I just picked up Jackson from the vet. Boy is he mad at me!! Worse than after he got his teeth cleaned. Won't even look at me...:-(
He has a torn ACL, and horrible arthritis in his joint. It's definitely an old injury, and my vet isn't sure that surgery would make him any better. As he put it, he's not sure we could "get a bang for our buck". He doesn't doubt that it would keep the arthritis from getting any worse, but with it being so old, isn't sure it's worth the surgery. He's going to call the surgeon, and will get back to me on what he says and thinks. He came right out and said that Dr. Steen wouldn't recommend the surgery if he thought it wouldn't help (which I figured...I really like and trust both of them). So we are waiting to hear from him later today or tomorrow. And his left leg is pretty loose too, and he said it's just a matter of time before it fails. Coming from the puppy mill, he obviously doesn't have the greatest genetics, which you can tell if you look at him close, especially in his legs. Poor guy!
My vet had never heard of the prolotherapy, and was going to do some research and let me know. He said he does know a couple of holistic vets, and would contact them too to see if it's an option. My gut just says that the prolotherapy is a better option this time. If it was a fresh injury I'd lean towards the surgery, but if the prolotherapy can give the same results at this stage of the game, we'll go with that. Have any of you used it?
Clinically, Jackson is doing great. No limping since we have been giving him the Previcoxx (which will be lifelong probably at this point with the arthritis). You really can't tell anything is wrong with him. Which makes me even more inclined to go the conservative route. What do you guys think?
We just got back from the vet with Jackson, and the vet is pretty sure he has a torn ACL. Jane noticed him limping at her house when she rescued him, but I don't think we know for sure when it may have happened. We have an appointment for him at the vet Tuesday for the sedation and Xrays to see if he's got the "drawer sign"....but he's acting just like Seanna did/does when her's was torn and when it's bugging her. So....here we go again!! The vet said he'd benefit from surgery irregardless of how old the injury might be, so we'll get it done if it will benefit him.
My husband is either a saint or extremely upset, didn't really utter a word when I told him. I think he's a saint... :-) Thank goodness we know what to expect since we just went through it with Seanna. It will go by quick! Poor little guy. He's been through so much pain in his life, I hate to see him go through more!!
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You know, that's why I'm inclined to go with the prolotherapy. Seanna is a crazy, all over the place dog, very active. Jackson is more laid back. He does love to chase balls, but is more into killing his squeaker toys. He really doesn't play hard with the other dogs when they are wrestling...and I think this injury is WAY old. The amount of arthiritis that he has couldn't have possibly formed in 6 months. I think he reinjured it at Jane's since it was never fixed properly.
And we knew when we took him in that being from a puppy mill he would have issues...and we love him just the way he is and are prepared to give him the best life possible. Do look into the prolotherapy...if it's a partial tear it's supposed to be just as good as surgery. I will let you know more as I hear!
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