Lee debbie
. Now just gotta work on getting the weight off. Ashton's not showing much improvement though, or maybe he never showed his pain anyway. He's still slow during walks, stumbling at times and lagging behind I get so scared when he gets slower than me. I hope he'll improve soon.
I've ordered the yucca root supplement, might start little by little but I'll speak to the vet tomorrow.
Tomorrow's the ultrasound... Pls pray for us.
Debbie -- P{LEASE **stop** for him. You have to understand how arthritis works. When there is almost no (or 'none';) cartilage and bone rubs on bone it causes the actual bone itself to get inflamed. You must have *some* exercise (or you get so stiff you can't move) but it needs to be kept to **VERY** short increments. Then stop. Then go. A whole "walk" start to finish would be excruciating.
Let him walk -- and then stop and **stand** (or even lie down -- "sit" is usually extremely painful for arthritic dogs). Then you go further. My self? I can sometimes go maybe 100 feet. Then I have to stop (for me, I usually have to 'bend over' to relieve some of the stress on the low back). Then I go again. I can go a long distance **IF** I can stop periodically to relieve the burn.
This enables that joint to sort of 'breathe' and the pain to pass. This is how you get exercise but you minimize the DAMAGE that a walk can do. See if that bone continues to get more and more and more inflamed bits of the bone actually crumble which is even more painful. He won't *ask* you to stop -- you have to notice this yourself. If he stumbles? You need to STOP. Literally for maybe 2 minutes. Then go again.
His walks need to be MUCH shorter. I wouldn't walk them at the same time. Walking him up and down in front of your door is SUFFICIENT. Don't make him "not catch up to you"--- it's too far, Debbie. Exercise for arthritis is only beneficial if it doesn't worsen the arthritic condition. The fact that he lags behind ... that he stumbles -- you're asking him to go TOO far.
And don't expect him to 'get better'. Debbie -- arthritis is for life. It's part of aging. As the body degrades with age you don't somehow get "cured" (if we could do that everyone would live to be 200) or get better.
You **can** lessen the pain. But you have to stay within those limits or you will be right back INTO problems again. Part of "maintenance" with arthritis is not pushing beyond what the body can comfortably do. Once you go beyond that you are actually worsening the problem -- you're causing more inflammation and more deterioration of the joint.
Before you move from the house. BEFORE you even put the leash on him just plain pet him. Be casual. But notice the scruff of his neck -- just sort of ruffle the scruff in affection and notice the tension of that skin **at rest**. REMEMBER how that feels.
Then -- as soon as you get out of the house to the street -- ruffle the scruff again. It's going to be more tense. He's a bit excited but just getting outside will cause pain. Then ... go maybe 50 feet more. (I said FIFTY -- not five hundred or 3 blocks) Feel his neck again.
That skin will tighten when he is in pain. BEFORE that becomes rock solid you need to turn around!! Remember -- as far as you go, you MUST get back. His walk should ***END*** before he stumbles. If he stumbles it's because he's in so much pain he nearly can't control where he puts his feet.
You can always walk him back and forth in front of your house. Walks are NOT holy. We put so much emphasis today on "exercise" but for the arthritic person or beast it can go from constructive to DE-structive in a couple of heartbeats.
When he stumbles. When he slows down -- he is telling you something. It's easier for me to crawl inside his skin because I've lived it my entire life. But I **DO** stay on my feet. I'm only 57 years old but I have a rollator. And for about 15 years I've carried a folding chair or two in my car every single day. So that if I have to go in somewhere to pay a bill I can stop and sit when I hurt. Pride? I have none -- except for the fact that I"m pretty proud that I can still walk. I haven't given up yet to just sit in a wheelchair because I know that will shorten my life.
Now there are times when I yield to the wheelchair. When my husband wants to go somewhere and do something and I know me lagging behind will diminish his fun? Then I 'ride'.
Don't expect him to get "better". He won't. But you can manage his pain so he can **continue** with the things he does. You can keep the arthritis from worsening. Getting the weight down will help that (and it's hard to DO that without a lot of exercise).
Give him things at home (things like a stuffed Kong or a stuffed marrow bone that he has to work on and exert strength even while lying down to accomplish) that help exercise him. Even just taking a few kibbles -- toss them 5-10 feet away so he has to walk over to get it TO eat it -- THAT is exercise for this dog. You may have to separate them so she and he don't get in each other's faces -- but that's do-able.
Part of this is living with an older animal. And if you, yourself, have never dealt with arthritis on a personal level it's difficult to understand. That's what I'm good at -- I can put in words how HE feels because I've been there. My husband learned LONG ago when we were first married (15 years ago) that making me stop (and sometimes I DO **NOT** want to stop!!) is prudent. Sometimes all I *want* to do is GET there. Sometimes I need to be reminded I *must* stop. and I'm supposed to be the thinking, reasoning human who can determine what is best for me? Nope -- sometimes I, too, get stubborn. (i know tough to imagine, huh?? 
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