ILuvAmstaffs

I found that Diesel was doing similar over the last month. I am pretty sure it was due to it being a lot lighter earlier in the morning, so he just wanted to wake up earlier.

It is available in Oz, in human form (the same but the dosage chart on the bottle is for humans) but I have found it cheaper to buy it from the US: http://www.flexicose-usa.com/products.asp?cat=12 I usually buy 3 bottles at a time & delivery takes approx 8 working days.

I tried sashas on my boy with ED. It didn't seem to help at all... neither did the cartrophen shots... joint guard seemed to help a lot, but then I started on flexicose & I can't believe how much of a difference it's made. Poodle wrangler, I think your right. I ran out of flexicose & during the 2 weeks Diesel was off it, he started limping very badly... then 2 weeks after ebing back on it he went back to barely having a limp. It could be coincidental but I'm going to make sure I always have a spare bottle in the cupboard now so that I never run out again!

Yup.. by the packet... but I usually buy 2 packs at a time (1 for me, 1 for my mum) so will save $10... not much but hey.. I'm a tight ar$e!

I used to buy from Priceless pets, but this was posted on another thread: http://www.petproductsontheweb.com.au/sentinalspectrum.htm So I'm going to give them a go next time.

This was Diesel after his op trying to wiggle around onto his back on the bean bag: And doing the same in his bed:

Thanx for that Malleerr! I'm pretty sure it's a simialr thing. He even kind of grunts/purrs as he's licking it sometimes & it's always as he's settling for the night. He will lick our feet & legs making the same noises if we let him. I've checked him for the bubble, but so far I can see no sing of it. Though there is some thickening under the scar that looks a little like a bumb. Though I think that it is more scar tissue from the incision. sheenygirl, Diesel went through pretty much the same process a your girl in getting diagnosed... though he had shots rather than tabs. I'm pretty sure it took around 6weeks until we saw any major improvements with Diesel & after that probably about 4 months of trying different suppliments to get him to a point now that you wouldn't know he had a limp unless you were looking for it. I wouldn't worry too much about her lying on her back either. The first thing Diesel did after his op was get on his bean bag & wiggle around until he was on his back. I will posta piccy when I get home. Goodluck with it all & keep us updated on how she's going. I know how heartbreaking this all is.

Hey there Malleerr! Diesels doing well thankyou. Good to hear all is well with Mallee as well. Can I ask... does Mallee ever lick the area where the ulna oestectomy was performed? I only ask becaues though Diesel doesn't seem to be in any pain, I often find him at night just lying there licking the area where the scar is or with it in his mouth. Though he doesn't actually bite it or anything. :cool: Our vet suggested that it seemed like a learnt behaviour that he has done ver since the op & just hasn't gotten out of (he is a compulsive licker & is always licking his paws etc), but others have suggested there may be an issue...

Hi Sheenygirl. I can sympathise with the way you feel. My boy had surgery for ED (FCP) last December. He was only 8months old at the time. Just out of interest, did your girl also have an ulna oestectomy or just the fragment removed? Was it via arthroscopy or full incision? If she had the ulna oestectomy as well, I am fairly sure that for the next 6weeks or so she should just be taking it very easy... After that, I am told swimming is the best exercise because it takes all weight off the joint. You could try pming Mallerr as her dog had both hip & elbow ops & she was great when I was going through this all with Diesel. Also, what are you giving her in regards to supplements? Has your surgeon recommended a follow-up course of carthrophen shots etc? I found that after trying the cartropehn shots, sashas blend, joint guard & blackmores glucosamine caps, that a product called Flexicose seemed to give the best results. Feel free to PM me if you any questions.

Cool. Thats the human version which is exactly the same. The doses just are different. I think the prices from the states are a little better & when I first bought it I preferred to have the pet doses on the bottle. This is where I buy it from: http://www.flexicose-usa.com/products.asp?cat=11 For one bottle it's US$28.95 which is approx AU$34. I tend to buy it 3 bottles at a time now so I don't run out (on the occassion I did run out, his limp got a lot worse until he went back on the Flexicose. For 3 bottles I think I am paying around AU$26 per bottle with the current exchange rates. :D

I would highly recommend trying a product called Flexicose. I tried Sashas, Joint Guard, normal human glucosamine & fish oil caps etc & saw no improvement in m boys limp... but after a few weeks on Flexicose, the limp was barely noticable... even after exercise. You have to order it from the States, but delivery is usually within 2 weeks.

