Ruby1Nic Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Hi All, As a follow on from my other thread - see here http://www.therefuge.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=47359 Is there anyone on here whose dog has not been responsive to Rimadyl/Metetam/Cartrophen injections/Previcox or others and then had to have an elbow replacement? I'm just gathering all the info I can at the moment as Ruby's limp is now more pronounced than ever and her walks now consist of going just across the road to the green to do her toilets and back again OH and I have spoken with Vet as she has been prescribed Rimadyl. I do understand that 9 days (how long she's been on Rimadyl) is perhaps not long enough to know whether it's effective or not. However, we really feel Rubes is getting worse, not better. She has gone from walking the beaches and coastal paths of Cornwall only 3 weeks ago this. Maybe we're clutching at straws but OH and I wonder whether she has sustained an injury somehow as well as having this dysplacia/arthritis and that the Vets may have missed this. The Tuesday after the Bank Holiday is when we noticed her limping. Neither of us saw her have an accident. She went to the Vet on the Friday, had X-rays the following Tuesday and now she can barely walk at all on that leg. Do the symptoms of arthritis come on as quick as that? I have been told that Vet wants to do all medication options before surgery is considered, even then she may not be a 'suitable candidate'. OH is due to speak to Vet again 2mrw to voice our concerns. Oh I don't know, we just feel that something is not right. Having said all of this Ruby doesnt exhibit any pain. By that I mean, no wincing, yelping etc. She is not grumpy or off her food. She is still happy, waggy and eats, drinks and toilets normally. Sorry for going on, I just feel so helpless about it all and worry that she'll never be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonny Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Not Elbows but Griff has Spondylosis in his neck and that took Six weeks to get under control with Metacam. He was in a lot of pain and we very nearly had him PTS as we were convinced he would never improve. That was 3 years ago and he is still here.He is still on the Metacam but only has a tiny amount each day.He is over 13 now and still walks for an hour a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Thank you Vonny Ruby will be 6 in Sept and we really want her to have back what she seems to have currently lost now. I appreciate that she will probably get worse as she gets older, but she's still so young. One of our neighbour's dogs is on Metacam and they favour it so maybe that may be another route of this Rimadyl doesnt kick in soon. I must sound like such a moaning minnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Lily has really awful arthritis problems in both elbows, stemming originally from an oddly shaped bone in her elbow joint. She has been affected on and off since she was four months old. She's almost twelve years now, so my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember that it is very difficult to see exactly what is wrong from an xray and that she ended up having some sort of specialist xray and scan at the Royal Veterinary hospital for a proper diagnosis. Our vet thought that the problem was her shoulder on the opposite leg! I do wonder as you do, that the sudden change in Ruby is down to an injury - soft tissue injuries don't show on xrays and take ages to get better. Things like split cartilage don't necessarily show either. It's interesting that she doesn't seem to be in pain. The elbow replacement option is quite newish, one of my neighbours labs was being considered for the op either 2 or 3 years ago and at that point there were only a couple of places in the country who had experience. In your place I'd be tempted to ask for Ruby to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon who can do a thorough assessment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 Thanks Karen We've actually got an appointment booked again for today at 3pm as last night she struggled to get from the living to the back door to go to the garden We really feel that there is more going on. Her xrays went to an orthapaedic expert last time but he didnt actually see Ruby. I've been trawling the web (as you do ) and found that , yes, elbow replacements are fairly new and are carried out at The Royal Vet College - although criteria has to be met and there is a highisn % rate of complications. I'm not knocking our Vet at all, and I don't want to appear dismisive of their expertise but I think I will ask for a proper referal to an orthapadic place/person. Let's see what happens at 3pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilRed Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 I know this is not exactly what you are looking for but I can personally vouch for this person Pet Therapy. She is very talented as well as been really nice, genuine and straight forward and may be able to at least give you some insight into what is going on with Ruby while you are sorting out the medical side of things, if she can't heal her of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 BilRed - Thanks for that link. I'm aware of this lady, but didn't know about the pet side of things. We're on new tablets for a week now as Ruby isn't responding to Rimadyl. We're on Previcox until next Friday. If there is still no improvement we will be referred to the orthapaedic expert in Bristol and she may need an 'osteoscopy' (sp?) which is where they can go into Ruby's bones and see what's what. At the moment she is now under house arrest for a week It shouldn't be too bad, as she's quite content. So it's going to be a case of trying to check the best course of treatment - and doing it asap. Thanks very much again all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted June 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 Just thought I'd update. Ruby has been on Previcox since last Saturday and I will say (quietly and whilst knocking anything wooden!) that it seems to be working. She is much better - her limp is far less pronounced and she has much more energy. It could be that this would have happened anyway, even if we had continued wIth the Rimadyl, who knows. Whatever it is she is much much better than she was this time last week and for the 1st time I feel more confident that we are turning a corner. She is on Previcox until this Friday 19th, when we take her back to Vets for follow up. In meanwhile we'll keep her in as we don't want to tempt fate or have her put herself back a week again by jumping/knocking herself etc when out. Fingers and toes, eyes and whatever else are all crossed ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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