# Is my Senior Dog in PAIN or just Scared??? HELP!



## smilesjoe (Jan 18, 2010)

I think the title says it all. I don't know if he is in pain or scared. I feel either is serious, yet I don't know what to do to correct the problem even if I could tell the difference. Let me thank you in adavnce for your much needed assistance & apologize about the length of the post. I am hopeful the more information I can provide, the better able you may be to help.


We have had our West Highland Terrier since he was old enough to leave the breeder. It may also be important for you to keep in mind that neither of us ever owned a dog before, so he was/ is our first experience with all things dog related. He will be 11 years old in July. Although in our minds (and his), he is still a puppy, sadly our dog is a senior & showing signs of age. From the very start, as part of his daily routine, he has to take a full flight of steps, down before bed & then back up in the AM. About 2 years ago he began hesitating longer & longer at the top. Then a few months later, he started to refuse to walk down them AT ALL. Now here is the odd part... we have to carry him but only HALFWAY, where we reach a landing, then he hops down & does fine. He is also a-ok going up. This is always a VERY exciting time for him, in either direction; because he knows a treat is coming, but only once he gets where he needs to go.

Something has to be very wrong. Many others have noted how he can put other dogs to shame with how single minded he can be when it comes to getting his routine rewards. Actually, almost all of them made that comment upon witnessing his bedtime routine for the first time. Sadly, that is exactly where he is now having troubles. Until he started doing this, we had never seen ANYTHING interrupt his routine, especially if they ended with a treat. We also have yet to see anything else do it since. We need your help because, despite our best efforts, we are still unsure what may be causing this.

Here are some observations that may prove helpful in your determination: Due to his excitement, we noticed now & then he would slide or miss a step. He always barely noticed, hardly broke his stride, & recovered fine. After he begun having to be carried down to the landing, we noticed when he slips or falters going up, he stops dead, refuses to take another step & must be carried. On very next attempt, however, he is fine and has no problems going up... until the next time he slips. He only slips roughly 1 to 2x per month. Here is what we cannot figure out: Is he scared to fall or is it simply painful & difficult due to his advancing age???

We have noticed marked hesitation before he jumps up & down from the couch. Other than that, he seems just as he has always been. Of course he has calmed & mellowed, but in what appears to be a normal gradual way. How could we tell the difference between fear & pain??? What could you do to help overcome either option? I have heard of pet steps for couches and beds, but is there a product available for household stairs??? If not, could something be made, or could some type of modifications be done to the stairs???

We appreciate any answers or advice you could give. Again, he is our first dog. We honestly never realized just how MUCH he would become part of the family. As a result, we want our pup around as long as possible; but more importantly, we want his senior years to be as happy as the rest. Right now we are quite worried that he is either in a lot of pain or experiencing a great deal of fear. Since neither choice is acceptable, I hope you can help. Thanks a great deal in advance!


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

You could have a couple of things going on here. My first instinct when it comes to going DOWN the stairs (the first thing you noticed) would be related to vision. Dogs vision when it comes to DEPTH perception is different than ours so they see things slightly differently. This is part of why some dogs find shiny floors scary. If, as your boy has aged, his eyesight has changed the stairs may cause him more hesitation. There is also the reasoning that just like US as we get older we get more careful as we don't recover as quickly (mentally or physically) to falls. He's not a spring chicken anymore. 

I would recommend a geriatric workup with your vet (after 9 years of age it is a good baseline, even if not medically necessary), making sure your stair area is well lit, adding a stair carpet runner if your stairs are wood, and getting a little step up for on the couch etc. It's hard to know WHY he's having problems, it is more important to find ways to make it easier. Good luck!


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

It sounds like he could have either an arthritis issue, a sight issue (cataracts and blindness are common in older dogs) or a hearing issue (sound bouncing off surfaces help a dog to locate himself with respect to the environnment). 

Time for a vet check. Also, what Cracker said about the stairs.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Ditto needing a geriatric workup, including blood workup.

I also agree that eyesight may be failing, but think it is also likely that the dog is starting to get arthritic. Get him a ramp/steps for getting up on the couch/bed. Carry him up/down the stairs. The concussion on his joints isn't good for him to be jumping off couches and is probably painful.

Start him on a Glucosamine/Chondritin/MSM supplement. That will help his joints.


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## tonisaysss (Jan 18, 2010)

The main sign that something is seriously wrong with a dog is a change in personality. They can't tell us what's wrong, so they show their discomfort through lethargy, lack of appetite, etc.

Please take him to the vet ASAP.


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## smilesjoe (Jan 18, 2010)

Just wanted to thank all of you that replied so far for being so very helpful. The pet steps have been ordered & that should help him get to his favorite spot on the couch easier.

We have brought this issue up to our vet many times since it started. She was initially as confused as we were, but after seeing him several times she feels its nothing to worry about. We decided a second opinion is best, and have made an appointment at another highly recommended vet for a complete work up.

Just a bit more information that might be helpful for those yet to respond: We have attempted to move his sleeping area upstairs so he can stay on one floor, but he would have none of it. He loves that particular area, and just won't relax anywhere else. He also is very excited and happy about the idea of going down, but just refuses to take the first step down on his own. He will stand there wagging, panting, and pacing while staring down the steps. He will whine until we pick him up.

The vision issue is one we never thought of. Although the steps he won't go down are identical in size and length to the ones he will, the top steps are surrounded by 4 walls & all are white. The other steps only have 3 walls, so it really may be an issue of depth perception as suggested. 

It could also be a combination of all three: vision, pain, & fear. Anything else you can suggest would be just as helpful. We don't mind carrying him at all, we just don't want him in pain. The problem is we are scared this crazy little personality change is a symptom of a much more serious issue.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

If he has arthritis there are some very good medications your vet can prescribe. My last dog was a working cattle dog and the last 5-6 byears of her life she was on Rx Rimidyl. She got this and she became a new dog. 

At your dog's age it is likely a combination of older dog things and arthritis, hearing and sight are all "older dog things." 

Let us know what your 2nd opinion vet says. 

Just an offshoot.. is your dog overweight at all?


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## smilesjoe (Jan 18, 2010)

Nemo is a bit larger in size (height & length) than the average westie & currently weighs 30lbs. Our vet said this was a bit above the recommended weight for the breed, but acceptable due to his larger size.

We try to maintain a healthy diet and keep him active. His weight has never fluctuated more than a pound or 2 since he became an adult.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Talk to your vet first but I am thinking you MIGHT want to drop a pound off of him. You might find that will do a huge amount. Maybe not. 

I asked because I was concerned about obesity. Can't see the dog... 

My vet told me, years back, for every 5 pounds overweight a German shepherd is, you lose a year of the dog's life. I keep my dogs proper weight (not saying you don't.. just saying). When my last dog got arthritis I dropped 5 pounds off her and the difference was noticable. She was, BTW 95 pounds and lean. She did not miss the 5 pounds but her bones noticed the reduced weight. She lived to be nearly 14.. ancient in the land of German Shepherds. 

Terriers tend to be long lived dogs (more so than GSD's). I am reaching here for anything that might help your little dog that you can discuss with your vet. Weight is one of those things. If you look at the physics of joints, a little extra weight can wreak havoc because that weight is multiplied, sometimes many times, in the joint.


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