# need input on injury



## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

well, as some of you know, Brix' hips were x-rayed at 17 mo, the vet (who is an experienced ortho guy) told me at that point that he (Brix) was an excellent candidate for hip replacements, esp his R hip. i saw the x-rays, and tend to agree with him (and DO NOT talk to me about his "breeders" "hip guarantee", ok? just figure there isn't one).

10 days ago Brix was out playing in the snow/ice, slipped and since has been gimpy on his R rear. i've pretty much left it alone on the principle that the pain will make him be easy on it, we haven't been doing any jumping, cutting-horse move type excercise, etc. but it's not getting better. or worse for that matter. just a noticeable, not severe, limp.

what i need input on from the forum is: do i continue with "benign neglect" or should i put him on Metacam for a few days? much as i hate to say it, right now i do not have the $$ to take him to the vet (it's a tough old deal sometimes starting a new business).

i'm holding off on the Metacam b/c i don't want him thinking "oh, i FEEL GOOD, let's get after it" and injuring it worse. 

i really would appreciate any input.


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## melissa mims (Jul 12, 2006)

The thing I would be concerned about is chronic inflammation, which can cause a host of other problems. 

Dogs are remarkably tolerant creatures; sometimes they learn to deal with an injury far beyond what a human would. I personally would rather have an acute change rather than trying to monitor a change in a chronic condition. 

If he were my dog, I would put him on an anti inflammatory, crate rest with frequent walks, and limit running for a while. Do you have him on salmon oil/vita e, glucosamine supplements?

One of mine has HD, diagnosed at 2.5 years. Only 2 episodes of acute pain, so far (fingers crossed), but I am always on the watch for any pain. 

good luck!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

melissa mims said:


> The thing I would be concerned about is chronic inflammation, which can cause a host of other problems.
> 
> Dogs are remarkably tolerant creatures; sometimes they learn to deal with an injury far beyond what a human would. I personally would rather have an acute change rather than trying to monitor a change in a chronic condition.
> 
> ...


Ditto. Unchecked inflammation is not a good thing.

I would also do VERY SLOW AND GENTLE range-of-motion passive exercises if this is definitely soft-tissue and not a fracture.

This gets healing blood into joints that might be clenched/bunched in self-protection.

And you're right that NSAIDs in this situation need to be accompanied by crate rest, to avoid that do-too-much thing from pain relief. If you do start the NSAID, be sure to watch for any sign at all of digestive upset.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

ok miss connie--where's the link to passive range-of-motion excercises?? i'll start him on Metacam tonight then, and he's on salmon oil/vit e already. need to get some chondritin supplement though.

THANKS girls! didn't consider acute vs chronic inflamation issue (but that's why i have you ppl  ).


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## Pauline Michels (Sep 1, 2006)

Here's a little bit on it:

http://www.housepetmagazine.com/01/Arthritis.htm
http://www.dodgerslist.com/lit/Massage Passive Exercises.htm


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Pauline Michels said:


> Here's a little bit on it:
> 
> http://www.housepetmagazine.com/01/Arthritis.htm


Yeah, that's a good link. I hadn't seen that one.

I have an adopted guy with a couple of damaged disks, and I do slow and gentle bicycling with his back legs when he is warmed up and stretched (like, not the minute he gets up in the morning).


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

I agree, put him on an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation causes arthritis, arthritis causes inflammation. Nasty little cycle there. I'd consider talking to the vet about keeping him on something all the time, depending on how bad the hips are getting at this point. It may help slow down the degeneration.

My sisters dog has ED, quite severe. As in was already showing signs of it at 4 months old. She's had him on one type of anti-inflammatory/pain med or another his entire life, and it's helped a LOT. He's 7 or 8 now, and still goes on long trail rides with her, hikes, runs with them, etc.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

ann freier said:


> need to get some chondritin supplement though.


Glucosamine is the more important of the two, IMO and from all that I have read.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

If you have to go the NSAID route for long, though, you absolutely want to get liver and kidney values first, and then re-check every 6 months minimum. You also want to read about the symptoms of gastric damage so you don't miss them.

Many dogs do fine on NSAIDS for prolonged periods, and even for life, but some do not. It is not just Rimadyl that has killed dogs, and dogs have a higher rate than humans of NSAID problems. The best thing is to go into it with open eyes, well educated about the possible side effects.

That said, I do have one on daily Deramaxx, and it has changed his life, along with fish oil, E, the right smooth exercises, and good food (and of course weight management).


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

well, after 3 days of metacam, the big boy thinks and acts like he hasn't a care in the world. i'll continue for another 4 days, then see what happens. but i gotta tell you, he is SO easy to read--when he doesn't feel well, he doesn't. and when he's feeling GOOD, he feels GOOD--so go ahead and ask him for a recall/front/finish/platz--he'll oblige, with an attitude!! 

ahhh, just wish i didn't have to deal with a lifetime of this when he's only 2 yrs old. 

connie??!!!! my pet peeve is FAT dogs--no worries there!!  

and i really have a problem w/NSAIDS: immunocompromized (sp?) along with all the related probs (OTHER than IC) that go along with it. we're not there yet...


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

What you can do with the metacam: have him on a full dose now, cut back to a half dose af a week and give him a little dose (say for a dog of 10 kg;s) every day. It keeps the edge of the pain gone, but not so much he will hurt him self again.

Other: glucosomine/chrondoitine.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

ann freier said:


> and i really have a problem w/NSAIDS: immunocompromized (sp?) along with all the related probs (OTHER than IC) that go along with it. we're not there yet...



Yes. Metacam and Deramaxx are the two with a slight safety-history edge (with Deramaxx beating Metacam out by a trifle, but at a much higher cost, last time I looked), but they are still NSAIDs. Magic bullets.... BUT.


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