd want to be trying to get him in and out of the cart either but she really is clutching at straws and is not prepared to make the decision to have him pts.

I will say to her about reducing his diet again and perhaps swapping his food to a low fat one. She says he doesn't eat much but to be honest i think she probably does indulge him.

keaves

Not sure if its for everyone and people may think I'm mad but I did get my dog a buggy about a year ago.
He's a collie cross, 14, 25kg ish and suffers from a bit of arthritis and seizures. I got the buggy as when out walking him he on a few occasions he would have a fit or his legs would go and there was no way for me to get him back home quickly and safely and carrying him was just not an option for me.
I got it on zooplus for 150 and he loves it, sleeps in it every night (sorta like a crate) without the wheels on it of course and has no problem getting in and out. It attaches to a bike too like the small kids trailers. A bit of an investment but I think it was worth it.
It could be designed a bit better, lighter would be good and a second opening on the back for easier access in and out depending on what why they're laying in it (might do a diy job on it myself for the second opening).
I do think it was worth it tho even tho we dont get out as much as we first did he LOVES sleeping in it!

falabo

if I may say something, after so many years of loyalty to your vet I think if you only live a few miles away the least he/she could do is drive to you, for the dog's sake

when it comes to this, hopefully in many many years, I will be very upset if the vet doesnt travel to my house (2 miles) to PTS my beloved pet.

I dont think its completely unreasonable to ask for this.

TooManyDogs

I agree with the others that changing vet might be a good option.

What about modifying a shopping trolley? Not sure how you'd go about buying one but you could use an angle grinder to cut the front off, plenty of room for a 60kg dog.

It does sound like it might be time to let the dog go, very hard if your friend isn't ready to hear it

Cherry Blossom

60lbs is around 27kg - the dog is just normal lab size

TooManyDogs

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

60lbs is around 27kg - the dog is just normal lab size

Thank you for the translation!

Jerri Jordan

I would ring the next nearest vet and explain the situation for your friend and see can you get this vet to agree to the housecalls.
where are you living if by any chance you in Ennis I would help out with my car and getting the dog into it.Long shot I know.
Also does your friend have a car ramp. If she gets a car ramp the dog will find it easier to walk up the ramp and get into the car

lorebringer

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

60lbs is around 27kg - the dog is just normal lab size

I agree, however I made my point about getting some weight off the dog because many vets recommend keeping their weight on the low side if they have joint problems to help with the amount of weight they have to carry around on a day to day basis - a few kilos can make a big difference!

tk123

Jerri Jordan wrote: »

Also does your friend have a car ramp. If she gets a car ramp the dog will find it easier to walk up the ramp and get into the car

I'd be wary here especially if the dog is unstable on it's legs and doesn't like going into the car anyways? You'd need to train the dog to use the ramp also which could be difficult if he can't move around too well. The last thing you'd want is him falling/trying to jump off.

Where about's are you located OP and we might be able to suggest somebody to help or even a mobile vet?

piperh

Friend is in Mullagh, Cavan. I think another vet who'll come to the house might be the answer as she refuses to consider the alternative. Its heartbreaking to watch him as his brain doesn't realise his body is not up to it anymore so he keeps trying and then ends up worse.

Its more that the dog is scared of the car and hates it rather than he can't get in, its a case of won't not can't.

piperh

Just thought i'd post follow up. The old boy was pts yesterday and sad as it is i can't help but think it was the right thing to do.

tk123

RIP

barbiegirl

Poor doggie, such a hard thing to do. RIP