Elbow Dysplasia - Limping Again 6 Mths After Double Arthroscopy

[Mossie]

I would love to hear from other members whose dog/s have undergone elbow arthroscopy.

My beautiful girl was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia - fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (FCP) at approx 10mths old. She subsequently underwent a double elbow arthroscopy to remove the chips. She was doing great until now - nearly 6 months later - she is limping again I am so sad for her!

Back to the vet we went only to be told that there is definitely pain in both elbows and pain killers/anti-inflammatories are the only option. Off to the surgeon we went as well only to be told that she would have this permanently. This was not supposed to happen - she is supposed to be pain free!!!!

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a SAFE medication I can give my lovely lady on a long-term basis to offer some relief? Metacam was what I used post-op but do not want to use this long-term.

[Cavandra]

I have no experience with this, however, from discussions recently from show breeders it seems the new procedure for joints are "gold beads"...........ask your Vet about it, if they dont know about it yet perhaps they can find out.......dogs are doing fabulously well, and those humans that have had it done swear by it.

The other more Natural approach is "Ester C" tablets.......there is info on the net , studies of miracle "cures" for HD etc.....a friend of mines husband has chronic pain from rhuematoid arthritis in the spine, and after being on this a short while he was relatively pain free, he went off them thinking it was something else that was working, and the pain started once more, so back on them again........If you want some you can get it at Health food shops, or cheaper online at Vitamin King or Natural City.

[woody2shoes]

I would love to hear from other members whose dog/s have undergone elbow arthroscopy.

My beautiful girl was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia - fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (FCP) at approx 10mths old. She subsequently underwent a double elbow arthroscopy to remove the chips. She was doing great until now - nearly 6 months later - she is limping again I am so sad for her!

Back to the vet we went only to be told that there is definitely pain in both elbows and pain killers/anti-inflammatories are the only option. Off to the surgeon we went as well only to be told that she would have this permanently. This was not supposed to happen - she is supposed to be pain free!!!!

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a SAFE medication I can give my lovely lady on a long-term basis to offer some relief? Metacam was what I used post-op but do not want to use this long-term.

Hi Mossie,

I can so feel for what you're going through. I fully understand how heartbreaking the whole process is as I have recently had my 6mo lab bitch operated on for bilateral FCP - I went the open arthrotomy track though. Three months post surgery and she is progressing slowly but there are no guarantees this will continue so I am prepared for the worst if it should happen. I have to say that my surgeon was very, very guarded about the long term prognosis. At no point would he guarantee anything other than that she was better off with the fragments removed. I am 100% sure he was right in that regard, whatever happens down the track.

A good friend of mine has a male lab who was diagnosed with FCP, OCD and arthritic changes at 5mo and had bilateral arthroscopy. It took nearly 12 months for him to recover and he is in normal work now. I know he was intermittently lame over the recovery period. He is on a very low maintenance dose of 25mg Rimadyl/day which apparently, should have no effect but appears to help him! Go figure.

Each dog recovers differently which is why there are no guarantees I guess. My girl has had a couple of bouts of lameness after getting carried away (and like you, I was devastated!) but recovered over time and appears sound at this point. The thing I still see in her at times is a stiff-leggedness on rising, and some uncertainty when she runs which makes me believe that her joints just aren't 'right'...I guess there's a structural issue there. In any case, it is quite heartbreaking watching them when they aren't themselves, especially when you've done so much to try to get them right.

In an attempt to be proactive, I sounded my vet out about the long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Like you, I'd much rather not have to use any medication but my first priority is to have her as pain free as possible and from all the literature, NSAI appear to be very safe to use, particularly at a low dosage rate. I certainly won't hesitate if it comes to that.

As par for the course, my girl is on Joint Guard daily and will receive regular Pentosan injections. I'm keeping her lean and restricting her jumping activities wherever possible. Otherwise, she has returned to (albeit restricted) normal activities and is finally getting to act like a normal dog. Beyond that, it's a case of wait and see I guess.

Good luck.

w2s

[Poodle wrangler]

No medications are 100% guaranteed safe, just as no surgery can be guaranteed to be successful .

Anti-inflammatory medications CAN have some nasty side effects (e.g. bleeding from a stomach ulcer), but can also provide excellent pain relief.

Remember when Vioxx (a human anti-inflammatory) was taken off the market?

I know people who said they'd rather risk dropping dead prematurely because they got such good pain relief .

Talk over the medications with your vet.

I truly think it's cruel to withold pain relief from animals suffering pain.

Many dogs are quite stoic, so their pain is quite severe by the time they limp.

Keeping your dog lean involves no drugs and is one of the best things for joints.

[Mossie]

Thank you very much for all the advice. I did forget to mention that my girl has been receiving cartrophen injections monthly, daily glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil and cartrin (concentrated liquid cartilage) - all introduced as soon as she was diagnosed.

She is as lean as I can have her and I supplement her Royal Canin regularly with all the goodies people have been suggesting on these forums i.e. raw bones, yoghurt, grated apple, rolled oats soaked overnight, grated carrot and broccoli stems, etc.

I have already left a message with her vet regarding the gold beads and Ester C - and there is a bottle of Metacam on standby as well.

You have given me hope that perhaps - fingers and toes crossed - this is a temporary healing phase?!?!?!

[~Archie~]

Long term you can use Joint Guard, it is safe and it will really help her!

Also regular courses of pentosan/cartrophen injections too

[ashka1]

I have a dog that had OCD in the shoulder, had the surgery and still has problems and limps at times 12 months on . The human equivalent of Meticam is Mobic, way cheaper and the same meds, I have my boy on mobic as needed, it comes in 7.5 or 15mg capsules and he gets 2x 15mg per week every week and daily when he is bad, it helps. Fish oil, vitamin C (Ester C) and MSN, Crondoltin and glucosomine daily are also given as you are doing and I can certainly see a difference if he does not get his 'Extras"

Have a chat to your GP about Mobic, my mums doctor gives it to her own dog and recomended it to her for her boxer who is 13. I take it myself for injuries I have from a car accident and find it is much better on the stomach than alot of anti inflamitories I have had to use over the last 6 years.

[woody2shoes]

Thank you very much for all the advice. I did forget to mention that my girl has been receiving cartrophen injections monthly, daily glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil and cartrin (concentrated liquid cartilage) - all introduced as soon as she was diagnosed.

She is as lean as I can have her and I supplement her Royal Canin regularly with all the goodies people have been suggesting on these forums i.e. raw bones, yoghurt, grated apple, rolled oats soaked overnight, grated carrot and broccoli stems, etc.

I have already left a message with her vet regarding the gold beads and Ester C - and there is a bottle of Metacam on standby as well.

You have given me hope that perhaps - fingers and toes crossed - this is a temporary healing phase?!?!?!

Hi again Mossie,

There's no reason not to believe that this is all par of the healing process but whatever the outcome, rest easy knowing you're doing everything that's humanly possible to help your girl. Keep at it and don't lose heart.

w2s