Oh no Mindy, I'm so sorry to hear that. Poor Dakota

Since he is doing so good on Deramaxx, the shot and pills the vet started him on last week, we will continute that. He will stay on the joint suppliments. I need to make sure he walks everyday but not let him overdue it. I will have to keep his weight down which is harder since the seizure medicine has really upped his appetite. He wants to eat all the time! I have already bought him an orthopedic bed to help keep pressure off of his joints but I need to buy another one so he has one in my room and one in the living room. I'm gonna have my brother build a ramp to go over the steps at my back door so he won't have to worry about going up steps anymore. I would also like to look into water therapy, but I have no idea if there is a service like this for dogs where I am at. I will have to do some research. I have to take him back to the vet next month so they can test to make sure the Deramaxx is not messing up his liver. I will ask him about the acupunture then as well. I was pretty much devestated when he was talking to me today about his xrays so I didn't think to ask. I don't know if acupunture will work for this type of problem. I really thought I was going to get good news today.

I'm so sorry to hear about poor Dakota's diagnosis. Once you feel up to it, this blog that I follow has a husky with the same issue - who's seen great results with the hydrotherapy and various other exercises like jogging with her on the bike. Good luck and fingers crossed! Wild Dingo Hip Dysplasia posts

I think the hydrotherapy will do wonders for getting him exercise while keeping the excess pressure off his joints. I'd definitely look into that if you can. Our chi, Glory, has luxating patella in both her knees so it would be really beneficial to her to keep her lean (weight off those joints) and for her to get hydrotherapy. I'd be interested to know if acupuncture would help him too. Keep us updated!

But I'm thinking it's good news if it's simply a bad hips that's the biggest problem as that's not going to really affect his life span, right?

So sorry to hear about Dakota. Glad the deramaxx is helping. My friends dog did well on deramaxx for a few years even after a similar diagnosis. Metacam is another pain med that you could look into if you ever feel the deramaxx isn't working anymore. You and Dakota will be in my thoughts.

We may have another option. I'm not going to get my hopes up becuase there are alot of obstacles if we go this route.... if he is even a candidate, money is an issue, aftercare and so on. There is a possibility that they can do surgery and go in and cut the femur ball. Some dogs do well, some don't. It's riskier with a larger dog, which Dakota is. I have alot to look into for this. All I have been told so far is that it's exensive so I need to know how expensive. After care can take up to three months. Not sure how I can juggle Willow with a bed ridden dog and work full time on top of that. I don't want to do it if he still has to stay on these pain meds that mess with his liver and kidneys. I'm not sure what the point would be if so. And many other questions I need answered. Anyway...lots of research to do and I hate research.

My sister's Lab had that surgery done 3 or 4 years ago on both hips and has done great. If you'd like, I can put you in contact with her so she can fill you in on their experience. Good luck!

Thanks! If I am able to proceed with this, I would love to talk to her. I will keep you all updated on what I find out and decide to do.

Vet appt went really well this morning. Vet was happy with Dakota's progress and wants to cut back on the pain meds. He wants me to cut back to every other day and if he does well on that then we will cut back again to every two days. I'm very happy to hear this. I hope Dakota will do well with the decrease.

I asked him for more info about the surgery and I wasn't very encouraged. If Dakota was in his younger years, I would go for it but with him turning 11 in 3 months, I just don't think surgery is a good option. It's riskier with the advanced age and recovery/aftercare will be harder on him. There's not even a guarantee that he will be able to go off pain meds becuase of the nerves in that area could still cause him pain. If he was younger, I think it would be worth it to try. I just don't want to put him through all this especially when he is responding so well to the Deramaxx. So that's where we are at for now....

Glad to hear of the progress so far. I agree, at Dakota's age any surgery is risky business. I'd keep doing what you're doing since it seems to be helping.

Thank you Valerie! He got tons of attention at the vet office today. One of the ladies was shocked when she heard he was turning 11. She thought he was much younger.

Its not so much the surgery they go through but the being under anesthesia that worries the vets most of the time. The older they get the more risk involved. (just like people)

I'm so glad that your baby is doing better!

Here4thePics wrote:

Its not so much the surgery they go through but the being under anesthesia that worries the vets most of the time. The older they get the more risk involved. (just like people)

Not just the anesthesia but also recovery too, older dogs just don't recover as quickly or as well as younger dogs do even after surgery.

I hope the dog will be fine. I hate it when dogs get sick.

I've reduced Dakota's pain meds to every three days now, going on three weeks, and he is still doing wonderfully! I am so happy! I hate that he is taking all this medicine. I have also reduced his seizure meds to one a day to see if it still keeps his seizures at bay...been doing that for 3 weeks as well and so far so good. I just don't want all these meds messing with his liver so I really hope we can stay on reduced meds. He's been fiesty since the cold weather. My son even commented how the tables have turned and now Dakota is winning against Willow.

That's great to hear Mindy! I'm so glad he's doing well and I hope he continues to do so well.

Yay Dakota! That's great news Mindy!!!

That's awesome news! Glad to hear that he is still doing so well.

!! YAY for Dakota!! Moms always instinctively know what's best

Thanks everyone! I am so happy he is going in the right direction! I want him around for many more years!

great to hear the reduced meds is working it does suck to have to take all that stuff, even more when its not good for him. keep us posted and lets see some new pics

jbealer wrote:

great to hear the reduced meds is working it does suck to have to take all that stuff, even more when its not good for him. keep us posted and lets see some new pics

YES! WE WANT PICS NOWWWWWW!!!!

These are the kinds of updates we love! This thread always makes me nervous to read when I get an email notification. We all worry so much about each others dogs!

I hope you get continued great results on the reduced meds, I feel the same way as you do about the possible damage that they can cause. Here's hoping for continued success!

That's great news!