Search Results for: blog treating hip dysplasia

Surgery for Hip Dysplasia

There are four different surgeries available to treat hip dysplasia. Pectineus tenotomy is now thought of as an obsolete procedure, though it was popular in the 1970s. The surgery cut a section of the pectineus tendon and/or muscle, and seemed to provide relief from pain. However, the relief was only temporary in many patients. Femoral head excision continues to be a popular surgical option, especially in dogs that weigh forty-five pounds or less. In this surgery, the head of the thigh bone (the femora) that fits in the hip socket is removed. A piece of muscle or joint tissue is … Continue reading →

Heat for Healing

Heat is a great natural healer. For pets with arthritis, hip dysplasia, and other joint conditions, heat can make the difference between a stiff, painful morning and an easy start to the day. A friend of mine takes her older dog into the sauna in the mornings to help loosen things up! Be careful! Electrical sources of heat like heat lamps and heating pads can be dangerous to your pet. These heat sources can burn the skin — so never apply them directly to your pet. Always supervise your pet when using an electrical heat source. Gentler heating sources are … Continue reading →

One Year after Moose’s Car Accident

Today is just a few days past the one year mark of the day Moose slipped his collar, ran off after a cat, and got hit by a landscaping truck. What a year it’s been! I still get a twinge of guilt sometimes, looking at his little tail-less butt and thinking that I could have gotten a harness sooner, or somehow stopped him from darting off after the cat in the bushes. Looking at pictures of Moose before the accident gives me a little pang, too. Over the course of the year, Moose has started twitching his tail muscles when … Continue reading →

Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Humans

Over in the Pets Blog, I’ve been talking quite a bit about glucosamine and chondroitin for pets with joint issues like arthritis and hip dysplasia. But glucosamine and chondroitin can be helpful for humans with joint issues, too! Glucosamine and chondroitin are part of normal, healthy cartilage — the stuff that acts as a cushion between the bones in a joint. They are available separately or together in tablet, powder, and liquid form. Glucosamine naturally occurs in the shells of shellfish and is also available in synthetic forms. Chondroitin occurs naturally in some animal cartilage and can also be synthesized … Continue reading →

Looking Backward: Shashi

When I was a very little girl, my mother still had her German shepherd dog, Shashi. At least… that’s what we all called her. Her official name was Wildwoods Scheherazade, and she was a purebred, papered, pedigreed shepherd my mom had bought after she graduated college. When my mom was getting ready to get married and move out, my great-grandmother refused to let Shashi leave — so the dog stayed with my grandmother and great-grandmother. Shashi was a beautiful all-black shepherd. We have all sorts of funny family stories about her. She was so scared of thunder and lightning that … Continue reading →

What Else Should Be in a Pet’s Joint Supplement?

I’ve been comparing glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for Moose, seeing how he seems to be limping on his back legs lately. My parents’ dog Becca takes a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement for her arthritis, and it seems like a good thing for hip dysplasia as well. From what I’ve seen so far in my search, glucosamine and chondroitin are the stars of just about every joint formula out there. But there’s more than just those two things in your average joint supplement. So what else should be in your pets’ joint supplement? MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) is a compound naturally … Continue reading →

Out On A Limp

During two of our daily walks, I noticed that Mister Moose has developed a bit of a limp. It’s odd — he’s fine for the beginning of the walk, but after a few minutes (usually a block or so of walking) he starts to gimp. It looks like one of his back legs is the culprit, which doesn’t surprise me. When Moose had his car accident earlier this year, the veterinarian pointed out that my poor boy has the beginnings of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a degenerative joint disease in dogs; an abnormality in the hip joint means that … Continue reading →

Dog Days of Summer Deals for Dogs at Doctors Foster and Smith

There’s not only a red tag sale going on for cats at Doctors Foster and Smith, but also great deals for dogs. Again, since we’ll be moving soon, I’m trying not to buy anything Murph absolutely doesn’t need. But here’s some things that caught my eye anyway: • Beef Flavored Aspirin, Berrier Joint & Hip Treats, and Hip Bones. Murph’s got mild hip dysplasia so I’m always looking for ways to treat it or lessen it’s impact. The aspirin’s 15% off now, the other two are both 20% off. • Booda Treat Stick. Murph’s a chewer and loves things to … Continue reading →