Canine Wax And Wane Arthritis: Molly’s Arthritis Acting Up? What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

If your dog has arthritis, they can have good days and bad days. The amount and type of activity, even the weather can influence how your dog feels. However, things are not always what they seem.

What should you make of it when your dog has some dramatically bad days when they have a hard time getting up?

Canine Wax And Wane Arthritis: Molly's Arthritis Acting Up? What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Molly was an 11-year-old German Shepherd. She did have a history of mobility issues and lameness. Five years ago she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. As far as anybody could tell, she recovered well.

The first symptoms

When Molly’s symptoms returned, Lyme disease was the go-to diagnosis and Molly was put on antibiotics. This time, however, the treatment was not working. Molly was getting weaker and developed anemia as well.

Why was the treatment not working?

Could it be the Lyme disease? Arthritis?

German Shepherds are one of the breeds susceptible to joint issues. For example, German Shepherd dogs have higher odds of hip dysplasia than Dobermans, Labradors, or Rottweilers.

It would not be a surprise if Molly had hip dysplasia. It would not, however, explain the inconsistency in how she felt.

Some days Molly would feel better, some days worse. Much worse.

There were days when she could barely move and wouldn’t eat. She was being treated but to no useful effect.

Eventually, Molly ended up in the emergency hospital after she passed out.

What would you do if Molly was your dog?

What would you make of these symptoms and what steps would you take? Molly was under veterinary care but the treatment was not working.

Read Molly’s story to learn what her diagnosis was.

Related articles:
Is Your Dog’s Arthritis Acting Up? If You Catch Yourself Using These Words, Consider an Abdominal Ultrasound

Further reading:
The Silent Killer

Categories: Conditions • Dog health advocacy • Mobility issues • Real-life Stories • Symptoms • Weakness

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Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Countless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that merely seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough, but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to get a diagnosis. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn, and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian, and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners. What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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