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Mar. 16th, 2009
Ike will never get better. With his condition, the best I can do is slow the progress of his decline as much as possible. He's already lasted far longer than either I or any of his vets ever expected.
Lately, I've notice his hindquarters are getting thinner, probably due to muscle loss. He's definitely getting weaker back there; when he backs up, he sits down; if he turns instead of circling, he sits down, and he has trouble getting back to his feet after sitting.
I found two new treatments online while I was searching for something else, a medicine called c-stim that was mentioned to me by a man who used to work in a vet clinic. One looks too good to be true, and considering my vet couldn't find any other information on it, may just be that. Which is unfortunate, because I'd really love to believe it can do what it claims. I'm going to continue my own research and see if I can find anything more myself.
My vet had better luck on the second treatment I tracked down. Called Adequan, it is a four week series of intramuscular injections that, to my untrained understanding, encourages the development of cushioning fluid in the joints. It can be used in addition to the current medications he takes (75 mgs of Derramaxx daily; 50 mgs of Tramadyl nightly; Nutri-Source Chicken & Rice adult formula food.)
I've been told many times to try giving him glucosimine and chondrotin supplements by well-meaning people. But he's far past that point- the dog really has no hips any more. If this is normal dog hip joints: --) )||( (-- [Looked at from above; --) is a leg bone, )||( is the hip joints], this is Ike's: - || -
We think he's being held together with ligaments, tendons, and will power. Plus, the first thing we tried were the supplements, and feeding him sugar pills would have had as great of an effect.
The goal is to keep him comfortable as long as possible, because he's not ready to give up yet; and until he reaches that point, I'm not going to give up either.
Lately, I've notice his hindquarters are getting thinner, probably due to muscle loss. He's definitely getting weaker back there; when he backs up, he sits down; if he turns instead of circling, he sits down, and he has trouble getting back to his feet after sitting.
I found two new treatments online while I was searching for something else, a medicine called c-stim that was mentioned to me by a man who used to work in a vet clinic. One looks too good to be true, and considering my vet couldn't find any other information on it, may just be that. Which is unfortunate, because I'd really love to believe it can do what it claims. I'm going to continue my own research and see if I can find anything more myself.
My vet had better luck on the second treatment I tracked down. Called Adequan, it is a four week series of intramuscular injections that, to my untrained understanding, encourages the development of cushioning fluid in the joints. It can be used in addition to the current medications he takes (75 mgs of Derramaxx daily; 50 mgs of Tramadyl nightly; Nutri-Source Chicken & Rice adult formula food.)
I've been told many times to try giving him glucosimine and chondrotin supplements by well-meaning people. But he's far past that point- the dog really has no hips any more. If this is normal dog hip joints: --) )||( (-- [Looked at from above; --) is a leg bone, )||( is the hip joints], this is Ike's: - || -
We think he's being held together with ligaments, tendons, and will power. Plus, the first thing we tried were the supplements, and feeding him sugar pills would have had as great of an effect.
The goal is to keep him comfortable as long as possible, because he's not ready to give up yet; and until he reaches that point, I'm not going to give up either.
Ike will never get better. With his condition, the best I can do is slow the progress of his decline as much as possible. He's already lasted far longer than either I or any of his vets ever expected.
Lately, I've notice his hindquarters are getting thinner, probably due to muscle loss. He's definitely getting weaker back there; when he backs up, he sits down; if he turns instead of circling, he sits down, and he has trouble getting back to his feet after sitting.
I found two new treatments online while I was searching for something else, a medicine called c-stim that was mentioned to me by a man who used to work in a vet clinic. One looks too good to be true, and considering my vet couldn't find any other information on it, may just be that. Which is unfortunate, because I'd really love to believe it can do what it claims. I'm going to continue my own research and see if I can find anything more myself.
My vet had better luck on the second treatment I tracked down. Called Adequan, it is a four week series of intramuscular injections that, to my untrained understanding, encourages the development of cushioning fluid in the joints. It can be used in addition to the current medications he takes (75 mgs of Derramaxx daily; 50 mgs of Tramadyl nightly; Nutri-Source Chicken & Rice adult formula food.)
I've been told many times to try giving him glucosimine and chondrotin supplements by well-meaning people. But he's far past that point- the dog really has no hips any more. If this is normal dog hip joints: --) )||( (-- [Looked at from above; --) is a leg bone, )||( is the hip joints], this is Ike's: - || -
We think he's being held together with ligaments, tendons, and will power. Plus, the first thing we tried were the supplements, and feeding him sugar pills would have had as great of an effect.
The goal is to keep him comfortable as long as possible, because he's not ready to give up yet; and until he reaches that point, I'm not going to give up either.
Lately, I've notice his hindquarters are getting thinner, probably due to muscle loss. He's definitely getting weaker back there; when he backs up, he sits down; if he turns instead of circling, he sits down, and he has trouble getting back to his feet after sitting.
I found two new treatments online while I was searching for something else, a medicine called c-stim that was mentioned to me by a man who used to work in a vet clinic. One looks too good to be true, and considering my vet couldn't find any other information on it, may just be that. Which is unfortunate, because I'd really love to believe it can do what it claims. I'm going to continue my own research and see if I can find anything more myself.
My vet had better luck on the second treatment I tracked down. Called Adequan, it is a four week series of intramuscular injections that, to my untrained understanding, encourages the development of cushioning fluid in the joints. It can be used in addition to the current medications he takes (75 mgs of Derramaxx daily; 50 mgs of Tramadyl nightly; Nutri-Source Chicken & Rice adult formula food.)
I've been told many times to try giving him glucosimine and chondrotin supplements by well-meaning people. But he's far past that point- the dog really has no hips any more. If this is normal dog hip joints: --) )||( (-- [Looked at from above; --) is a leg bone, )||( is the hip joints], this is Ike's: - || -
We think he's being held together with ligaments, tendons, and will power. Plus, the first thing we tried were the supplements, and feeding him sugar pills would have had as great of an effect.
The goal is to keep him comfortable as long as possible, because he's not ready to give up yet; and until he reaches that point, I'm not going to give up either.