Zydax

[Rochelle72]

Hi all,

I have booked in with the vet for next Saturday for Ellie our Labrador to have a booster shot of Zydax. She originally had cartrophen about 2 years ago as she was limping....at the time she was under 2 years old. So the vet suggested the cartrophen to see whether that helped. Which it did not seem to make any difference. So we went for the xrays........which at the same time I suggested they xray her hips to check for hip displaysia. Which they did and yes she has hip displaysia but with no signs of arthritis just yet that we would have to worry about......and then 18 months later another xray was taken (Apr this year) and they are still looking good. I then changed vets as the original vet didnt think I was doing the right thing by not operating on her partly torn crutiate ligament in her knee......the limping problem. The new vet was happy with me to wait and see what happens and to manage her pain etc.....so we started the zydax as they had had much better results for the joints with that. And sure enough, the limping stopped. The vet did say that it was highly possible that she would tear the ligament fully.I said well then we operate. She is a very active lab and we live on 3 acres so her weight is always around 32/33kgs, which is really good for both the knee and the hips. I'm very happy with zydax. Anyway she had a booster back in about March, which is what the vet recommended. I then received the reminder letter that she was due again and upon calling to make the appointment for what I was originally told would be booster shots every 6 months that now she would have to have the 4 weekly injections again! I have noticed upon reading other posts that it seems the norm to have the 4 x weekly shots but I am wondering if it is truly necessary in such a young dog with no signs of arthritis. As I said her hip xray was only 5 months ago. The reason we have been giving her the zydax is purely preventative measures. She also has glyde powder and glucosimine tablets. The xrays taken in April were because she had been run over! My poor little girl. The vehicle went over her hips and I thought for sure she had broken something but she got up and walked over to the bush to lie down. As it turned out she had not broken anything but we had to amputate her tail as it had been degloved. I was desperate to save the tail........as you all know Labs are goverened by their tails!!! But after a week of bandaging every couple of days she was in too much pain still so the decision was made to amputate. After a couple of days she was her usual happy self. She has about 10cm of tail....enough to cover the bits!!! And I am sure that the tail goes even faster now......no wind resistance now!!! And the cups on the coffee table are safe..mind you the other night she had backed up to the coffee table with the tail going a hundred miles an hour and it was hitting a cup!!! So it is still possible to knock things off!

So if anyone has any advise as to whether I should do the whole 4 injections again or just stick with the one shot then that would be great.

Rochelle

[mokhahouse]

I am sorry to hear of Ellies' troubles. Poor girl to loose her tail like that. Mokha is on Zydax and it was my understanding that the one shot a week was the initial dose then at intervals to be decided, in Mokhas case he has them monthly. I would have thought that she only needed the booster if six monthly was her treatment protocol. I would definately question the need to have the weekly shots again, given that you are using them as a preventative. It seems like overkill really. I suppose you really have the final say being the owner so if you dont wish to have the full course of shots it is your right to say so. I personally dont think that would be seen to be unreasonable.

[Rochelle72]

Thats sort of what I was thinking. I will just have to be firm with them. Damn vets think that you are terrible if you don't do what they say! She is not in any discomfort at the moment......that I can tell anyway......so I think we will go the booster and then see how she is in the next 6 months.

[Staranais]

I don't know much about Zydax, but my girl is on another formulation of Pentosan, and we were recommended to give it once a week for four weeks, every 4 - 6 months. So that's 8 to 12 doses per year.

Another vet I know suggested just doing it monthly, that is, 12 doses per year.

I would rather overdose than underdose on it since it seems fairly innocuous, isn't too expensive, and once you see the signs of DJD (arthritis) it's too late - you can't turn back the clock and cure it, you can only stop it progressing.

[Rappie]

The 'traditional' recommendation for the pentosan / cartrophen injections has been to complete then initial course, then give single injections at an arbitrary interval (3, 6 or however many months). The new information we have is that repeating the whole course is likely to be of greater benefit for long term management of joint problems (so full course once every 6-12 months).

[Staranais]

The 'traditional' recommendation for the pentosan / cartrophen injections has been to complete then initial course, then give single injections at an arbitrary interval (3, 6 or however many months). The new information we have is that repeating the whole course is likely to be of greater benefit for long term management of joint problems (so full course once every 6-12 months).

Thanks Rappie!

[mokhahouse]

The 'traditional' recommendation for the pentosan / cartrophen injections has been to complete then initial course, then give single injections at an arbitrary interval (3, 6 or however many months). The new information we have is that repeating the whole course is likely to be of greater benefit for long term management of joint problems (so full course once every 6-12 months).

Thanks for that info, I will have to bring it up with Mokhas vet too. He has been on the monthly injection schedule for a year now. Its hard to know which way to go but if that is the suggestion that would explain why Ellies vet suggested the four shots.