Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 10 year old Pom, that has many problems, I.E, he has horrible teeth as well as breath, He can hardly walk and when he does, he neglects his right leg. He cannot go up or down any kind of stairs, and doesnt walk if he doesn't have to, he kind of scoots on his butt. I think he broke is leg when he was younger and is now paying the price for it. He also has a horrible cough at times, like he is coughing up a hair ball?

I am not sure if he is in pain, but I am not sure what to do with Rocky. I don't want him to suffer, but I also don't want to cut his life short.

Anyone have any advice? Rocky would appreciate it! Thanks!

Hi... is your Pom under vet care? Sounds like he has a lot going on. Having bad teeth and bad breath suggests that he has gum disease(gingivitis)and he needs to be seen for that. The infection in the mouth can also lead to other problems. I know given his age that he may not be predisposed to antesthesia but his bad teeth will have to come out. As for the lameness, there are anti-inflammatory drugs that can be given to lessen the pain as well as glucosimine products such as Cosequin. At the very least a complete veterinary examination should be in order for Rocky.
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

There are many suppliments and therapies that Rocky can take advantage of, but he really needs to see a vet to get the teeth dealt with and any other underlying issues that have resulted from them. Bad teeth lead to a host of other major problems that can shorten a dog's life. Get the teeth dealt with appropriately, use some joint suppliments, and maybe a good all over massage and Rocky will feel markedly better.
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PHReign
Email me: HReign@pethobbyist.com" target="_blank">PHReign@pethobbyist.com
Dear dog,
I can not buy anything larger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think that I will continue to sleep on the couch to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of dogs sleeping, they can actually curl up in a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to your fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straigt out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space used is nothing more than doggy sarcasm.