Would Anyone Have An Ideas On How I Can Get My Poor Old Boy, 13 Get

[lilacben]

down steps.? He is having trouble with his hind legs, arthritis in his knees. We have a conservatory door he is having trouble getting into the garden down two small steps. If we try and help him he just lands up at the bottom steps flat out.
He will not walk onto a dog ramp and we have even taken a door off to see if he will walk down that and back again as a ramp but he wouldnt go on it. Can you think of anything else we can try please.?

[Brinjal]

Have you got some anti inflamatory tablets from the vet. If he is pain free he may manage better.

[Canary42]

Carry him !

[janbee]

A friend of mine has an old dog with similar problems and has been trying her out with a course of acupuncture and swimming in a therapy pool. It's all quite expensive but it does seem to be helping.

[chrissa1]

We gave our old Lab, Metacam. It was prescribed by the vet. It worked wonders.

[woofgang]

Have you tried getting him to walk over the door when its on flat ground then when he is happy with that, putting something under one end to make it slope a little bit, then a bit more until its nearly as steep as i would be on the steps?

[Buenchico]

How about temporarily getting rid of the steps (for as long as your old friend is with you) by building up the soil over them and putting some turf on top, so that he can walk straight out onto gently sloping grass, rather than down steps?

[berniecuddles]

lol love your answers canary always straight to the point

[naomi24]

I was going to suggest that Chris. Alternatively can you take him out of the front door and round the side of the house to the garden?

[rsvp]

try putting a towel under his stomach and gently taking the weight off his hind legs - if you try it with two of you (one holding the collar and one the towel) he'll get the idea and then if he's happy, get him a harness.

[lilacben]

Thankyou all for your suggestions. Ben is a very large rough collie weighing around 39 kgs. bit too heavy to carry into the garden.lol He is on Onsior and
Yumove from the vets.
Cannot really build a grass hill as it is on a patio. And cannot take him out the front door to back garden as cannot get down the side of the bungalow.
Keep thinking caps on please. Brenda xx

[ruthann58]

try putting a piece of carpet over the door

[chrissa1]

I would still advocate Metacam, lilacben. The drugs you mentioned look to be only mild painkillers, whereas Metacam works like an anti-inflammatory. Our Labs were like spring chickens after starting it, compared to how they were before.

Bless his heart. X

[boxtops]

Have you sought advice from the vet, lilacben?

[Chipchopper]

He may gain some confidence if he can step out onto something which is large and stable, like a large paving slab 3' X 2'. you may need 2 or 3 slabs depending on the drop.
You can sometimes pick up these big ones from a salvage yard, as local authorities use the smaller size these days.

[viv38]

I think rsvp's idea is a good one.

[lilacben]

Thankyou all again. Have tried the carpet over the door.......he will not walk over it.
Chipchopper I had thought about the larger slabs and think I may try and see if I can get hold of a couple.
rsvp,That is another good idea but as soon as you try and lift him he gos down on his front legs and will not get upagain.
Brenda x

[rsvp]

lilacben then put a very wide towel under him, hold the four corners and gently 'swing' him down - he only needs to be half an inch off the ground - you aren't lifting him, just supporting him. I've done this with a very heavy dog and after a few goes she twigged what was happening and co operated very well. (the collar needs to be held too so that the head doesn't fall down suddenly throw the dog forward.
I do appreciate it's very easy to offer advice if your not the one doing it!!!!

[jules77]

39kgs, is that right, or do you mean 29kgs? I wouldnt recommend you give Metacam to a Rough Collie long term.

Would a sling help?

http://www.doggon-uk.com/products/slings.html

[rsvp]

that's exactly what my Heath Robinson suggestion does Jules77.Maybe it's not able to be used for some reason.

[lilacben]

Jules, sorry I meant 35 kg. Not sure about Metacam........think he has had that but vet said I couldnt use it long term,
Brenda x