My 11-3/4 year old makes moaning and groaning noises all the time; like daily; usually when he gets up or moves, and sometimes in his sleep.

For some background, he's not that old, but when he was a puppy, he had OCD surgery on his shoulder and the surgeon did tell us he would have arthritis in the joint earlier than usual. He's had his hips xrayed "beautiful" and spinal xray appeared normal. He's been worked up within the last couple of years and diagnosed with bicepital tendonitis and arthritis in the operated shoulder.

He's been on adequan and the usual array of supplements, with Rimadyl and Tramadol and needed. His weight is good. He gets less exercise now because he limps after too much (more than say 10-15 minutes). I'm sure puppy Gladys' playing with him doesn't help but half the time I peel her off him, he's instigating with her.

So - he's doing it right now - he's lying on the floor beside the bed and he just moved a bit and makes a groaning noise.

Is this normal for older dogs? It sounds like he's in pain, but then he'll get up and move around normally and act normal. He eats, drinks, plays with Gladys, does the stairs, jumps on furniture. He doesn't seem impaired (unless he has a limping episode, at which point I give him his meds and keep him quiet - then the limping passes).

He's doing it more these days, I think the weather is getting colder is causing it?

Does anyone else have or had an older dog that moans and groans?

My friend pointed out that half the time when I get up from sitting I moan and groan. It's true, I have a bad back so when I get up I usually groan and have trouble getting up, then once I get moving, I'm fine. My friend said it's the same way, it's hard to get up, but once they get moving, it's ok.

He goes to acupuncture too, but I'm not sure it's working anymore and I want to make sure we're doing enough for him; so I'll be bringing this up at the next visit too... although I'd like to keep him off regularly scheduled "drugs" or meds as long as possible.

But I'm really interested to find out if it's part of the normal aging process to start moaning and groaning??? Like when you see your grandparents and aging parents with like 50 pill bottles?

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Boomer, Gladys, DeeDee, and Dawn

I think its normal - heck even my younger dogs while let out a longish moan when they have a good stretch going.

They also moan and groan, whimper and even howl at times in their sleep

I do think it is normal as they get a bit older to have some aches and pains, just as we can.

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Rowdy & King

It can be normal and part of the aging process. But you might discuss with your vet if maybe some of the meds might not be working as well. If you think the acupuncture isnt working, the quickest way to tell is to stop it. But if it is working, that could cause some pain. You might talk to your vet about that too.

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Thanks for the ideas. I will definitely talk to the vet more.

I caught myself moaning and groaning multiple times today. One time when I got in the car, I went Mmm-mmm-mmm in the 3 motions it took me to get in the seat.
Again, getting in the car later, then again crawling under the furniture to unplug a lamp. I noticed I wasn't dying of pain at the time, it's more of a weary, achy, worn out feeling.

Maybe that's what Boomer has too. It just sounds scary because I equate moaning and groaning with pain. And he can't tell me. But maybe it isn't really pain per se.

I will talk to the vet more.

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Boomer, Gladys, DeeDee, and Dawn

Hi Dawn and Boomer...I'm new here. My name is Kate and I have an 8 year old Golden Retriever (mixed) we got him from the Golden Retriever Rescue society. He's always been healthy, no hip problems, like my previous sweet golden. Indy is a picture of health, just had his full check up, and everything is great. But i've noticed in the last 2 months, that he's very vocal, with the moaning, and groaning. Now, I'm disabled (messed up back too) and i'm home with him all the time, so i'm pretty in-tuned with him, and i'm positive he's not in pain...not the real pain, i think it's like us...when we get up. Tonight, I cleaned his ears, and everytime i do this...(since i first adopted him) he moans just like he does when he lays down. He's always done it ..on and off...for example, when we took him to the cottage for a day of swimming...usually when he'd come home, he'd flop on his bed and moan...long moans...lol...and this is what he's doing now..just more often. So I'm gonna keep watching him like a hawk, but i really don't think he's in pain...maybe he's just feeling very content? I know that when Indy comes and lays down on me, i start massaging him around the neck and face, going down behind the ears, and he starts moaning again in a good way. I also noticed in the last 2 months, that when i come home, he whines (as he usualy does) getting all excited, but then he gives me a little excited howl, and he's never done that before...that being said, I think I would call this new behaviour of his..."old age vocalizing" ...Heck, i'm doing it more myself!!!