Um, the vet I used wasn't local. Infact they were about a 40minute drive away, but were higly recommended. Unfortunately the vet at that surgery that I saw, seemed to think Diesel jumping up to lick her face in excitement when she was bent over with her face next to his, was dominant behaviour & refused to examine him further. Thus why I am looking for a vet that is more local & that is known to be ok with larger dogs. Especially bullies.

Sorry, I'm assuming you have little dogs? Do you know if they see a lot of larger dogs at all? Is there any particular vet you would recommend or do they all seem really good? Thanks for you help.

After a disasterous first visit to a vet that was uncomfortable treating an fearful large breed dog, I am now needing to find an alternative vet ASAP. Does anyone on here know of any vets that are good with large dogs on the Sydneys Northern beaches? Pittwater Vet Hospital would be very handy, but I just want to hear a few recommendations before I take my boy there. Another experience like the last will just reinforce his fear of medical intervetion.

PM malleerr... her dog has had both HD & ED ops & she was very helpful when I was going through the ED ops with Diesel.

Thanks guys. I just recieved a reply from North Shore Veterinary Hospital & they said that a few of their clients opt to Titre test & it's no problem.

I called them yesterday. The person that answered went to talk to a vet & they said that even if my dog did have a reaction to his 16week vax, that it would be unlikely to happen again & a vet would call me about it. But no one did. I will chase them up today & explain more about why I want the titre test rather than the vaccination. It really seems like most evts would rather do the yearly booster than look for other alternatives.

Thanx Dru. Tried Newport but he wasn't even sure if his lab did titre tests.... Will look up Max Zuber & give him a call tomorrow.

I'm trying to find a vet that will titre test in the Northern Suburbs or Northern Beaches area. So far I have phoned a few & all insisted that I get the yearly boosted rather than titre test... If anyone knows a good vet in these areas, can you you please either post or PM me their details. Thanks!

Thanks. I will look into that rather than having him vaccinated.

I will be taking him to an obedience course in 6 weeks then to an obedience club after that. I'm pretty sure the minimum is C4 for most clubs?

I'm taking for Diesels yearly booster this weekend & am a bit concerned. When he had his 16 week vaccination, my mum took him & she had him done with the C3 Vax. So I took him back & had it upgraded to a C5... After the upgrade he was really quite listless. Would hardly move, wouldn't eat or drink & would lie there in his bed making soft wimpering sounds. He was like it for a good 24 hours & I had to keep getting up through out the night to check he was ok. I will obviously talk to the vet about this when we go, but considering his previous reaction, would I be better off getting a C4 shot (the first 2 vax we're C4 and he seemed ok) or could it be that having the last vax in 2 parts caused his reaction... so having it all in 1 shot may be ok?

Excellent, thanks. I think I know where that park is.

Hi, I've just moved the the Northern Beaches & am looking for an obedience classes in our local area. Does anyone know if there are any clubs on the peninsular?

That was exactly the problem with our first x-rays. Did Diesel make a full recovery? We were just unlucky. The first film x-rays showed the fragment but remained undiagnosed until the second set but as the fragment is rarely visible on x-rays, the digital x-ray could make all the difference. Unfortunately Diesel didn't make a full recovery & the follow-up x-rays 8 weeks after the surgery showed much more severe arthritis and his limp is only slightly better than before the op, though he doesn't let it hold him back and at times you wouldn't know he has a limp at all. I've found that glucosamine supplements have helped him heaps so far.... but he is only 15months old so will have to wait and see how he goes over time. edited to add: IF the diagnosis had been made at 5 months when the initial x-rays were done I have been told that there is a chance the op may have been more successful... I wish I had gotten the second opinion earlier.