Old Dog + Hardwood Floors

[dmccarty]

If you have to carry him up the stairs, just be careful.

The wifey and I went to the beach once upon a time and took our three big dogs. This was a typical NC beach house built on pilings with the ground level being utility rooms, storage and parking. The main level was on the second story and the bedrooms were on the third floor. The oldest dog could not go up stairs so I had to carry her from the ground level to the main floor and at night up to the third floor. For the dog to go to the bathroom, I would have to carry her down and back up the stairs.

The first morning we were at the place, I carried the dog down stairs so she could go to the bathroom, and when I carried her back up the stairs, I pulled a muscle in my back. Pulled it really bad. I was in so much pain all I could do was lay on the couch most of the time. :shocked: Course, I still had to carry the dog up and down the stairs so she could do her business. :confused2:

I pulled the muscle when I had to turn a bit to get around some door or obstacle on the deck.

Later,
Dan

 

[Cliff_Johns]

There is a product called paw wax. read about it here:
Paw Wax for Dogs

Excerpt:
Paw wax . . . Some owners with hardwood floors in their homes might use this wax to help their dogs get around. This is especially useful for dogs suffering from arthritis, who have a hard time getting up and down, and might be more prone to slipping on smooth floors.

Cliff

 

[N80]

I'll do some searching about the Paw Wax. That is more of what I had in mind originally. In short, we're pretty much considering everything. Definitely need to trim his nails. Individual covers on the stair treads is a good idea too. My wife didn't mind the look of the Heathered Stair Treads referenced above and they are temporary and won't mar the wood. And we're going to try the grippy boots too. He is really too big for me to carry upstairs on a regular basis. So if all else fails we'll gat a baby gate for the stairs and he'll have to stay downstairs.

On a different topic, we have to lift him into the truck now but he puts his front paws on the floor and even my wife can lift his rear end up. When I'm there he trust me enough to step off the back seat into my arms to lower him to the ground but my wife can't do that. So, we have a dog ramp. It was not cheap but it is plenty sturdy, wide and grippy for a large dog. We keep it in the back of the truck and he walks down it no problem.

 

[jimmyj]

We sell little rubber boots that are just like balloons as well as socks with rubber "dots" on them for exactly this type of thing. Most pet stores should have these things. They are not expensive either, for example 12 of the little rubber balloon booties are $20.

 

[N80]

Update: Dash continues to have good days and bad days. Last few days have been pretty bad. He whines and paces at night. Vet gave him some pain pills to take in addition to his arthritis meds but they mostly just knock him out.

We did get him some of the boots with rubber soles and velcro straps. I have been amazed that he doesn't seem to mind them at all. They really help him on the hardwood floors and steps but we do not leave them on all the time. I need to look into some of the ones that are made like a sock too because they might be better for leaving on all the time.

We trimmed his nails.

We are going to order some of the non-stick stair treads very soon but it won't be long until he'll have to stay downstairs full time.

It is hard to watch a "family member" type pet declining and hurting.

 

[MikePA]

Look into Dr. Buzby's ToeGrips, Click Here. They work well on our oldest dog and the problem she has walking on tile floors. My sister-in-law is a vet tech and she put them on.

 

[N80]

Wow, thanks Mike, I'll look into that. Looks like a great idea.