Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Arthritis in a Newfie.

Species: Dog
Breed: Mixed Newfie
Age: 8-11 years
My ten year old Newfie mix is eating less and seems very stiff and sometimes lethargic, although he will get up and run with the other pups and go for his kong.
He is also a little distant and not as interactive.
I am thinking arthritis is coming on. He just had a clean bill of health in his check up and is at an ideal weight for a dog his size. What do yout think? Am taking him to vet tomorrow.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I love Newfies, but they certainly can get arthritis as they get older.

Your vet will do a good thorough exam and hopefully be able to determine if there are any likely joint problems. They will likely extend the hips and see if there is any pain and also feel the stifles (knees) and elbows. Ideally, to determine if there is arthritis, some xrays would be a good idea.

Any time I have a ten year old dog that is not eating well I recommend doing blood work. It is also possible that there is something else going on such as a problem with the liver or kidneys.

If the bloodwork is normal then your vet will likely talk to you about an arthritis medication such as Metacam, Rimadyl, or Deramaxx.

Sometimes a glucosamine supplement such as Cosequin is helpful as well. But, I do find that glucosamine doesn't work as well as the anti-inflammatories. Often it is good to give it along with the other medications.

I hope all is well!

Dr. Marie.

Related: Can you give a dog Advil?


---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Older cat with congestion. First, thank u for your input on my cami that past on previous question.my husband... (6475 views)

Anemic dog. Hi, I'm really worried about my dog Sammy. He was at the vet a couple of days ago... (10485 views)

Should I breed my dog? I would like my dog to have puppies one time before I get her spayed. The puppies... (5224 views)

Drooling and twitching. My 8 week old Mini American Eskimo has been drooling excessively all day. The... (14321 views)

The euthanasia procedure. I had to euthanize my 18.5 year old cat Quincy on Monday. He suffered from CRF and... (14986 views)

Blood in urine. I can not afford to take her to a vet...so here I am. I have just noticed while... (10599 views)

Peeing on walls. Okay,I have a female spayed 2 year old cat and never sprayed walls and peed walls.... (14887 views)

Dog is losing weight. I have a 7yr old larger sized min pin. Had her fixed at 1yrs old and she has always... (11173 views)

Cat losing weight. I have had my 10 year-old cat on Tapazole for about a year, but in the past couple... (9840 views)

Quiet after dentistry. Good morning...this may be lengthy...sorry. Despite my cats advanced age of 17,... (6561 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.