Request for ARTHRITIS treatment protocols

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channeltool

Post   » Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:45 pm


Hi, My 5 year old was diagnosed with arthritis in both hind legs, he hopped a bit but I never knew he had arthritis until he got sick and we had tests and x-rays done. After he was taken off all meds for his infection and started to gain weight back that he lost from being on Baytril he started to drag his back right leg. I waited to see if this was just temporary but then he started to drag his left leg. I had to put his food next to him and syringe feed him water. I took him to a holistic vet and they gave him a chiropractic treatment and put him on Chinese herbs twice a day. After the first treatment he was more alert and the next day he hopped instead of dragged his back legs. He has had three chiropractic treatments and has been on the herbs for a month and he is running across the floor. He has two more to go then he goes once every six months. This is not the same chiropractic treatments as humans get, they use an instrument to gently push on the spine and joints. If you have any questions do not hesitate to email me.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:34 pm


That sounds interesting. What herbs?

There is a sticky in this forum with information for guinea pigs with arthritis.

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skinnypigs1
Supporter in '12

Post   » Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:22 pm


Barnaby

1. Skinny pig, male, 4 years old at diagnosis.
2. Sitting hunched, weight loss, teeth chattering, lack of movement.
3. X-rays showed the arthritis, lower back and hips.
4. Metacam given once a day, .15cc and moderate exercise adding in after pain was managed.
5. It only took a day or two to see amazing results. Bright eyed again, eating more and perky.
6. Barnaby has had a bladder stone removed, ear infection and blocked tear ducts when younger.

Barnaby is like a new piggy on is medication. He was so depressed before and it was terrible to see. Now he is lively and so alert! He gets to run around the floor a few times a week for a really good stretch and just loves it, you'd never know he has terrible arthritis.

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Brainerror

Post   » Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:21 am


I've had experience with quite a few arthritic cases, so I'll list one past case and 3 current ones here.

past case:
1 - rex, 5-7 and a sow
2 - sitting on her heels (toes not touching the ground), hopping, sleeping more, less movement, loss in muscle tone, pain when manipulating joints.
3 - x-ray and physical
4 - 0.4ml dog metacam & arthri-aid for dogs
5 - she became more mobile within a week and lived her last years with good mobility and pain free (as far as we could tell of course)
6 - chronic stones, eczema

my current 3 cases:
1 - Sheltie, 7 and a sow
2 - sitting on heels (toes not touching the floor), decreased mobility and activity.
3 - physical
4 - 0.4ml dog metacam & arthri-aid
5 - metacam has already improved her activity levels, we only started a week ago, but her mobility should improve in a few weeks' time.
6 - cystic ovaries

1 - DEW/himi cross, 4 and a sow
2 - chewing off her fur and even skin on all for limbs, stopped moving significantly, weight loss.
3 - CT scan, skin scrape & physical - CT scan showed her to be arthritic in all her joints probably due to bad diet early on and genetics (she was a backyard rescue). Her right shoulder has bits of bone sticking out that catches her tendons so her pain levels are significant
4 - Started off with metacam, then metacam and tramadol and now we are on an 8th of a capsule of tramadol and 0.12ml gabapentin twice daily. we may start arthri aid soon (we wanted pain relief sorted first).
5 - we have been through several drugs and dosages, but this last one seems to be working well. Her fur is growing back, she's active and gaining her old weight back.
6 - cholesterol deposits in her left eye

1 - PEW, 6 and a sow
2 - caught early due to an annual check up, but her hind feet were quite red due to sitting too much.
3 - x-ray/physical
4 - 0.25 dog metacam and a quarter of a capsule of synoquin twice daily
5 - she is more active and her feet have improved
6 - suspected heart condition, mycoplasma carrier.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:01 am


This is very helpful, Brainerror. So glad you have seen improvements.

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MrsSuzy

Post   » Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:54 pm


First time experience with arthritis here, recently diagnosed.

1 - Estee, a female crested piggy aged 7,5 years (roughly) adopted a few months ago

2 - She started limping and sort of dragging her back right leg. The next day she was using it but mainly putting her weight on heels.