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Dawn that picture of Boomer is hysterical. Welcome.

I have a funny old dog story (non golden sorry) We had an old lab named Shadow made it to 15 1/2. She went completely deaf about 13 I think hearing was going (or selective) heading to that age. Anyway, when she was deaf obviously she couldn't hear herself, so she started making all these noises. Too funny. The funniest though was when she would eat, she would make "yummy" noises. It made me thing of the dog in the OLD cartoon who would make yummy noises and go air born and flap his feet and come back to earth. Was it Precious? I don't remember too long ago. She would snore, grunt, wheeze, but we knew if she was making noises she was alive.

She would sleep so soundly and not hear or feel us coming waking her up to go outside when we would get home I worried would scare her to death. Shadow was a funny special girl. I miss her.

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Ann
UACH Casino Farm's Belle Air MXP2 MJP2 "Belle" (blk lab 7 yrs)
URO1 UJJ Casino Farm's Reddi Teddi RN "Teddi" (GR 5 yrs)
USJCH The Captain's Licker's Quicker AX, OJ, WC "Quinn" (blk lab 2 yr)
SHR URO1 UJJ SmokinGold Hoot N Holler AX, OJ, JH, RA, WCX "Gabby" (GR 9/29/10)
Always in my Heart - Maxine 12/26/96-10/11/09 Queen of the World!

Maxwell has started groaning a lot now too. It's mostly when he stretches while laying down or when standing up, but who doesn't, right? But just like your pup, he acts fine when he's up. I've also associated it with the cold weather causing more stiffness in his joints so I'm not concerned with it.

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My dear Maxwell, thank you for being my best friend. You will always be with me "Spuddy." I love you. 12/3/1998 - 10/3/2011

Just wanted to let you know that our Max (13 1/2) has gotten more vocal as he's gotten older. He grunts (kinda of Moans) when you pet him. He grunts when he's laying down. When he sleeps he does as well. Also makes these cute high pitch barks when he's sleeping. He seems to do it more times when he's content. I hope that is the same with your baby. I had the Vet do a very thorough exam a few months ago and discussed it with her. Everything came back perfect, even the full blood panel.

Thanks for resurrecting my post. Since I asked this question, Boomer has been to the doggie ER and found to have some arthritis in his spine and hip now. He's on rimadyl and tramadol twice a day in addition to the other stuff and having a hard winter. The snow is higher than the dogs' legs and I think that plus the cold plus little exercise has been hard on the big guy.

The yummy noises sound so cute. I think I might do that!

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Boomer, Gladys, DeeDee, and Dawn

Hello, I have a 15 year old Black Lab named Shadow.

Just this past year, he started groaning. I thought he was just disgruntled and wanting attention. But the groans are happening more & more as the weeks go by.

Yes, he's having just a little hard time getting up off the floor in the mornings or up off the dog bed or carpet, but like others out there, he is fine after a few seconds once he is up.

He groans all throughout the day from time to time. We give him joint tablets & Omega 3 pills daily, because he just recovered from a limping foot a few months back.

He's ok now, but the groaning is freaking me out.
He goes crazy to have his butt scratched, and I think his hips may be hurting him.

All you can do is watch them closely. I figured it's old age. If I was to tell you he out-groans me, that would be a lie, as I have a severe case of sciatic nerve damage at the bottom of my spine and the pain shoots through both of my hips and buttocks.

But I'm fine once I'm up & standing.

Go figure.