Gordie Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hey guys, I have some bad news... Just got back from the Vet (as I've been concerned about Gordie, my Great Dane) and the vet has confirmed my suspicions that Gord's either had hip dysplasia or Wobbler's Syndrome. I read up a lot on Wobbler's before going as this was my suspicion also. Has anyone gone through Wobbler's before and be able to give me some information? Also, I'm very interested in acupuncture and gold bead therapy as treatments. I've read a lot of good things about them but they were all from US sites. Doe's anyone know of Gold bead therapy being used in Australia? Your help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Have heard about golde bead therapy, but don't know about it's availability here. Put your dog on large doses of vit c, at least 2 or 3 times a day, to reduce inflammation of the spinal cord and help the nervous system function a bit better. Exercise must be gentle too, so as not to damage the spinal cord further. Steroids also are used to reduce inflammation, but of course these have serious side effects that have to be weighed up. I would also contact Diana Hayes - we have used her Skeletal Aid and other bone and joint remedies to great effect on the horses and ourselves - she would probably have something that would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Try and see a good dog chiro too, just in case. Its either HD or wobblers, not sure how he cant be sure...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Its either HD or wobblers, not sure how he cant be sure...? I wondered that too, R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 yep, just make sure they have take a good set of xrays before worrying you with guess work. Its very hard to treat when you dont know what to treat. All the best of luck with your bigun.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordie Posted November 26, 2006 Author Share Posted November 26, 2006 Well, I couldn't get Gord's to my vet on the weekend, so I had to take him to another one. I had already spoken to my vet and he had told me most likely Wobbler's. But i didn't have my dogs with me (they were visiting with their father) and my vet was away for the weekend. The vet i went to see said it's either HD or Wobbler's, or both. He can't diagnose for sure until he's had the scans done. He needs to have x-rays and a myelogram. But in order to have the myelogram done, I have to go to an orthopaedic vet. As both of these scans require anasthesia, it's probably best to have them done at once, so that's why I said I wasn't sure. From everything I've read and what I have discussed with my vet, he most likely has Wobbler's. But they still have to rule out HD just in case. The vet gave Gordie a painkiller injection and gave me some anti-inflammatory meds in the meantime and he seems to have responded well to those. He seems a bit better today. Jade seems to know her big bro isn't well and doesn't bother him quite so much as she used to. She seems to sense his limits and doesn't push him. They've had a rough few months. I left my husband and the four of us (cat, freddy too) moved to the country to live with my parents. They've adjusted well. They love the sheep and running around on the farm. Dad's Kelpies still don't really like them, but they've moved onto the tolerance level. Thanks for your well wishes. Hopefully Gordie's condition will improve. I've near to certainly dismissed surgery as a viable treatment option. He's most probably got Wobbler's Syndrome and from what I've read, the success for the surgeries aren't fantastic. He'd be in a lot of pain (they remove part of the spinal cord), are not allowed much activity and must be kept away from other dogs. They'd both go mad... and I don't want that for either of them. Acupuncture therapy sounds like the only option. It has fairly good results, but is a continuous therapy. Hopefully I can find someone who does Gold bead therapy. It invovles implanting gold beads at acupuncture points along the spine and works in much the same way as acupuncture. However, unlike acupuncture, this is a permament option. From what I've read this treatment can have miraculous results, with less pain, hospitalisation and restriction on the dogs activity. I just hope I can find it in Australia. Thanks again for all your help, I'll keep up the search. Bea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Dont be too worried just yet as I said, he may just have a pinched nerve, believe me, vets have diagnosed all sorts of weird and wonderful things and its merely been a disc problem or pinching nerve or tendon. I'd still consult a Chiro if you can find a good one in Vic....perhaps someone could recommend one to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimjm Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 (edited) We have treated quite a few dobbies and danes with wobblers at Dogs In Motion. If you are not going to go ahead with the myleogram I would be careful about seeing a chiro if you do ENSURE they are a vet chiro like Barry Haywood or Ray at Monash. Of course we would also be happy to see you and see how we can help your baby. Check out our web site www.dogsinmotion.com.au Edited November 28, 2006 by kimjm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordie Posted December 3, 2006 Author Share Posted December 3, 2006 Hey guys, Well, Gords and I took a trip down to the Melb Uni Vet Clinic in Werribee on Friday. Gordie had a thorough assessment and hip dyspasia and any joint problems were ruled out. So that left Wobblers... Gordie got booked in for x-rays, a ct scan and a myelogram that day because there had been a cancellation. I was so scared for him. I'd read a lot about myelograms and the side effects or possibility of seizures. My old vet had told me to ask if they could do a MRI instead, but the vet assured me that the reaction was uncommon and that a MRI wouldn't be able to give results as conclusive as the myelogram. So I booked him in. I was so scared and wasn't really prepared for it (they had told me they could only fit in a consultation). But I figured it was best to see exactly what we're dealing with asap, so I can look into treatment asap. and Gord's couldn't be diagnosed without the tests... Well he made it through ok. Although the vet scared me by waiting until 6pm to call when he was meant to at 4pm... He has a malformation between the 6th and 7th vertebrae at the base of neck. However, I won't know the extent of the problem until Monday when he gets the CT results. From the myelogram, he has compression from the bottom of the spinal cord, however the CT will show if it is being compressed from the sides as well. If it is he won't be a surgical candidate. The good news is that he is not in pain. Also, from the xrays and myelogram, the vet says the compression looks a lot less than most he has seen. Gords has been a bit worse for wear for the last few days. I picked him up Saturday morning. The vet said he would be slightly worse than he was for the next few days. Well, he seems a lot worse! He can't stand up straight anymore and has a lot of trouble putting weight on his back legs. I have to lift him into his doggie cage (no easy feat) which is only about 15cm from the ground. But he is better today than yesterday, so fingers crossed he recovers more. I've had to keep him separated from Jade. Which is torture, for all, because she whinges like crazy! But she jumps too much around him and gets him too excited. