OCD on working dog - different options

[INU]

Hope you don't mind me posting here instead of health section. I'd like to get as much input as possible.

 

I posted about Cooper's shoulders a while back. He gets sore after training and it was getting more obvious. He usually recovers quickly. Last time I took him to get x-rays done, my vet suggested to wait as it wasn't that severe. He gave me some Zubrin and he's been on glucosamine/V-E/V-C and amino acids. The day after I took him to the full day daycare, he was so sore and could't even walk for a few days. Last night they took x-rays of his hips and shoulders. hips look amazing but he has OCD on both shoulders. He suggested giving him stronger Chondrotin and Glucosamine (probably cosequin?) and not to do surgery at this point. I told him that I wanted to do my research first. I requested copies of the x-rays so that I can get second opinion from orthopeditian and my team vet. I was reading up online last night and today and found some good information.

 

OCD link

 

On this page, they suggest trying to rest the dog for 4-6 weeks without medication. Some dogs heal on their own. If that fails, then exercise the dog mildly for 2 weeks. Sometimes the flaps break off when exercise moderately. I was thinking I could take him to indoor swimming. If that doesn't help, we are going to do a surgery. It sounds like it's a straightforward process and very little complication. Then we can put him on cosequin to repair the cartilage.

 

My vet is very conservative. It would be okay to follow his suggestion if Cooper was a companion dog and not so hyper. He needs to work/play hard or he will be very unhappy. I was planning on joining the FEMA team (my immigration process is going well) next year and I need to make sure he can perform on the rubbles. I was told there were disaster dogs that had OCD. I need to find out if they continued working after surgery or they had to retire. Climbing up the rubble pile can give a lot of stress on the joints. So if disaster doesn't work, he can still continue doing wilderness work.

 

Anybody did OCD surgery on your dog? I'd be curious to know more about the working dogs that had the surgery. Can this reoccur after surgery? Any input is appreciated.

[Lenajo]

How old is the dog in question?

 

I've had really good luck with Adequen injections for rescues/pet dogs that come in with this problem. I still, and have, use the Adequen if it was to be a working dog, but I'd be considering surgery to clean up the joint as well. The complications of arthritis if it's not done, especially in later years, can shorten working lifespan.

 

#1 thing is to get a board certified, experienced orthropedic vet to evaluate and if needed do the surgery. Preferably one with lots of experience with working dogs. Some general vets think they can, but they overstep their bounds and knowledge of the situation and can do unnecessary surgery at best, cause harm at worst.

 

#2 is almost as important as number one, if not more. If you chose surgery you *must* be prepared for 6 weeks of crate rest and super limited activity after . While the joint is raw from the scraping to remove the damaged cartilage it is highly succeptible to permanent injury if the dog is allowed to challange it in any way. One leap off the couch, and that leg will never be right. Tough love must apply, and if you can't do it, don't bother to do surgery.

 

I've put 3 dogs through the Adequen only, and they are happy, healthy sound pets years later. I've put q young working prospect through it at 9 months and 3 years later I wish I'd done both legs (one was mild, the other severe). He has started to show signs of arthritic limping in the mild shoulder while the repaired shoulder is sound. It was a toss up at the time about doing the mild leg, and I chose not to spend the cash because they vet thought it would be fine on that side without it.

[INU]

How old is the dog in question?

 

I've had really good luck with Adequen injections for rescues/pet dogs that come in with this problem. I still, and have, use the Adequen if it was to be a working dog, but I'd be considering surgery to clean up the joint as well. The complications of arthritis if it's not done, especially in later years, can shorten working lifespan.

 

Thank you for the great input. That's a good enough reason for me to do the surgery. I'd rather do this now before he gets much older too. He is over 4 years old.

[jvw]

There is a doctor at Michigan State doing OCD surgery orthrescopically (sp??) and she will do both shoulders at the same time. I know two dogs who have had the surgery there and they are VERY happy with the progress.

 

Jennifer

[INU]

How do I find list of board certified specialists??

[Mojo]

So sorry to hear about your boy's shoulders. I remember your original post.

Here you go:

 

American College of Veterinary Surgery

 

Diplomate (i.e., board-certified) specialist lookup by region:

 

http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/DiplomateDirectory/

[INU]

Thank you.

On the list I found a doctor who operated on some of the SAR dogs I know. I will see if I can get a referal to him.

[INU]

I had a radiologist look at his x-rays and he says it's not OCD. This morning I took Cooper to a board cert. ortho doctor. He agrees it's not OCD. But there is something wrong with his right shoulder. It was hard for the doctor to see where it hurts because Cooper tolerates pain so much. I could see his tail stiffins and eyes dialate when it hurts but that was it. The Dr. said he was used to dogs that try to bite or cry when he manipulate the sore spot. He doesn't know what is wrong so he wants to do MRI, ultrasound and bone scan diagnoses then arthroscopy and ultrasound treatments every 3-6 weeks. If that doesn't fix, then more invasive surgery. First portion is $3600 (but he'll give me $500 discount because the company that makes the ultrasound would use this case for their study). He said no running or working until he's fixed.

 

What bothers me is that we still don't know what it is. He says it could be in one of his ligaments around the joint. I applied for their credit card but I decided not to schedule it just yet. I want to spend the borrowed money on the best option available and I want to do some more research on it. If this is tear in ligament or tendonitis, would it still require this kind of treatment or can they be healed on its own? I'm going to see if my vet can do MRI/Ultrasound since I get pretty good discount there. If it was something like hip dysplacia or OCD, I would have scheduled the surgery there today but if it's a possible injury in his tissue, do you still recommend that I take him to specialist??

 

I took him to a big park yesterday. He hadn't run for weeks but the doctor suggested that I exercise him before bringing him in so that it's easier to diagnose. I released him to play, but he immediately went to work looking for a 'victim'. I had to call him off when he thought the cyclist was a victim. He was so happy to 'work' but he limped all night. If he could talk, he'd have said "oh well, it was worth it" ! Back to square one...but at least we know where it hurts and that it's not his bones.