The alternative tx (Adequan) to ACL surgery... here is my story (border collie, shepherd)
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For those who can't afford the expensive surgery of fixing a ruptured cruciate ligament, or chose not to due to current age and health of the dog, I hope my little journey through this may help you and your dog if he or she recently hurt their knee. This thread pertains only to partial acl tears. I will update after each treatment or if my dog appear to be getting better/worse before and after her weekly injections.
So this is about my 7 year old lab/pit mix, Pebbles. Four years ago, she was playing at the dog park like she usually do, except there was a loud yelp followed by limping. After Xrays and an exam, the vet recommended acl surgery on her left knee. The surgeon installed plates in there and after about 3 weeks, she recovered very well.
Last Friday, she was playing ball at the yard. After a short session, she returned home limping her right hind leg. Uh oh.
At first I thought she pulled a muscle, but 24 hours later of watching her putting no weight on it and panting in pain, it was time for a trip to the vet. My regular vet was booked that day and I didn't want to wait until Monday while she suffered in pain. We went to a different vet nearby who had many positive reviews online.
The vet checked her knee and stated that the ligament probably has a partial tear. He did not recommend surgery at this time and suggested rest, meds and adequan injections, once per week, for 4 weeks. The vet promises that these injections will help her greatly, as it produces more fluid between the bones and making them "stickier". Pebbles has started to suffer from arthritis anyway so I guess it's worth considering. He said we will re-access then to see how she is doing and if surgery is still required. He doesn't believe sticking foreign objects in dogs is always for the best.
I personally believe surgery would be the best route for younger dogs, back when she was 3 years old. At 7, she is now listed as a senior for big dogs. At age 8 or more, and due to her very prominent lab genes, I am expecting cancer or hip dysplasia to rise its ugly head. So at this time, we are trying the medicinal approach.
Pebbles takes Rimadryl and Tramadol for pain. She also takes Cosequin supplements and salmon oil to help with her joints. The vet wants me to bring her back for the injections instead of having me do it, which tbh, makes me feel better. I couldn't even look at her when the vet was examining her knee while she squirmed in pain.
It's been day 3 since her first shot. She is putting some weight on her right leg now. But it could be the painkillers that's helping her. I have been fooled before by these painkillers.
I'm cautiously optimistic. I am normally an impatient person so watching my poor dog like this hasn't been easy. But I learned the hard way when I had my senior cat, is treatment plans for them are not the same as back when they were younger, and the more you push, the less it's about the animal.
I will post an update after this Saturday 2nd Adequan injection.
My first GSD had Adequan shots to help with his arthritis. IMO it was moderately successful in treating that. I don't have any experience using it for a ACL tear.
To the OP, get off the rymadyl immediately.
There are severe risk in long term use of it.
The injections are fighting the inflammation, which is good, but you could get the same results from glucosemine and chondrotin, and less expensive.
My 8 year old Shepherd tore his acl, last year, and no surgery, just Glucosemine and Chondrotin to deal with the inflammation(which is what causes the pain)
Today he is fully recovered.
Limit exercise, and no jumping on, off furniture.
cheesenugget
please keep updating, my 11 year old has a tear and I started the adequan also
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheesenugget
For those who can't afford the expensive surgery of fixing a ruptured cruciate ligament, or chose not to due to current age and health of the dog, I hope my little journey through this may help you and your dog if he or she recently hurt their knee. This thread pertains only to partial acl tears. I will update after each treatment or if my dog appear to be getting better/worse before and after her weekly injections.
So this is about my 7 year old lab/pit mix, Pebbles. Four years ago, she was playing at the dog park like she usually do, except there was a loud yelp followed by limping. After Xrays and an exam, the vet recommended acl surgery on her left knee. The surgeon installed plates in there and after about 3 weeks, she recovered very well.
Last Friday, she was playing ball at the yard. After a short session, she returned home limping her right hind leg. Uh oh.
At first I thought she pulled a muscle, but 24 hours later of watching her putting no weight on it and panting in pain, it was time for a trip to the vet. My regular vet was booked that day and I didn't want to wait until Monday while she suffered in pain. We went to a different vet nearby who had many positive reviews online.
The vet checked her knee and stated that the ligament probably has a partial tear. He did not recommend surgery at this time and suggested rest, meds and adequan injections, once per week, for 4 weeks. The vet promises that these injections will help her greatly, as it produces more fluid between the bones and making them "stickier". Pebbles has started to suffer from arthritis anyway so I guess it's worth considering. He said we will re-access then to see how she is doing and if surgery is still required. He doesn't believe sticking foreign objects in dogs is always for the best.
I personally believe surgery would be the best route for younger dogs, back when she was 3 years old. At 7, she is now listed as a senior for big dogs. At age 8 or more, and due to her very prominent lab genes, I am expecting cancer or hip dysplasia to rise its ugly head. So at this time, we are trying the medicinal approach.
Pebbles takes Rimadryl and Tramadol for pain. She also takes Cosequin supplements and salmon oil to help with her joints. The vet wants me to bring her back for the injections instead of having me do it, which tbh, makes me feel better. I couldn't even look at her when the vet was examining her knee while she squirmed in pain.
It's been day 3 since her first shot. She is putting some weight on her right leg now. But it could be the painkillers that's helping her. I have been fooled before by these painkillers.
I'm cautiously optimistic. I am normally an impatient person so watching my poor dog like this hasn't been easy. But I learned the hard way when I had my senior cat, is treatment plans for them are not the same as back when they were younger, and the more you push, the less it's about the animal.
I will post an update after this Saturday 2nd Adequan injection.
Same thing happened to my border collie.. We are giving her the shots at home. 2x a week for 4 weeks for the loading phase, then 1x a week for 4 weeks then 1x a month. How is Pebbles now? Would love to hear your experience with Adequan. Thanks
Same thing happened to my border collie.. We are giving her the shots at home. 2x a week for 4 weeks for the loading phase, then 1x a week for 4 weeks then 1x a month. How is Pebbles now? Would love to hear your experience with Adequan. Thanks
That post was from 2017. You might want to send a DM to the OP to ask your question, or ask him/her to answer it on this thread.
(But having used Adequan in the past for arthritis in dogs, and having dealt with three cruciate tears, I would not be very hopeful about the Adequan fixing the problem. Others may have different experience to report, though.)
That post was from 2017. You might want to send a DM to the OP to ask your question, or ask him/her to answer it on this thread.
(But having used Adequan in the past for arthritis in dogs, and having dealt with three cruciate tears, I would not be very hopeful about the Adequan fixing the problem. Others may have different experience to report, though.)
Nothing, short of a cadaver ligament being used to replace the natural one is going to 'fix' the problem. And, so far as I know, that's not even a surgery they offer on dogs.
Everything else is a workaround because.. Quite frankly.. Dogs don't live long enough for anything else.
I just had a tightrope procedure done on my 50lb collie mix yesterday(Almost 11 years old).. Haven't even picked her up yet.. I'll update about it in the other topic.. Cost is in the high $2k range.. I don't have a final number, but around $2800 for the surgery and followups.
That's not a fix, either. It's providing stability until scar tissue can form.
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Curious
