Re: [pyrnet] New member of list has a health question...

[Mary Delmage <mary@ericnagler.com>]

Hi Barb and everyone else that has been kind enough to write to me about OCD,

I'm incredibly touched by  the amount and kindness of the responses to my 
post and I'm still processing them and checking out the websites etc. I'm 
feeling overwhelmed with all the info I'm getting about the various options 
(though very grateful to the members of this list for all the help and web 
site references).  At the moment I'm keeping Bear as still as possible, 
sometimes crated in the house, or tied up on a short chain outside (he gets 
so hot inside).  He's doing pretty well, he's so patient and such a sweetie.

His limp isn't very bad, just persistent, and he never seems to be in 
pain.  I'm hoping that we caught it early and that the OCD hadn't got very 
bad, but that really is wishful thinking.  Bear is a pet, and won't be used 
for breeding, showing or working so my main concern is that he doesn't 
suffer.  I think for the time being I'm going to go the conservative route 
of rest, with glucosamine and cross the bridges of continued lameness 
and/or arthritis when I come to them.

Barb, I get that your anxieties have been aroused again after reading some 
of the posts answering my query.  I hope things work out for you and your dogs.

All the best,

Mary.

At 09:38 AM 16/11/01 -0800, you wrote:
>We went with the conservative approach.  I remember how unsettling it was 
>to hear our vet say surgery was 'necessary'.  Rudy would put very little 
>weight on his bad leg on the bad days, but would stand w/ all 4 feet down 
>on the ground...the severity of the limp seemed directly correlated to how 
>hard he was bouncing around.
>
>Our Rudy (malnourished and abused rescue pup) had the same diagnosis.  It 
>was a huge deal, consulted 2 regular vets and a specialist.  All agreed 
>Rudy must have surgery immediately(not arthroscopic)!  We decided to just 
>chill for a month, cuz it would be major surgery.  We didn't crate him 
>(poor guy needed to shift about a little he was growing) but did keep him 
>in smaller areas and keep play gentle and controlled.  Lots of T-touch and 
>massage.  We did 1/2 dose of Rimadyl (nights only) on the bad days and 1/2 
>dose glycoflex every morning.  The limp was greatly reduced in a couple 
>weeks, and there was steady progress, then no limp, then no limp even 
>after exercise and now he can run w/ the big doggies and he's fine.
>
>
>Woofs,
>Barb H
>
>>
>>
>>I would follow the more conservative approach first and the most 
>>conservative approach is rest.  The addition of the Adequan may be 
>>warranted.  Genetics and diet seem to be the acknowledged most likely 
>>causes, but it is not really understood.  The good news is if you can 
>>limit the activity completely except for absolutely necessary movement 
>>and there is not joint damage already, it will most likely pass and the 
>>dog will be normal.
>>
>>...The supplementation of the food can either cause or make worse things 
>>like OCD and that was felt to be the case 25 years ago when we had to 
>>deal with it.  So just use a good brand of food that agrees with you 
>>pet.  Don't really supplement with a bunch of stuff as you may be 
>>upsetting the balance and causing problems.  Diets like the BARF are 
>>probably fine, but supplementing with calcium, etc., is bad.  This breed 
>>evolved very naturally over about 5 thousand years and worked very hard 
>>the whole time.  It probably got fed rather poorly along the way that 
>>mostly consisted of milk, grain, and maybe the occasional meat from a 
>>dead sheep or goat.
>>
>>Joe