My dog has elbow dysplasia. What treatments are beyond current meds?

Treatment depends on the severity of the elbow dysplasia. In most cases, surgery is the recommended treatment, but the vet may try medical management if the problem is very mild or so severe that the joint is not likely to benefit from routine surgery. Bailey would need to be evaluated by a vet to determine what course of treatment would be best for his elbow dysplasia. Best of luck.

I do see some abnormal opacity in the elbow joint where the arrow is, so I would have to agree with your vet here. It is not possible to zoom in on x-rays that are copied here however, so its best to get a copy of the x-rays on a CD and then having them reviewed by a 2nd opinion doctor that way. Or you can ask your vet to send these to a radiologist who is well trained on picking up on small details that the untrained eye can miss. Another option is to treat medically for a minimum of 2 weeks, and if there is no improvement, then you know that is not just a muscle sprain or mild injury, and that elbow dysplasia is more likely the underlying cause. Doing a process of elimination, while still treating the pets pain, is a common thing that owners do when they are looking for a more conservative approach. If this is indeed elbow dysplasia, then I would recommend a referral to an orthopedic specialist if you want to pursue treatment. Treatment for this condition is often surgery. Poor guy. I hope that you can get him some relief soon. Best wishes and take care!

Poor Rocco! There are many treatment options for managing hip dysplasia in dogs. I'm not sure what kind of medication he's currently taking, but many dogs with this problem benefit from a combination of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like Rimadyl or Previcox along with a pain medication like tramadol and/or gabapentin. Glucosamine/chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements have also been shown to be helpful in many cases, and can safely be given with all of the above medications. Finally, adjunct treatment options like laser therapy and acupuncture can also be very helpful for some dogs with hip dysplasia. I would recommend talking with your vet about these options to see what they would suggest as the next step for Rocco.

I would consider at his age a referral to a veterinary surgeon to discuss any surgical options particularly for his hips. This might delay the onset of arthritis in the future. Depending on what's causing his elbow dysplasia surgery may be an option there as well. You could also get the advice of a surgeon as to which is more likely to cause issues the elbows are the hips. I would also recommend starting him on a joint supplement now and potentially omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. All supplements and physical therapy are great surgery might be your best bet at long-term comfort.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Thankfully panosteitis is a self limiting disease and will resolve. The hip / elbow dysplasia can be quite uncomfortable and may need surgical intervention if severe enough by an orthopedic surgeon. NSAIDs are ok to give short term but long term is where you may see liver damage. I always start with a conservative approach for arthritis / joint discomfort. Below are the products I would recommend for Rogue and starting these early may be beneficial in the long run. Some of these products you will only be able to purchase from your vet. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Fish Oil- Wellactin- Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) is recommended for arthritis. This is especially important with arthritis patients with kidney disease. Very safe, in overdosage may cause acid reflux or diarrhea. If used in very high doses (especially with aspirin products) may cause prolonged bleeding. Dose is generally 100 mg per 10 pounds. 2. Glycoflex- Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplements are beneficial for multiple types of arthritis and appear to aid in cartilage health. Generally 100 mg/ 10 pounds of body weight is the recommended dosing for glucosamine. Glucosamine products should be used cautiously with diabetic patients. 3. Cetyl-M- This joint supplement uses Cetyl Myristoleate as the main ingredient. This supplement helps in lubricating the joints. This is highly recommended for hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, and carpus arthritis. This supplement is very effective for arthritis/tendon sheath pain. This is commonly used for animals that are chewing over a joint. 4. Duralactin- This product uses milk proteins to reduce inflammation in the body. This product is very safe and has been used in most species of animals with almost no side effects. This is highly recommended for back arthritis/pain. 5. Niacinamide- This is one of the B vitamins and appears to help with arthritis- the dose is 500 mg for dogs over 25 pounds, and 250 mg under 25 pounds. Give the dose 3 times per day. This product is very safe and inexpensive. 6. Adequan Injections - This is an injectable product that can help especially with spinal arthritis in many species of animals. This is an injectable form of chondroitin and works much more rapidly than oral forms of chondroitin. Should not be used with bleeding disorders. This injection is given every 1-4 weeks to help with arthritis. LIFESTYLE CHANGES - Weight loss and exercise are critical to the management of arthritis. If your pet is overweight, changes such as decreasing treats, changing to a diet or prescription weight-loss food, and increasing the amount of low-impact exercise such as swimming, will help to decrease pain and support the joints. PRESCRIPTION DIET - Prescription formulation diets are recommended to provide fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin and other supplements. This is an especially good option for patients that may be difficult to medicate. Royal Canin Mobility Support and Hills j/d are excellent options for joint supplementation. Reevaluate how much food you are giving each day as these foods are high in fat (fish oil) and may cause weight gain. COLD LASER THERAPY- These treatments stimulate stem cells to re-activate and continue the healing process. This also appears to aid in blood flow and reduce muscle spasms in the area. These treatments are performed weekly for one month, then once monthly as needed. These especially help during the cold winter months when arthritis flairs up. ACUPUNCTURE- can be used to stimulate blood flow and pain release with arthritis.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Hygroma when they get this big can be difficult to treat. The first step is to prevent further trauma by providing adequate bedding such as memory foam or something else with extra padding. The hygroma likely needs to be drained and have him placed on antibiotics. Along with that, an anti inflammatory and antibiotic as well as warm compresses applied to the leg can be beneficial. Cold laser therapy is also a treatment to consider but not all clinics have this treatment option available. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

I would suggest asking your vet for more potent treatments if he is having this hard of a time getting around. Poor guy. : ( The best treatment for severe degnerative joint disease is by giving your pet multple medications. Adequan injections are a top of the line treatment that your vet should hvae in the clinic. Ask about pricing and dosage frequencies associated with this medication. It helps with pain and inflammation and appropriate fluid in the joint space. Also your pet should be on 1-2 pain medications, including Rimadyl and Tramadol. All of these medications work well together to help control pain and inflammaiton. And lastly you should consider getting Stew on a joint supplement. My top pick here is Dasuquin joint supplements found on Amazon.com. It contains 3 ingredients: glucosamine, MSM and chondroitin, which all help support the joint and cartilage. Multiple drug treatment for dogs with degnerative joint disease is a staple for pets and often is the most successful versus just relying on just one medication. They all work synergistically with each other and can help achieve decent mobility for your pet. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951467 Best wishes with Stew moving forward. I hope that he is able to gain the majority of his mobility back soon! Take care.