I've started Ross on Turmeric and fish oil capsules.(omega 3) Turmeric is well know for it's health benefits in humans and animals but I'm particular interested as its a natural pain reliever because it helps relieve inflammation. It may do nothing to help Ross .. but it won't do any harm!
The use of fish Oil for dogs is far more recognised and it is reported that there are 5 great benefits of Fish Oil For dogs and cats. EPA, one of the two omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, acts as an anti-inflammatory. It will help with any condition that causes inflammation of the heart, kidneys, skin, and joints—such as arthritis. So hell we'll give it a go!
I'm also considering glucosamine and chondroitin for future use, but I'll start with the turmeric and fish oil rather than throw everything at him in one go. Perhaps the most important aspect of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements is that they are thought to help slow or prevent the degeneration of joint cartilage, the underlying cause of osteoarthritis pain. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate dietary supplements may also help alleviate existing joint pain which is why it's often given to older dogs.
Anyway I'll keep reading but before I spend anymore money I'll wait and see what comes back from the specialist. One interesting paragraph that I found on a site about ED in dogs is .. "The timing onset at the progression of symptoms varies substantially from dog to dog. In most cases, dogs first exhibit symptoms between the ages of 4 and 12 months. These symptoms usually get progressively worse for several months. In most cases, the symptoms improve dramatically or disappear entirely once the dog reaches an age of 12 to 18 months of age. This improvement is probably the result of several factors including the dog reaching its maximum size and the dog adapting to the constant discomfort."This is very interesting, as I look back Ross was just over 4 months old when he started to limp .. and first saw the vet. She diagnosed then that the pain was in the right elbow. Previous to that I had commented to friends that I thought he had a strange front action but he hadn't been lame. So best case scenario for me would be that this limp does go away as he matures and that we can control any discomfort with natural medication until later in life. (when he my then need conventional medication)
Of course I will be disappointed not to be able to breed from him, it was all part of the big plan. But unless the specialist come back and says this is definitely an injury then I won't be going down that path; and lets face it taking everything into account that is now highly unlikely! It looks like Ross is more likely to have a genetic elbow problem than anything else, but we must remember that no one is to blame. It can happen to any of us at anytime. His parents have clear elbow scores as do his grand parents .. sadly it's just something that happens. I'm gutted that this time it's happened to me, well to my baby boy but I'll do everything I can to make sure he continues to live a full, active and happy life.
