Our dog, Moose, is a 12 ½ year old shelter puppy we adopted from a Northern Virginia SPCA in February 1998. We believe Moose may be a mix of shepherd and mastiff. Moose grew rapidly – he weighed 100 pounds by the end of the first year, and we became concerned that he would develop hip dysplasia. Our vet assured us he would monitor Moose as he grew older. When Moose was about seven, he had hip X-rays which showed moderate to severe hip dysplasia. My husband described Moose’s X-ray as looking like Pac-Man had eaten his hip socket and the head of his femur. Since Moose has always been a very stoic dog, it has been difficult to determine whether he’s in pain. Regardless, he was placed on a regimen of Rimadyl; we tried chondroitin but never noticed any change in his condition so it was discontinued. Moose was walked twice a day and our vet believed that helped him because it built up his hip muscles. We consulted 2 leading veterinarian surgeons who specialized in canine hip replacements regarding whether such surgery was an option. Each of these vets reviewed Moose’s X-rays and were shocked when they saw how well he walked. They couldn’t believe it was the same dog. However, they both agreed they could possibly do more harm than good should Moose undergo surgery. That being said, we decided we would do as much as we could for Moose to make him comfortable as he aged. In 2008, we moved to Watkinsville, Georgia and after asking around, we started taking Moose to Good Hands Veterinary Hospital where we met Dr. Cristina Cameron. After reviewing his Virginia records, she diagnosed Moose with degenerative joint disease, arthritis, severe hip dysplasia and eventually, degenerative myleopathy. She suggested we try Adequan injections to help with the arthritis, commence hip massage, and continue his walking regimen to his tolerance. Moose could still get up into the front seat of my SUV. However, as time wore on, we began to notice he was limping on his left rear leg and his right rear leg seemed weak. It was beginning to get harder for him to get into the SUV without assistance and he didn’t enjoy going on walks as much. We paired his daily 1 ½ mile walk down to about ¾ of a mile. In early 2010, Dr. Cameron suggested we try their new laser treatment. She said there wasn’t a lot of literature written about the therapy but it was thought that it could help alleviate some pain associated with Moose’s conditions. We figured we had nothing to lose, and although the treatments were a bit pricey, we would try anything to help our “puppy” feel better. So began Moose’s next adventure……laser therapy…….the initial treatments proved to be quite helpful……within a day or so of the treatment, Moose was visibly walking better. He is now into his third series of treatments and he is is doing as well as can be expected. We think he has reached a plateau – he walks more slowly, but he is steadier on his feet….we have decided not to push him as much with his walking, especially during the hot summer days, so he walks about 3-4 days a week and sometimes he does about ¾ of mile, other days, it’s about ½ mile. We doubt that he would be able to this much without the laser. The laser technician at Good Hands, Missy, has tailored Moose’s therapy according to his response from the previous session. We are now doing the treatments every 10 days and that seems to make the most difference in the way he walks. Granted, this is not a miracle treatment which has cured Moose of his many conditions, but Moose is 12 ½ years old and for a large dog who now weighs 101 pounds, he has outlived everyone’s expections. In human years, he’s 93 years old!! However, we believe the laser has alleviated much of his pain and has made him as mobile as possible. Sure, he can’t run as fast as he used to, but whenever we have a deer in our yard and he’s outside, he is chasing it away; and when he sees a friend in the neighborhood, he bunny hops as fast as he can to see them. Although he does it more slowly now, he makes it up our basement stairs every evening to accompany us to bed. We truly believe this treatment has made a big difference in Moose’s quality of life. Thank you Good Hands and Dr. Monica Kucher for bringing Laser treatments to your practice and a big thanks to Dr. Cameron for suggesting we use it. Donna and Bill Pittenger, Watkinsville, GA
Shane, a 13-year old setter, is a good old bird dog and a wonderful companion. He appeared to be in good shape during his 2009 pre-hunting physical exam. Gradually over the fall and winter, he began a slow decline in energy and endurance during quail hunts and daily runs at Sandy Creek Park. Several fellow dog enthusiasts that spent time with him commented that it looked like 2009 would be his last hunting season. Soon he was unable to jump onto the beds and his recliner at home, and head to be assisted when climbing into the back seat of my truck. We took him back to Good Hands Veterinary Hospital in March 2010 when he appeared to have a constant level of physical discomfort. X-rays revealed advanced osteoarthritis in his spine, along with a degenerating disk in his lower back. Indeed, it looked as if 2009 really would be his last season in the field. My main concern, of course, was Shane’s discomfort in daily activities around the house. The veterinarian suggested trying laser treatment, since the arthritis had developed and advanced so rapidly. I wanted to see improvement after the initial treatment, but my wife cautioned that any treatment effect might be gradual, rather that my hoped-for miraculous cure. I agreed to a course of six laser therapy sessions. By the third treatment Shane’s improvement was obvious not only to me, but to other people in the local North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association club. It was hard to believe this was the same dog. Now, during the monthly NAVHDA training days, Shane keeps up with much younger dogs. By the end of the second series of laser treatments only his grey muzzle marked him as an elderly dog. Clearly, his endurance at age 13 is not the same as it was when he was in his physical prime. However, I am quite sure that the 2009 fall/winter season will not be his last one in the field. Shane is visibly pain-free, with enough endurance to hunt with enthusiasm for hours at a time. Though the laser treatments can’t turn back time, they have provided Shane, and thus me, with a much improved quality of life.I sincerely thank the people who developed this therapy, and the staff of Good Hands Veterinary Hospital, who are skilled in administering it.
Paul Kormanik