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How to fix knocked knees without surgery?

Can my dog have surgery to fix this? (3 questions in one.) Thanks!?

  • I have a 25 pound Cairn Terrier (Toto) but he is very big for his breed. He is 6 years old and I have been told he has arthritic hips and knees in his hind legs. I give him supplements that help, but when he runs for a short time but fast, he ends up hurting so bad that he can't (or does not want to) walk or take the stairs. My vet is small and just gave me an anti-inflammatory medication for him, and told me surgery is not an option. #1 is it true surgery won't help or take care if it? #2 Is there any thing else other than an anti-inflammatory he can take for pain and if so, Is it possible that his vet does not want to pay to keep supply of more expensive or stronger medications in her store?

  • Answer:

    Arthritis occurs when the joints between bones wear down, so the bones are rubbing against each other as the dog moves instead of the nice cushiony joints. Once joints are gone, they are gone- you can medicate the symptoms to relieve some of the dog's pain, and you can give supplements to help slow the deterioration of what little joint is left, but there is no "cure" for Arthritis. So, what your vet told you is true. "Hiding" other options from you won't help her business in any way, not only because any doctor will gladly refer cases to a specialist when necessary, but also because she could write you a prescription for a drug she doesn't carry, so that you could get the prescription filled elsewhere. She's not cheating you in any way. The only surgery that could possibly help is if the entire join was replaced with a synthetic one. In your dog's case, this would mean replacing both knees and both hips. Replacing one joint is expensive, but possible... replacing all 4 at once though... I don't know of a veterinary surgeon that would agree to do that. Besides, these surgeries can only be performed at a handful of teaching hospitals around the country, and are astronimically expensive. I was a student at one of these teaching hospitals, so I know- Surgery only works in those rare situations where the owner is quite well off financially and the dog is in perfect health other than the joint, and only has one or two joints affected. It is really hard to see dogs with arthritis- I understand how you feel, wanting to explore any possible option that will help. Joint supplements and pain medication are all that can realistically be done.

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Be VERY careful on the antiinflammatories, What is he on?. Have you tried any Glucosamine with Condriten? This does work well, also Hills Pet Food has a diet called JM, it is for dogs with bad hips, I think it is worth a try. Be careful of Rimadyl, try Etodolac, I think it is a bit nicer on the body.Surgery IS always an option but only as a last resort.

dinkydau

i have a 5 and a half year old bull-mastiff and she also has mild arthritis. our vet told us it was alright to give her just plain ole' asprin for pain, and it seems to help her alot. i just wouldnt give the dog too much, only when u think he really needs it. good luck....

~*sTaCeY*~

all of this is possible, you should get a second opinion. Plus there are always stronger meds out there, but do you want Toto to suffer the consequences? There are always side effects with meds. You might want to try the old meds and keep him on a leash and make him go slowly. Arthritis is a degenerative condition, not usually something you can solve with surgery.

Gracousgirl

I read in another article that its best to use an anti-inflammatory pill

Tanya

Aspirin is good for relieving the pain. Also, you can get glucosamine/chondroitin pills that you give once a day. They help a lot over the longer term.

ilmwkb

Even though your dog is big for his breed, you might consider helping him drop a few pounds, ease up on those old joints!! You can give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin mixed with his food to help the joints. If he is/was a really active guy, try water therapy. Swimming in the least impacting exercise. For man or animal. Contact a K-9 wellness center or physical therapist to help evaluate and decide on what type of activities are best. Good Luck with Toto!!!

purrpletoad

Talk to your vet about Rimadyl. Some vets don't like to prescribe it because it has side effects, but it does help with the arthritis. If they don't stock it, ask them to write you a prescription and order it through WWW.PETMEDS.COM. If they do stock it, it'll still be cheaper to order it through petmeds. Sometimes surgery can help. Try visiting a different vet to get a second opinion.

zartsmom

Anti-inflammatory medication is great, as well as proper diet, supplements (such as Glucosamine) and weight maintance. Surgery could be an option but it depends on the actual problem. Is it solely arthritis, is there hip displasia that is causing the osteoarthritis? You, see there is many variables. I have worked for both boarded and non-boarded veterinary orthepedic surgeons and you may be shocked to know the number of different surgeries that are available. I recommend that you seek out an orthopedic surgeon. But nothing is a quick fix. Is there anything better, well, that depends on the drug he is on. Rimadyl, Metacam, and Deramax are some of the great drugs on the market right now. Ask your doctor about j/d diet as well.

kasper99

I have a border collie and she has always had a limp since she was a puppy and the vet took x rays and they never found what it was .After all these years ,she is now seven it has turned into arthritis.I have given her aspirin and it's worked really well for her.I give her childrens aspirin and make sure it is coated so it's easy on the stomach.I try to just give it to her only when I see that she is savere pain ,then I give it to her for a couple of days and when I see she is better I stop,and most of the time she is pain free for weeks at a time.

ballerinaninja

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