Senior Great Dane Limping Is It Serious

Hi Joshua, Wow – a 13 year-old Great Dane! That is impressive! These gentle giants often don’t make it to double digits, so you’re obviously doing something right. Like most giant breeds, the Great Dane can definitely suffer from joint problems like arthritis, and bone cancer is also on the list of possible concerns. The fact that he is worse after rest makes me more suspicious that arthritis is the culprit here, but Zeus needs to be examined in order to work out what’s going on and exactly how to proceed. If he’s not on them already, it would be a great idea to get Zeus on some joint supplements, but I would imagine that your vet will also want to prescribe some anti-inflammatory pain relief; something I would be strongly recommending. Although anti-inflammatories can have side effects on the gastrointestinal system and put extra pressure on the kidneys, the way I would be looking at it is that Zeus has already had quantity of life, now it’s time to prioritise quality of life. Dogs don’t always tell us when they’re in pain, so for Zeus to be crying out tells me that he’s really having a tough time, so don’t waste any time getting him an appointment. In the meantime, keep him rested, only taking him out to go to the toilet. All the best, Dr Karyn