Spinal Arthritis - Updated

[Koemi]

About a month ago, I purchased my second dog from a shelter. Her name is Bambi and she means the world to me.

When I got her, she came with a clean bill of health apart from possible luxating patella. She was meant to be 5 years old.

Since I brought her home, her condition has spiraled. She has gone from being a happy, perky toy sized dog (we think pap x chi but honestly have no idea), to a dog with constantly weeping eyes, incontinence, throwing up, no energy, losing hair.

My wonderful housemates took her to the vet for me today, since I was working (I work sooo much ) and the vet suspects she has spondylosis (possibly spelt incorrectly). She has blocked eye glands (I think.. there's a more fancy term for this..) which aren't healing with drops, constantly blocked anal glands, and the vet hasn't found any reason for her coat loss and vomiting. I am scared to death about what to do. Over the next week or so, once I get the money out of my savings, I'm taking her for an x-ray for her spine, and a blood test to try and determine why she keeps voming. Her coat condition has gone to hell too.

When I got her home I kept her on the Science Diet the shelter was feeding her, but have gradually tried to change her food. I've now put her back on the SD, but I don't even know what type to feed her anymore since she's supposedly 5 but the vet said she's 8 or 9 and my work mates think the same (as do I). ARGH!! I'm scared of trying to add anything to her diet such as suppliments to help with the arthritis in case the diagnosis was either incorrect (but seems pretty spot on), or it makes her vomiting worse.

Has anyone had any experience with any of the above or just have some general advice for me? I am so worried for my poor little girl.

Here's a pic of her before she started going downhill.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Koemi

[Golden Rules]

She looks absolutely adorable! I can see why she'd be the light of your life!

My first dog came from a shelter and they told me he was about 5. We came to realise he was more likely 8 or 9 years old. I do wonder if they don't age them younger so they have a better chance at homing the dog

ANyway, for the spondylosis, I'd recommend some fish oil capsules as they are a natural anti inflammatory, and also some Glucosamine with Chondroitin (I use Nature's Way brand, 1500mg). You might have to start with just one fish oil cap per day until you can make sure it's not affecting her digestive system, and if she manages that, I'd increase it to 1 cap twice a day. These sorts of treatments often take a few weeks to show best effect so don't expect miracles overnight.

Re the vomitting and hairloss - your vet is best to try and work out what is going on there. Have you checked that she's not eating any plants or weeds outside?

Considering she appeared happy and healthy when you first got her, and these illnesses have appeared since then, it makes one wonder if she is having a reaction to something in her new home, whether it be a chemical (eg something you wash the floor with) or something in the garden she has access to.

I hope you get it all sorted anyway. SHe's one lucky dog to find such a good owner!

[goldens]

Such a beautiful litttle girl. I certainly hope you can get a handle n her problems and get them cleared up.

[Kelly_Louise]

Bambi is the most adorable little thing. I do hope that her health issues get sorted quickly.

Regarding the vomitting/hair and coat issues.... have you noticed anything different with her eating/drinking/urination patterns? It could be any number of things from a UTI to something more sinister.... which we all hope it is not.

I use Sasha's Blend for relief of arthritis (along with Cartrophen injections) and they have kept Chloe's complaints under control for the last few years. Sasha's Blend/Joint Guard or some other joint supplement should not hurt your girl, and you may hopefully see a slight improvement.

Hopefully a few tests will indicate all her problems and you can get her on the mend. She's a lovely little girl, I can see how she stole your heart.

Take care.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Kelly_Louise

[Koemi]

Thank you for your kind words and advice.

She has been given a metacam injection, which has helped a LOT. She's now back to climbing the couch so she can sleep on the top like a cat (she's so funny, half cat half dog). I'll go and pick up some fish oil capsules from the chemist tomorrow, unless there is a certain type I should be getting for dogs..? I have no idea when it comes to things like this, Tucker is as solid as a rock, apart from a couple of unrepeated issues.

