CODY SUDDENLY STOPPED GOING UP STAIRS FOR NO APPARENT REASON - ANY IDEAS?

[chief38]

My Golden Retriever Cody turned 10 in July but is in pretty good health. He always ran up and down the stairs throughout the day and slept in our room until about 4 months ago. All of a sudden he refused to come up the stairs anymore. No coaxing, no treats, nothing would get him up! About a week ago we were in bed and all of a sudden he ran into our Bedroom and jumped up on our bed. My wife and I looked at each other and figured that he was over his weirdness but the next day he refused to come up again.

He has no problems walking, running, chasing rabbits, etc and seems to be in NO pain of any sort. He does have hip diysplasia( from birth) but it has never seemed to bother him. This evening he started walking up the stairs but only made it up 4 of the 17 steps - stood there for 5 minutes then turned around and went back down.

Here is a photo of Cody from about 5 months ago. Any ideas?? Cody is our 5th Golden over the years and we have never encountered this behavior before. Maybe due to age??

 

[rwsmith]

Goldens are very prone...

Goldens are very prone to hip diysplasia. That also start getting old about that aga. That may be the problem and the day she came bounding into bed was probably a 'good' day for her. We have a big dog with thyroid probs that is overweight and he has to think a while before he comes up the back stairs into the house.

Our wonderful Heidi dog lived until she was 15 but she was broken down because of her hips. That made me take her to the vet.

 

[RGVshooter]

Might have a ghost in the house... I hear dogs are afraid of ghosts.

 

[arjay]

I bet it's his hips,dogs usually don't show pain.

 

[moosedog]

I've had Golden's before too. Great dogs, but like it's been said, prone to hip problems.
Give him a baby aspirin each day after he's eaten. Never on an empty stomach. That will help with an inflammation.
Also, no people food or sweets. I also give my dogs LubriSyn Joint Supplement for Canine & Equine. Cheapest I found is off Amazon in the 64 oz.
You can slow down the effects and ease their pain. Good luck, Cody looks like a great dog.

 

[dave holl]

This is how our vet explained hip dysplasia to me. In a young dysplastic dog muscles keep the ball from excessive motion in the socket. Since the socket is splayed, not having the curvature it should due to the affliction, muscles atrophy and weaken as the dog ages resulting in the ball rubbing where it shouldn't, causing pain.
Goldens are wonderful dogs. Can hardly talk about my long gone Bonnie and Beau without a tear.
Dave

 

[mdhillbilly1]

Hip dysplasia or fast acting cancer of the entirebody. I suggest your vet to check the entire body for cancer.

Our vet kept telling us it was his hip dysplasia. The vet tried meds, but it did not work. They did a full workup that the doctor told us it was cancer. Our dog started having major accidents around the house. The Doctor told us that their was so much cancer that his body was shutting down and in severe pain. The Doctor told us we should put him down as he was suffering bad. We had to put him to sleep and he was my service dog that I could not replace.

 

[chief38]

That's a really sad story. Unfortunately we have been there too - Cody is our 5th Golden.

Cody just had a check up and supposedly his only problem is the hip dysplasia which he has had from birth. He is fully mobile, runs around the yard, still chases Squirrels and Rabbits, and shows no signs of pain or major stiffness. I still walk him 2 miles a day and he eats like there's no next meal . He just stopped climbing the steps after the 5th one.

I realize he is literally in his "Golden Years" now and I guess I should be thankful all else is OK. The fact that he stays on the main level isn't the end of the world - just very very strange for a dog who couldn't be more than 2 feet away from me his whole life.

This is the period of dog ownership I wish would never come!

 

[snowman]

chief38,

There's no doubt in my mind that the hip problem is what is causing this behavior. On the day he broke the pattern and came up to your bedroom, it just wasn't bothering him enough to deter him from his earlier habit. Though I'm not a vet, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if some physical problems of animals, as with humans, tend to be more or less intense due to various and sometimes inexplicable factors. I also suspect that climbing stairs, which defies gravity, puts additional stress on his joints which isn't present when walking or running.

You have a very nice-looking dog; I hope his problem doesn't progress very quickly.

Best wishes,
Andy

 

[windypoint]

Have you investigated Glucosamine. It is available as a supplement for humans and animals. The go to drug vets prescribe is Rimadyl (sp?). It works wonders but I understand it can be hard on the liver and kidneys. Vet check is first on the list.

