Many owners notice this dawn slowly. A dog takes a couple of additional seconds to reach a standing position. You realize stairs aren’t being used much. The morning stroll has become shorter. It’s simple to take this as a natural part of the aging process and leave it at that, but that does dogs an injustice because in many cases what appears to be “slowing down” is actually a pain response – and pain can be managed.
It’s important because the earlier you recognize a mobility issue, the more options you have. A dog that has been living with mild joint pain for two years will have also been favoring that leg for two years which leads to muscular atrophy, changes in the spine, and compensatory overuse of the legs, ultimately creating a sicker dog.
The Most Common Culprits Behind Senior Dog Mobility Problems
Osteoarthritis creates the most long-term mobility issues in older dogs. It’s the result of wearing joint cartilage over time, causing unprotected bone ends to rub against each other, leading to pain and inflammation. Osteoarthritis affects roughly one-quarter of all dogs, but this number jumps significantly in older dogs.
Hip dysplasia is a common issue among large-breed dogs. This hereditary condition is created when an abnormality in the hip socket causes the ball and socket to not fit snugly. Hip dysplasia is easy to spot; often than not on a dog’s rear legs, you’ll notice a “bunny hop” or that both legs are moving together instead of alternately (particularly while running).
Cruciate ligament rupture is less subtle. If your dog was fine yesterday and is now holding one leg up, there is a high chance that this is a ligament or other soft-tissue injury and not a chronic issue. Intervertebral disc disease often presents with weakness in the hind limbs or a lack of coordination. If your dog is losing its footing and tripping over their feet, the problem might be in their spine.
Limping Isn’t A Personality Trait
As dog owners, one of the most unkind things we do is normalize a limp. “He’s always walked like that” or “she’s just stiff in the mornings” is often a reasonable description of a dog that has been in manageable pain for a long time.
If you’ve noticed a change in your dog’s gait and you’re not sure limping warrants a vet visit, understanding why is my dog limping – and what specifically differentiates a soft tissue injury from joint disease or nerve involvement – is the right place to start. A dog that warms up and moves more freely after 10 minutes is likely dealing with joint stiffness. A dog that gets worse with activity may have something else going on entirely.
Both warrant a professional diagnosis. Limping is a clinical symptom, not a character trait, and it responds to treatment when the underlying cause is properly identified.
Managing Mobility At Home
First things first, a diagnosis is key. However, managing your dog’s home is equally important. There are two changes you can make that researchers and front-line veterinarians agree can have a significant impact.
Non-slip surfaces. This sounds minor, but hard slick surfaces are truly dangerous for dogs with either weakened joints (arthritis eats away at the stable structure of the joint so the muscles are at a mechanical disadvantage) or reduced proprioception – the neurological ability to sense where their limbs are in space.
Orthopedic bedding. This may sound like a luxury item, but dogs with arthritis or muscle wasting are already at increased risk of pressure sores from losing the muscle cushion. They’re also losing the insulating ability of muscle mass when they sleep on a cold, hard surface. Distributing their weight over a memory foam or other supportive foam bed reduces pressure points markedly and can greatly reduce discomfort.
Weight is the other lever owners can pull directly. Increasingly we’re seeing that obesity is an arthritic dog’s biggest enemy. Every extra pound on that frame is compounding the mechanical forces on those stressed joint tissues. A thinner dog doesn’t feel less pain, but the disease does progress more slowly and they require less pain medicine.
The Multi-Modal Treatment Approach
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to deal with senior dog mobility problems, and the geriatric veterinary profession has almost unanimously shifted to a multimodal approach.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often the first port of call, as they do control pain and decrease joint inflammation very well. Glucosamine and chondroitin are slower-acting, but they do support the cartilage tissue and are viewed as a useful adjunct to, rather than a replacement for, medication.
Physical therapies in general have come from the fringes to take a central role. Hydrotherapy means a dog can maintain muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness without stressing compromised joints. Laser therapy and acupuncture both have increasing levels of evidence to support their use in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in dogs. In general, combined modalities give better results than any one treatment alone.
What they all hold in common is that you’re treating the dog, not just getting him around. Mobility loss in older dogs is not something you simply look at and say ‘he’s just getting old.’ For most conditions, there is a management strategy that will keep a dog comfortable and functional well into his old age – but not if you are prepared to accept “it’s just old age” as an answer.