Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:08 pm BY barkster

Has anyone here had experience with treating a dog's arthritis with acupuncture? I have been hearing a lot about it in recent months and decided to give it a try for Mosby. I am seeing improvement but not the kind of miracle changes I have heard other people talk about. If anyone has done this treatment for arthritis, I would love to hear about it and as a few questions!

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:07 am BY PWD

I never used that treatment myself but heard about the great benefits. Do you use that treatment along with T-Touch Massaging? One of the things I have always down is the massaging my dogs. This massage stimulates circulations in the blood stream. I also for my older dogs give them Glucose supplements in which it helps the bones. Use to give MSM but there are some controversy on that so I am trying to do the research on it more before I make my decision. Sorry I cannot help you with the acupuncture but I do know that if one hits the right points to stimulate the muscles or to relax the muscles it is really a great procedure. Though I do know that each individual results differs so if you are seeing some improvement and depending on how long you been doing this I would say you are on the right path. You may need to add additional treatments besides acupuncture. Sometimes it's a combination of various homeopathic treatment that works the best instead of just one.

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:07 pm BY LETS TALK



Hi,
The only experience I have with a dog with Arthritis is back in 1970. I had a miniature apricot poodle whose name was Bijou. He was 14 years old when I had to make the decision then, have him PTS as they had no help then. I had him since he was a tiny baby.

First he developed urinary incontinence and I took towels and made him diapers and put sanitary pads inside too. Since they were terry cloth towels, they were thick and absorbent and washable.

Later on, he developed the arthritis and I put him in the kitchen, under the table in a warm spot, and had a heating pad on the bed. His urinary issue became so bad that he would soak through his towel diaper in no time, so he could not sleep with me any more as even plastic pants would not work....... :(
He cried all night ......and between the arthritis, the urinary issues of being wet during the night, and not being with me......where he had slept for 14 years... it was just too much for us both to bear. I cried and anguished, and finally decided that it was time....

Broke my heart in two............. It was 20 years~ before I allowed another dog in my life and into my heart !~

Today, I am older and more experienced, and so, if I had a dog with this issue, I would purchase a bed and fix it so that it would not leak through and have him next to me all the time, and have the heating pad in the bed too to help him with the arthritis and hold him and cuddle him all the time. I still miss him.

If they have things that work now........I sure would try them....... Have you done any research on other alternatives, medications etc?

Sure glad the acupuncture is working, even a little bit. Every bit helps. Bless you for loving him so much !

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:28 pm BY barkster

I'm so sorry to hear about you dog :( Mosby has started to develop urinary incontinence too in the last year. He doesn't get to sleep with me but it was definitely becoming a problem on rugs and stuff. The vet put him on Proin and it has helped a good bit...not 100% but enough that I don't need restrict him to areas without carpet. That would definitely break my heart! It's so hard to see a dog get old!

I have not been doing much massage with Mosby but we have been doing some exercises that the doctor showed me. Hopefully with that and the acupuncture, he will keep getting better.

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:12 pm BY LETS TALK




Oh Barkster. I am sorry to hear that! You can use REAL BABY DIAPERS FOR HIM :) Just cut a hole for his tail.
They work fantastic! Males need a bit larger one to reach coverage of the private area..........or .........
you can use belly bands with Kotex in them too! Have you tried either of those yet ?

I used both for Bitsy Boy (RIP) ! I also used Boys underpants with Kotex in them for him as he *dribbled* all the time .
http://sites.google.com/site/bitsybabymyers/