Bessie the Labrador is pushing 10, has an arthritic knee and is getting reluctant to climb steps, so I need a ramp to help her out.
The ones locally available seem a little flimsy to support a 115 pound dog without bowing in the middle a bit, and also on the narrow side (17 inches across, max). Does anyone know of a good sturdy ramp that is wider and preferably with side rails high enough to help keep a dog from plunging over the side with one misstep?
Don’t know about ramps for dogs that big. Pepper Mill recently picked up stairs for our arthritic cat. They’re cheap, but assemble into a surprisingly sturdy set of stairs that she now uses all the time.
I think for a dog as big as a labn you may want to design and build your own ramp.
What about using a wheelchair ramp designed for humans? Seems like that would be the sturdiest option.
Have you seen your vet about this issue? Some dogs do well on medications such as Rimadyl which helps ease the pain of stiff joints. (Be sure to monitor their liver while they’re on it, though.) You can also ask your vet about giving your dog baby aspirin to help with his pain.
There are also some over-the-counter medications which can help. Glucosamine supplements have shown positive results in some studies. (Apparently, dogs get more out of it than humans do.) My dog showed a good bit of improvement when I started giving her a daily vitamin designed for arthritic dogs.