ArtyFarty: we don't have any plants in our backyard apart from some bushes/trees that she has no interest in eating at all. When we walk, we walk side by side and she does nothing apart from the occasional sniff (she's very people focused, her last owner was a dog hoarder so she mustn't have received much attention). If I let her off lead she leaps onto my lap and doesn't move, so I don't know where she could be finding anything dodgy to eat! It could be cleaning products, I'll have a poke around and see what we're using...

Kelly_Louise: Is Sasha's Blend like shark cartilage? I've read that ground up shark is good for arthritis, but if this is something different, it's worth a try anyway. When it comes to going to the toilet she's not very reliable. She doesn't exactly dribble all over the house but will run and hide under a piece of furniture/tree etc and do a tiny amount of business before running away and going somewhere else. I don't know if that's because she was abused for toileting inside or if she has some type of incontinence! It's so hard when you don't know the dog's previous medical history and something goes wrong. She drinks a LOT of water but doesn't seem to urinate so much. Although I could be saying that because my other dog is a boy and I'm used to him whizzing on anything new.

I've temporarily put her on Innova (vet recommendation, sigh, I feel like I've sold my soul) since she won't eat raw and so far she hasn't thrown up tonight! So another question - is there an equivalent to Innova that doesn't come from PP that I can use? Preferably one I can order online since I don't have a car at the moment? It's sooo expensive ($40 a bag aahhhh) but at least she'll eat it. Sigh. It needs to be a food that caters specifically to seniors. I don't mind how much the food costs, as long as it's not like, $100 a kilo. I gotta eat too!

[Perry's Mum]

My dog has arthritis and I give her one of my fish oil capsules every day (1000mg) from the supermarket and Joint Guard - Pet Barn (on line) is the cheapest place I have found for the Joint Guard.

She may not like raw food but have you tried her on home cooked food? I give Perry a mix of meat or fish cooked with rice or pasta and vegetables (one third of each) cooked in stock and she loves it. If I make a roast she gets some of that with vegetables. She is doing much better on this than she was on BARF or any kibble I have tried.

[Golden Rules]

An excellent food with lots of good stuff in it is Ziwipeak - it's about $28 a kilo bag, but no grains in it and I have never had a dog turn it down. I use it as treats instead of food but for a wee dog like yours, she wouldn't eat much.

[New Age Outlaw]

You could also try some Traumeel which is a natural (homeopathic) anti-inflammatory.

[becks]

One of my giants has spondylosis, her x-ray showed she has bone growth from just behind her withers to the end of her tail (thankfully that was docked as a pup, as it is now fused into a fixed position, high enough to still allow her to toilet).

The main thing with this condition is to stop any impacts, like jumping of high surfaces. don't try to get the dog to twist or bend as this is something they become unable to do as the joints become fused.

High vitamin A diets can cause this (lots of liver for eg) or it can be genetic, it is seen a lot in Boxers.

My dog is not in any pain with it, so has no need for any supplements.

[Kelly_Louise]

Yep Sasha's Blend has some sort of cartilage I think, and green lipped mussells etc. I also bought some Osteocare biscuits that have cartilage in it as well. Not sure about these or how effective they are, but my girls love them. Very good for joints, or so it has been for Chloe - and none of her legs are much chop... so it gets her though. I found that the best thing is Cartrophen injections, usually once a week for four weeks will get her through literally months of freer movement.

The reason I ask about toileting is that my girl also out of nowhere starting drinking ALOT, urinating excessively, and showed signs of incontinence that she'd NEVER done before, and her belly bloated. Her coat went downhill and her skin starting drying and pigmenting to a blackish colour. She was later diagnosed with Cushings... I think when they get to this age, there symptoms should be looked at as a whole, instead of random 'age related' problems.

Only a vet would probably be able to tell you for sure.

I hope she feels better soon. She's so lovely.

[dogbesotted]

I was just about to suggest a full blood panel plus full thyroid ( not just T4)..

several rescue dugs i have had have developed thyroid problems .. casper had shocking eyes and ears, lack of energy, his coat fell out his skin later became greasy.....

and he was treated by vet for a chronic eye infection for over 12 months and thyroid was never mentioned. Once he started on his meds the improvement was rapid and amazing.

yep I know i am thyroid fixated.

H