Help me help my boy

[bumble]

Paddy is going through his first bad bout of arthritis and is, I imagine, confused. Often he'll stand near me and wag his tail a little, but act as though he doesn't want to be touched and won't come near me when called (although if I massage him he seems to like that). Tonight he stood in the middle of the living room and barked at nothing (no, we had just [5-10 minutes before] come in from a short walk where he peed and pooped). Any ideas as to what the not wanting to be touched and barking at nothing are? Any good articles about dealing with arthritis?
We've been to a specialist and he's on a low dose of prednisolone.
Thank you; it drives me mad to see my boy suffer, and not be able to help.

[Snifter]

How old is Paddy now?

[lisamak]

It sounds like the arthritis is an issue but he may also be losing his hearing/vision. In addition to the pred is he getting a super-strong gluco/chond/MSM supplement? Maybe something herbal like a yucca/alfalfa mix for arthritis specifically? My Vince is blind and deaf and will sit and bark at nothing - usually he thinks he's barking at me and wants a snack, he's not losing his marbles just yet. Hearing is easy to test at home, vision is tougher as dogs know they're routines so well it would be hard to tell unless you bring him to a new environs to test him. Most folks don't believe Vince is blind when they meet him as he knows the house, neighborhood, usual locations we head out to.

Massage, warmth, acupuncture and some more supplements should help with the joint issues.

[bumble]

How old is Paddy now?

10 or 11. He's always reacted--favorably--to commands given either when I clap or rap on the floor with my knuckles, which makes me wonder if noise hasn't been a problem since he was a puppy (he knew knocks when he came from the rescue).

[pugsmum]

If you are knocking on the floor, he is probably feeling it as opposed to hearing it. I agree with the deaf possibility, Bella is mostly deaf, and she will whine or bark at inappropriate times, course she is blind as well.

IMO the pred is a very bad choice for arthritis treatment. Long term use will be needed, and way too many side effects. Metacam is great for arthritis, as long term use is exactly what it was developed for. I have 2 seniors pugs on it for yrs, and good results.

[tocents]

My vet told me that they are having good results with omega 3 oils of all things. As a result, mine are getting the regular old fish oil caps (as long as the dose is 500-700 of omega oils and since they are huge, I puncture the cap and squirt it on the food) and Liza's arthritic self seems to be doing better. She's also on glocosamine/chondroitin and half the recommonded dose of Rimadyl. She seems to do better on Rimadyl than the others, even just a half dose.

[shaynapug]

Kelev is losing his sight a bit and cannot hear. He often starts at fast movement now...or barks .

Duralactin® - For the Long Term Management of Chronic Inflammation

Read on this!! I have to get more of it!!

[Rosiepug]

If the Glucosamine, Chondroiton, green lipped muscle treatments are not working, I'd go with Metacam but what you're describing to me... barking at nothing, could be the first stages of Canine Dementia.

[Cheyenne]

I have Suki on Cosequin DS. Not sure if that is a treatment for arthritis or just a preventative, but the vet put her on it right after she hurt her back last December. As for the barking at nothing, Suki has from time to time since she was young stood in the living room and barked at an empty chair. Since she does it mostly when I'm the only human in the house, I have chalked it up to visits from my late father. She does it less than she did in the past. Maybe Dad has gotten tired of visiting?