Oh My Aching Legs, All Four of Them

“He’s just getting old,” Mr Waters announced in his dogmatic tone as he entered my small consulting room. He was wearing tennis clothes and carrying a sports bag. I wondered why he had brought Spud, a gentle 12 year old black Lab with soulful eyes and an unsteady gait.  He was here for “vaccines only” he informed me in no uncertain terms. But first he knew I would examine Spud. As  I did,  Mr Waters busied himself reading the Wall Street Journal and studying messages on  his iphone.  

When I had finished the exam, I turned to him and told him that Spud had markedly reduced movement in his hips and knees (yes, dogs do have them about halfway down their back legs) and his elbows moved with difficulty. I told him that this was a sign that Spud had arthritis  and would benefit from a glucosamine chondroitin supplement at the very least and might need anti-inflammatory medication as well further down the line.

I asked if he had noticed Spud  having more trouble getting into the car or going up stairs at home. Did it take him a long time to get up after resting or in the morning? Well, yes he had noticed some of that but he put it down to old age.

“He never shows any pain, “ he informed me.  “Well, that is how animals behave,” I said; “They are hard wired not to show weakness and unless they are in severe pain will try to carry on without complaining. It is a defense mechanism from their wild animal past.”

“Well you’re the doctor,” he replied. This I knew was his way of giving me permission, however grudgingly, to treat his pet and try to help poor  Spud feel a lot better.  

As a vet, I frequently wonder at the attitudes people have to their pets and how they interpret their symptoms. Often it says as much about the person as about the dog or cat. I knew Mr Waters was getting on but still prided himself on being a competitive tennis player and keeping up with  world affairs. And I knew that he cared deeply about Spud. He just found it hard to admit that he too was getting older.

For now, I knew we had done the right thing by giving Spud a joint supplement along with his vaccines.