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Cheers, Bea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Oh god, i really hope he is ok. I havnt heard good things about myelograms. My friends bitch couldnt walk after having one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aequus Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Gordie, I know someone who's dog was suffering wobblers and the outlook was bleak, the dog was unable to move around much at all. Enquiries were made into the gold bead treatment and a vet was found in country NSW who did the surgery, no guarantee's were made but it was an option . This same dog is now walking I believe 2km every morning & complaining if he misses out!! I'd be happy to see if these people would speak to you or at least get the name of the vet if you want, just pm me. Sorry to hear of your boy's troubles & wishing him a pain free road to recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimjm Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hi hope all is going ok check out the case studies on our web site we do not have any dogs with wobblers but there is a dog nicky who went through neck surgery. www.dogsinmotion.com.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 There is a great chiro in Werribee, near the vet hospital Dr Potter Potter Chiropractic Centre 320 Heaths Rd Hoppers Crossing 3029 (03) 9974 1991 My DDB was very lame, and turned out he had injured his back which prevented him using his hind legs properly. With Chiro and stretching exercises he is now doing great! He's an animal and human chiro, very understanding and positive. If you need someone to drive you and help transport Gordie around my station wagon is at your disposal as I leave in Hoppers Crossing Hugs and well wishes!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapvic Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Ian Bidstrupp is a fantastic chiro and he does the gold bead implants. The only difficulty you may face is that he is located in Wangaratta and is very hard to get into... I'm not actually sure if he is taking on any new clients. Don't have his number to hand but if you Google him you'll find it. Kind regards Larissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityslicker Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 (edited) Hey guys,I have some bad news... Just got back from the Vet (as I've been concerned about Gordie, my Great Dane) and the vet has confirmed my suspicions that Gord's either had hip dysplasia or Wobbler's Syndrome. I read up a lot on Wobbler's before going as this was my suspicion also. Has anyone gone through Wobbler's before and be able to give me some information? Also, I'm very interested in acupuncture and gold bead therapy as treatments. I've read a lot of good things about them but they were all from US sites. Doe's anyone know of Gold bead therapy being used in Australia? Your help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bea. Sorry to hear about Gordies problems. If you are looking for a good Vet, try Dr Ann Nevill - South Road Animal Health - Natural Therapies and Conventional Vet Medicine, Ph 9555 1899 at East Bentleigh (formerly called Moorabbin). Her healing hands helped a Dobermann with Wobblers and got him moving again. Edited December 5, 2006 by cityslicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordie Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Hey guys, Thanks heaps for all your supportive messages. This week has been a very hard one for me, and even harder is the fact that i need to make a decision asap... Everyone I have spoken to has basically told me GB therapy can only be used as adjuct therapy to the surgery and i had almost resigned myself to the fact that it would be surgery or nothing... I don't think it has really taken off in Australia like it has in the US, and all the specialists and vets I speak to deny there is any research out there that encourages it as treatment by itself! Whereas, all the information I could find on the net simply contradicts this...! argh! I was really at a loss this week, thinking the only thing i could do to save my baby was to put him through that horrible surgery... that is something i would have a hard choice deciding to do, but at the same time, i don't think i could say goodbye to Gordie without having tried everything i possibly could... I'm still looking into GB therapy, thanks heaps for all your leads. If that doesn't work i guess i'll have to go ahead with the surgery... its expensive and invasive, but i don't think i could forgive myself if i didn't do as much as i could for gordie. i don't want to be selfish but Gords means everything to me and i can't just give up. they tell me with the surgery he won't be able to be active for at least 3 months and have to go back for monthly scans to see if he's going ok... i'm worried if i have to do this... it's taken him a week to recover from the myelogram and even now he's not back to what he was before it... on top of that, i'm not exactly cashed up at the moment, but if that's the only option... "ce la vie". I'm still trying to get advice form as many people as possible, thankyou all for your leads and messages of support and hope. I hope i can find someone who can help me make a deciion that i'm happy with. Thank you so much, Bea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimjm Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Hi hope things are a little better for you today. Before you go ahead with any surgery please can you message me so I can put you in contact with our animal physio, just to ensure you have all the info you need before proceeding. I feel this will make things alot easier for you if you progress to surgery and then rehab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSSFACE Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Our vet in Dubbo NSW, does the gold beading. If you would like his details just PM me. Hope all goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaldosDad Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Gordie, I just got back from Dr Potter in Hoppers crossing with my 10 month old Great Dane Taylor........ She pulled up horribly lame 3 days ago. I was desparate to get her to Barry Heywood, No Good.... Tried Ray Furguson... No Good They are both booked until forever. I can now heartily reccoment Brad Potter....... and for the sake of $42 what can you lose? Brad is more than competent and a nice bloke Give hime a try..... WaldosDad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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