Athritis

Question
Hi Nicole,

I was wondering if you could help me. I think my poor little doggie has athritis. He is 14 and up until yesterday he was running around. On occasion he would limp over the last month but with in an hour or so he was fine. Then today he got up and is really having difficulty walking. Could this be athritis? If so, is there anything I can do for him. I just gave him a low adult asprain. Is there anything else I can do?

Please help,

Thanks
Marla

Answer
Hi Marla!As for the limping,if the dog had an injury of some type, then rest him. Try and confine the dog to a small padded area inside except to potty outside. Many orthopedic problems (other than fractures) heal with time. If the dog is in severe pain, then you may have to take him to a vet for some pain relief.Also,keep him on soft surfaces.As for the difficulty in walking,you really should have a vet perform a phycical examination to find th correct diagnosis and treatment.You should NOT give your dog any over-the-counter medication without consulting a vet.Hope this helps!Nicole.D.