 

[chief38]

Have you investigated Glucosamine. It is available as a supplement for humans and animals. The go to drug vets prescribe is Rimadyl (sp?). It works wonders but I understand it can be hard on the liver and kidneys. Vet check is first on the list.

We have been giving Cody Glucosamine and Chondroitin twice a day with meals for the last seven years on the advise of our Vet. who we really trust. Recently we have doubled the morning dose to two tablets but does not seem to have done a whole lot.

He seems goofy and happy as always and has no problem doing anything except the stairs.........

 

[03hemi]

You have ghosts!

 

[chief38]

You have ghosts!

Only upstairs?? LOL!

 

[Watchdog]

My suggestion is to take Cody to your vet and have his hips x-rayed if you haven't done so already. You should be able to get this done for +/- $120.

If you've discussed this problem with your vet, I'm surprised that he hasn't suggested this.

You don't mention Cody's weight. Dogs that mature at over 60 pounds are subject to dysplasia, and it is hereditary.

At some point in their lives, usually at around two years of age, all my dogs get their hips x-rayed. My current male Rottweiler, Beau, has even had his elbows x-rayed...part of the requirements to determine if I should breed him. But I'd have the x-rays done anyway, simply to give myself a heads up on any potential problems in the future. I've been lucky, I guess...none of my dogs have had to endure hip dysplasia.

I hope you find the answer to Cody's problem soon.

 

[chief38]

My suggestion is to take Cody to your vet and have his hips x-rayed if you haven't done so already. You should be able to get this done for +/- $120.

If you've discussed this problem with your vet, I'm surprised that he hasn't suggested this.

You don't mention Cody's weight. Dogs that mature at over 60 pounds are subject to dysplasia, and it is hereditary.

At some point in their lives, usually at around two years of age, all my dogs get their hips x-rayed. My current male Rottweiler, Beau, has even had his elbows x-rayed...part of the requirements to determine if I should breed him. But I'd have the x-rays done anyway, simply to give myself a heads up on any potential problems in the future. I've been lucky, I guess...none of my dogs have had to endure hip dysplasia.

I hope you find the answer to Cody's problem soon.

We have had his hips x-rayed and he definitely has the hip dysplasia (from birth but has remained pretty much the same) - being given the Glucosamine and Chondroitin for many years now but recently the Vet suggested an extra one in the morning.

Cody's weight is about 86 pounds and has been at that weight for about 8 years or so. He is a large framed Golden and gets plenty of exercise - I walk him 2 miles a day and he runs around the yard at least a few times every day. In the Winter when there is snow on the ground he loves hiking through the deep drifts and gets his exercise that way.

The only thing I can think of is he did tear his Flexor Tendon (front right paw) about 6 months ago and we curtailed all exercise for 3 months. It healed up nicely (saw x-rays) and we slowly got him back into his daily routine. Maybe he slipped on the steps and that is what tore his tendon and we are unaware - don't know. Maybe he is just scared that it will happen again - but don't know this for a fact.

He has no difficulty walking up the first 5 steps - but then just stands there like a statue ( the steps turn 90º after the first 5 ) Very strange!

 

[REM 3200]

Our 11 year old Golden, Buddy, has hip problems and the Vet
put him on Glucosamine with Chondroitin and Ibuprofen.
It has made a world of difference for him.
He acts like a two year old now.

 

[RGVshooter]

He has no difficulty walking up the first 5 steps - but then just stands there like a statue ( the steps turn 90º after the first 5 ) Very strange!

I'm telling ya, ya got a ghost.... Can dogs sense the supernatural? | Dog Behavior | Animal Planet

 

[dben002]

Is it possible something happened to him upstairs, (got hurt or scared) ????? does he go upstairs with you? or just won't go at all?

 

[catadjuster]

Trouble with stairs

Our dog always ran up the stairs every night at bedtime (she slept with the kids) and came down every morning just fine until about a year ago - she is now about 12 years old. Last year, when coming down the stairs, she lost her balance and tumbled down the last couple of stairs and has pretty much refused to use the stairs since then. She has definitely lost some of her balance, but will still race around the yard daring you to chase her.

I think that maybe your situation is a combination of age and advancing hip displasia.

 

[hittman77]

Yep, I'd bet hip pain too.
Local vet had my Siberian Husky on a baby-aspirin-a-day routine for a while.