Dog's got arthriitis

Dog has arthritis.

We have known for some time that her back end ain't what it used to be, but in typical feisty female fashion she just refuses to slow down and be other than what she is, which is a running-after-the-ball-like-a-maniac-dog. So twice a day she makes her her presence well and truly felt by chasing us and shoving the ball at us or tripping us up or sitting mournfully looking at the back gate. And when she is in the park she just runs and runs. If we go to the beach she just runs and runs and swims and digs. When Zig visits she is on the go all day - no time for sleeping - plenty of time to that when she's dead she reckons.

So after a big day she collapses onto the floor or the couch and is off to the land of nod, in a heartbeat, after of course she has hoovered up whatever was left on our plates...yeh disgusting, but they do go through the disher so ho bloody hum.

And there she stays until it's time to go out for a final pee-wee before heading up to bed. The mind might be willing but the body is now beginning to protest. She all too often struggles to stand up and as the owner of 2 artificial knees, I can feel her pain.

There are a couple of ladies who come most days to the park with their dog, who clearly has had a long life of dreadful arthritis. They told me that recently a vet told them that there are needles for dogs which can help out.

I took Dog to the Vet today to see what he thought. He said there was some tension in her back end but that he could easily believe that she might suffer after a big day out.

He said that if she was lame in the evening we could give her a squirt of anti-inflammatory meds. This stuff is specially for dogs and does in deed cost a bomb. But I have a bottle and will use it as and when. He said we could try some Blackmores Glucosamine/Fish Oil combo pill - one a day and then yes there are the needles. One a week for 4 weeks and then monthly and then finally every 3 months.

But I am conflicted cos she was so chipper today and I remember clearly the trauma for her and me when she had to have weekly injections for mites when she was but a girl. This went on for the requisite 8 weeks and finally she just went nutso in the car on the way. It never got easy. I rather doubt this would get easy either and I don't want to cause her stress.

What is interesting is that the medical approach is the same as for a person, except that Dog would need a full general anesthetic to get an Xray, I guess cos she wouldn't understand the need to be completely still.

I have always thought Dog was close to human.