KImberly,

I want to reinstate that money is not an issue here. It is the sedation. I would like to get as accurate information as possible. As he is not limping now. He is walking good, I am going to think twice about x-rays. Also, if it PANO, then Oct 10, 2006 would not be the best time for an x-rays.

I am still trying to get all the facts together before I make the decision.

Rashmi

My pup has been sedated many times, for a broken leg, follow up x-rays, an x-ray when she started limping again and it turned out to be Pano in her formerly broken leg, and one of her puppy teeth got stuck n wouldn't budge so at 7.5 months I got sick of waiting to see if it'd come out on its own n she was sedated to pull the tooth. It's not a big deal really, if they can be sedated once they can be sedated twice. She's been sedated 5 or 6 times total. She acts really stupid when she's starting to wake up lol.

Hi Rashmi,

My pup was given 0.05 mg/kg of hydromorphone with a touch of acepromazine to take the x-rays and she did very well. She didn't need any time to recover from it. They gave her just enough to calm her down since she flipped out once they tied her leash to the wall in the hospital room and I was no longer in sight. The doctors were afraid that if she was actually hurt that she might further damage her leg. From my perspective I thought it most likely was going to be pano, but since I wasn't sure and I knew she had fallen a couple times from sliding on the floors I'd rather have the piece of mind knowing what the diagonosis is. Your vet can most likely only give the dog enough sedation to make them easy to handle for the x-ray. They may not have to put the dog totally under (really depends on the dog and what the vet techs can handle). I would be more worried not knowing if the previous injury your dog had with the one limb did not heal properly or was a more serious problem that if taken care of now could avoid causing pain for your dog. Most animals can hide pain pretty well for long periods of time. Hopefully it is nothing more than pano though. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Kim

Guys,

Everyone is making a valid point and I want to get him X-rayed also. I just talked to the Vet and he said that he will not do just KNEES as he will NOT SEDATE but will ANESTHEIS the dog.
I am also concern about the twist that the vet does for a GOOD HIP-X-RAY. I called OFA and they don’t have give any information on a certified Vet in the city.

So the quest goes on..

Rashmi

None in the city? <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Well, Rashmi, guess you'll have to D-R-I-V-E. I know how you city folks hate that. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Seriously, like we talked about earlier, if you're gonna do the whole shebang, try to only do it once and make sure the films will be acceptable to have him OFA prelim'd. Good luck, and we'll talk later.

Rashmi,

Try contacting the OFA and see if they could possibly recommend a vet in your area.

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
2300 E Nifong Boulevard
Columbia, Missouri, 65201-3806

Phone: (573) 442-0418
Fax: (573) 875-5073

Email: ofa@offa.org


Kim

Hi Rashmi,

Don't rush into the METACALM thing until you find out what is wrong with your pup. If METACALM is prescribed you might be better server NOT using it as it can cause ulcers, a better bet is GREEN LIPPED MUSSEL, which does pretty much the same thing after a couple of months of treatment.

HTH

John

John,

Oh! I did not know about this side effect. What kind of ulcer you are taking about? Perhaps stomach..correct??
Well I only gave him one dose below the recommended level and with FOOD. All these pain killers/ anit-inflammatory when given with food, will cause less/ no damage to the stomach. Thanks for the tip. I will look into it.
By the way isn't GREEN LIPPED MUSSEL for humans? If yes, what is the dosage for dogs?

Matrix is fine now...he is walking running fine...I will take it as it goes. My doctor refused to do only knee x-rays as he said that he will sedate the dog, so will do the whole thing. Anyway, in the mean time, I am trying to locate other places to see if I can get his knee x-rayed. Also, my vet says that HD can also show signs of off and on limp...let's hope for the best. But again VET could not justify HD when I told him that Matrix stop limping the day after he took Metacam. Here he did suggest that it could be pano.

Don't get me wrong, he is great Vet and a great person. But again I believe in double checking as I have done the same for myself.

Rashmi

 Quote:

John,

Oh! I did not know about this side effect. What kind of ulcer you are taking about? Perhaps stomach..correct??.....

All NSAIDs used with dogs have potential side effects like this.

The big point, I think, is to ask for the side effects info, discuss it with the vet, and compare the options. There are degrees of danger, and there are degrees of need; it's a decision to be considered and weighed, with all the info. The fact that you weren't advised of the possible side effects doesn't reflect well on the vet. Unfortunately, I think this is *very* common.

We have to inform ourselves. A quick way to do this without reading through a zillion web pages is to google the name of the drug, comma, "side effects." (And it's good to check the rate of occurence, too; if a terrible side effect happens once in 500,000 patients, that's not like one that affects 1 in every 5.)

P.S. Green-lipped mussel extract is a supplement that, like glucosamine, appears to help rebuild cartilage and inhibit inflammation over time.
http://www.vetstop.com/articles/green_mussel_extract.htm

Hi Rashmi,

I didn't intend to stop you immediately from using it, just wanted to let you know this was possible. You are right Stomoch ulcers is what I was talking about.

Thanks for teh rest of the info Connie!

Cheers

John

edit***

Flexile-Plus from B-Naturals looks like it might be worth a shot!