Elbow Dysplasia

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yipster

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Bit of a long story – hope I don’t waffle on too much!....
My 8 month Labrador, Freddie, has Elbow dysplasia. He became about 2/10 lame in his front left leg when he was just 4 months old, which dispite Rimydal and rest got progressively worse until he was about 6/10 lame. After much investigation by our vets we were referred to a specialist who immediately took Fred in for an arthroscopy. He was diagnosed with OCD and had 3 bone fragments removed from the elbow joint.
It’s been 7 weeks now and despite sticking religiously to the advice of the specialist, he doesn’t seem to be improving. A mass of fluid formed on the outside of his elbow (about the size of a ping pong ball) 2 weeks after surgery.....neither the specialist or my own vet will do anything about it even though this is increasing the pressure on his poorly joint. I do understand why but am just frustrated that something else is now hindering his recovery. Also he’s still not weight bearing on the leg either.
He’s been so brave, never sorry for himself and always full of love and kisses for everyone. I feel awful that his life at the mo is just confined to one room and mostly spent in a crate. He can’t even have his toys as he gets too excited and bounces around hurting his leg. He starts Hydro therapy next week but the specialist said not to pin our hopes on it too much...
Basically I’m heartbroken. I love my little boy so much and just want him to have the happy, pain free life he deserves. I guess all this rambling is so that I can ask if anyone else has been through this and come out the other side. Any advice, recommendations or just other people’s stories would be good.
 
Sorry can't help you with that one. My rottie has mild elbow dysplacia but doesn't really affect her too much. I do know these things take time to improve. Above mentioned dog damaged her shoulder tearing about like a loon and it took about 8 weeks to heal but there was noticeable changes from about 4 weeks. Have you discussed your concerns with your vet?
 
My staffie (in siggy) has elbow dysplasia in both legs, we had same surgery on both legs & he's absolutely fine now. He has a funny sort of gait but it doesn't seem to bother him at all. He was put on Previcox (1/2 tablet daily), I gradually weaned him off these and now only give him one as and when he needs one. His surgery was a year ago and he was 2 years old then.

My little boy is back in there today having done his crutiate ligament in. Vets have just rung to say he's out of surgery and all went well. He'll be home tomorrow night hopefully.

Why won't your vets do anything about the fluid build up? What reason have they given you?
 
I am so sorry - my lab has OCD too in both elbows.

He also went lame at a very young age in one leg, lots of vets and consultations later and I was offered keyhole surgery at a huge price, with a not very good success rate and of course the possibility that it would appear in the other leg anyway and it did. The whole thing was terribly stressful and upsetting - I would never buy another lab without both parents being elbow tested as with hips and eyes.

He has been helped enormously by regular cartrophen injections, although he does have a stilted gait, he doesn't appear to be very stiff unless he does a lot of road work or jumps in and out of a high up truck.

He is now five, he is a working gun dog at least once/twice a week from Sept to Jan and the rest of year he comes riding most days. We did have a spell earlier on when I thought the Cartrophen wasn't working so well - but a booster brought him right again.

I may well be criticised for treating him like a normal dog, but I would much rather this and give him the best and most active home that he was bred for.

I am not expecting Toby to make old bones and I dread the day he can't go shooting anymore - he will be devasted.
 
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Why won't your vets do anything about the fluid build up? What reason have they given you?

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Both vet and specialist think it's just synovial fluid and therefore harmless. Draining the fluid would open up his joint to infection and chances are the pouch would refill in a day or so anyway, so the releif would only be termporary. Very frustrating because from my point of veiw the fluid isn't normal and can only be hindering his progress???

Sending lots of healing vibes to your lovely boy for a speedy recovery
 
Thanks for your reply Ravenwood. I'd love Fred to have a normalish life like your boys got.

The rubbish thing is both Freds parents had hip scores of 4:4 and 2:2 and elbow scores of 0......i guess he's just unlucky bless him.
 
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The rubbish thing is both Freds parents had hip scores of 4:4 and 2:2 and elbow scores of 0......i guess he's just unlucky bless him.

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Oh - that is very disappointing then. I really researched it back then and it does appear to effect the males more than bitches.

Infact, my best friend bred Toby and kept his sister with whom she wanted to carry on her line. This bitch has never showed any signs of lameness at all but she did have her elbow tested because of Toby and she failed miserably! Therefore she has had the bitch spayed - pity not all breeders are so honest.

You may find that your dog reaches a certain level and then stabilises - it doesn't always get progressively worse and I really recommend the Cartrophen injections as they help to rebuild the cartiledge.

Its such a struggle to keep weight off a lab but it helps to keep him lean, obviously.

Some days (especially after shooting) I give him a bit of Devil's Claw but obviously (again) this just relieves any stiffness and mask pain.

Good luck with Fred - its not all doom and gloom, you will find something that works for him.

Please feel free to PM me at any time.
 
Thanks for your advice - it's really appreciated. Makes me feel like we're not so alone with our problems.

Will be speaking to my vet asap re the cartrophen and may also get some devils claw for any 'bad days'.

Thanks again
 
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Do you have him on any joint supplements?

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He's on Seraquin, cod liver oil and has oily fish twice a week. He also wears a bio-flow magnetic collar.

If you can recommend anthing else then i'd definitely give it a go. I'll try anything to help Fred.
 
I started him on canine cortaflex but now buy from Holland & Barrett straight glucosimine although it doesn't have the chondroitin (sp). I also have him on turmeric, again from H&B as it has anti inflammatory in it (used a lot in curries)! I can't be 100% any supplement works but it doesn't do them any harm, fish oil too. I opted against the cod liver oil as I thought he'd be getting too much vitamin A.

I also have a bioflow collar but he doesn't really like wearing it, scratches constantly. We did take him swimming for a little while too but again he didn't really like it but hydrotherapy has done wonders for some dogs I know.

Here's Blue at his with his therapist (pool a bit small really but they've just built a much bigger one to encourage mummies & daddies to go in too), he loved to keep stopping for cuddles:

blue_swimming_016.jpg
 
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