3 - Seen vet who through palpation and stretching diagnosed arthritis. Vet sound arthritis to be worse in her front leg, funnily enough. She said they wouldn't routinely X-Ray as at her age unless other symptoms were present one can assume arthritis.

4 - Metacam, 0.2 twice daily for a couple of day then reducing to once daily. To stop when she becomes more mobile and re-initiate if symptoms come back

5 - She was moving fine today but might be too really to tell, she does love the metacam (haven't met a piggy that doesn't though)

6 - None that I know, she is very healthy otherwise. Doesn't move as much as I would like but hoping some pain relief will help.

Helsu

Post   » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:27 am


1. Mikko, abyssinian/lunkarya, 4 years, neutered male

2. Mikko has been losing weight and muscle this spring and started hopping like a bunny. Also some dripping of pee. Mikko was diagnosed with a urine stone last year (I was able to dissolve it with diet) and first I thought the dripping might be because of stones and/or he being neutered. He is eating very well and running about normally.

3. Nothing special to be seen in the x-rays taken because of the stone. I'm taking him to new x-rays next week.

4. Yesterday started to give him Meloxidolor for cats (meloxicam), Arthroflex (chondroitin, glucosamine), MSM and vitamin E. We also tried hydrotherapy today with a harness I made him. Not so much swimming yet but he let me move his hind legs in the water :D Also gave him some heat therapy and massage which he seemed to enjoy.
Next week he is also going to get acupuncture while we go to take the x-rays.

5. After yesterday I think that he was running with a longer step (might be my imagination also...) More results will be updated after the acupuncture and x-rays.

6. Nothing else except the bladder problems of some kind. The dripping is minimal and at the moment there is no stone.

Pardon my language, we are from Finland :)

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:18 am


You might also give him a week of higher dose vitamin C -- about 100 mg. per day. Don't do it any longer than that, but some gait problems can be due to a C deficiency, and four seems young to me for arthritis.

Helsu

Post   » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:46 am


Yep, I'll do that also. Mikko has always been a bit weird from his legs, they are in a bit weird position from the hip down. The gang gets vitamin C everyday but will raise the dose for this one.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:34 pm


Your English is fine. Welcome.

Helsu

Post   » Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:15 am


Yep. Did the x-rays on Mikko today and there is some changes. Arthritis in left hock/tarsus, calcification in both knees and hip dysplasia on the right side and some arthritis there too.

I can upload the x-rays here if someone wants to see.

We gave him laser and also a little acupuncture. The needles were not to his liking, but during laser he seemed quite relaxed. I also started him on Cartrophen injections and will continue to give chondroitin, glucocosamine, msm, vitamin E and linseed oil orally.

I gave him Meloxicam for four days, but going to stop that now because he moves and eats just fine and I don't want to risk any kidney problems.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Tue Sep 29, 2015 12:31 pm


Peekaboo - American/Crested; Age: No clue, he was an adult when I got him 2.5 yrs ago; Neutered Male

Doesn't run laps or popcorn anymore, but I've only seen him do that when he lived alone (early days). Weight is gradually drifting down, but nothing that really alarms me; it's very slow and slight, possibly 100 grms over the last year. From above, he looks kind of strange - wide in the middle, narrow at the shoulders and hips.

Vet found definite changes in hips yesterday, while x-raying for lungs/heart symptoms. He hasn't shown any symptoms from hips, just an occasional limp and/or lack of use in FRONT right leg (no diagnosis).

Prescribed Metacam: 1.2k - 0.72 cc once daily, "only if eating and drinking normally". Ang Metacam 0.5 mg 15 ml (I forgot to ask her - should this be refrigerated? Opened, unopened, both?)

Should I be giving this to him if he's NOT showing signs of pain? The arthritis is there, but the only time he "might" be showing it is when I pick him up and hold him without a blanket or pillow under him. He's never liked it but for weeks, he's really fussed about it. I chalked it up to the lice causing skin irritation. He does get a 25mg tablet of Oxbow Vit C (plus whatever the girls don't eat or he can steal from them) daily. Will post x-rays to his medical thread as soon as vet emails them to me.

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