An Update on Oliver's Progress

It's been a week since we received the final word on Oliver's condition and I am happy to report that our lovable guy seems to be in better spirits. He's doing well on the carprofen (anti-inflammatory) so far. Right now he's taking two 55mg tablets per day, but we're hoping to eventually get him down to half of that for the long run. We picked up some great hip & joint health treats for him at AARF Pet Central made by the folks at Pet Naturals Vermont. He takes these twice each day.

Mr. Oliver is lucky enough to have a guardian angel. She is a wonderful person who has taken a special interest in Ollie and has helped make sure he is getting the best care possible. Oliver's friend sponsored him for three months and donated an arsenal of joint care supplies. Thanks to her, Ollie has a ready supply of Adequan, an expensive drug that helps protect the cartilage and keep it healthy. She even took the time to stop by my office and show me how to administer the Adequan injections properly.

Oliver didn't even seem to notice when I gave him his first shot last week. Today will be his second. He gets them once a week for the first month, then once a month after that. He is such a good boy and I am thrilled by the progress he's made already. His personality is brighter and he has more energy, indicating that his medicines and supplements have reduced his pain significantly. Oliver even felt well enough to go for a hike this past weekend. He did very well keeping up with everyone and I'm looking forward to continue helping him build his strength. We'll take it slow and monitor his progress closely. For now, we are all just so happy to see how much he's perked up already. Check out how happy he looks riding with the windows down in the morning sunshine...thanks to everyone who has helped him get to this point!

The Scoop on Oliver's Legs

I heard back from the vet today regarding Oliver's leg x-rays. The orthopedic surgeon confirmed that our poor Ollie has an old scarred over left cruciate rupture and degenerative joint disease. This is a condition that is very easy for humans to relate to: he's got an old ligament injury and now suffers from arthritis as a result. Contrary to what many people assume, arthritis isn't just for old folks, especially when it's linked to an injury. Oliver has the misfortune of being a merely middle aged dog with several years of worsening joint pain ahead of him.

The orthopedic surgeon has recommended exploratory arthroscopy to see if they need to stabilize the cruciate ligaments, if the maniscus needs to be trimmed away, and also if there are any bone fragments floating around. The estimated cost for an arthroscopy and the likely ensuing surgery to repair Oliver's ligaments is $2200 - $3000. This is obviously a very large financial burden for anyone to assume, let alone a non-profit rescue group like AARF. Not to mention there's a high likelihood that the money would be spent only to find out that the ligaments cannot be repaired due to the presence of scar tissue. Even if the surgery was successful and Oliver endured a miserable 3 month recovery, degenerative joint disease is something that cannot be fixed. This is a lifelong problem that will only worsen over time.

After speaking with the vet, Drew, and everyone at AARF, our decision is to forgo surgery. Just like for human joint pain, there are many non-surgical options to pursue that will help Oliver with strength and pain management. I am going today to pick up an anti-inflammatory for him that the vet has prescribed. We'll diligently monitor his bloodwork and see how he does on it. Ollie will get to go shopping for joint supplements at AARF Pet Central this weekend; they have a large selection of supplements as well as food that contains glucosamine chondroitin. AARF also has connections with a canine swim therapy trainer. Swimming will help Oliver exercise his joints and the surrounding muscles gently.

These developments do not render Oliver unadoptable. While it will be very important to find him a well-matched adopter who is prepared to care for his issues properly, Ollie should still have a long and happy life. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed toward his vet appointment last week. With your help, we know exactly what we're dealing with and can now begin to pursue treatment for Oliver. Stay tuned for more updates on Oliver's health, treatment, and other exciting news to come! 

Oliver's Dental

Ollie had his dental procedure on Tuesday. The vet pulled FIVE incisors all from the bottom front row, leaving him with a semi-toothless grin. He was a bit dopey from the anesthesia and pain medicine, but he did very well and now has a healthy mouth. It's so important to make sure that your dog's teeth are well taken care of: dirty teeth and diseased gums can lead to major health problems and infection that spreads throughout a dog's entire body. Oliver's stitches will dissolve on their own and he will feel better than ever in no time flat.

We are still waiting to find out about his back legs. The vet had x-rays taken while Ollie was under so that they would come out nice and clear without him moving. She sent them to an orthopedic surgeon for further evaluation. This particular ortho has operated on AARF dogs in the past and we feel confident that he will know exactly what is going on with Oliver's legs. So we wait. In the meantime, here are some new pictures of Ollie showing how sleepy he was after his dental.