Ununited Anconeal Process (Elbow Displasia)

Wow.  I have no info or experience with this, but I'm really sorry that you and Mack have to face such an ordeal.  We'll keep you in our thoughts. Hopefully there's someone on the board with knowledge about this situation and they'll post some info for you.

Have you contacted your state's best vet school (and you guys DO have a good one in Utah).  Often that is the BEST place for surgery of this type -- much cheaper (you do deal with some students but you get the BEST in vet care!)  
 
You should talk to Outdoorschik - she can talk "dysplasia" with the best of them after what Oliver's been thru. 
 
Radiographs for such problems often have to be done sedated because they have to be SOOOO exact. 

Yeayy Callie, our 'doglopedia' yes not only do they have to be very exact, but it is really painful to extend the legs into position to get an accurate read.  I've been told two different ways as to whether or not UT actually has a vet school, so I will def ask around.  Thankyou so much for what you said about peppermint oil, and chamomile tea.  I am definately going to try it out, I do not relish keeping Mack on Rimadyl for the next decade.  You are such a gem.  Much appreciation.  Jules

Hey, I'm with you on having a dog with an issue or two or three. Sometimes I am so overwhelmed with my dog's "severe hip dysplasia" that I could scream. It keeps me up some nights. And every other day I have a new reason to for a new solution. I'm all over  the board.
 
I'll write later--I have a dinner date with my BF and I'm nowhere near ready.
 
BTW, I live in Boise so I finally feel like I have a neighbor! It seems so many people here live in the Northeast or Southeast.
 
This is fun!

Hey! Nice to have a nearby neighbor! I thought everyone was eastcoasted. Let's talk more later.  Jules

Hi Jules
 
My 8 month Golden Retriever was diagnosed with OCD last summer on both elbows.  The  left elbow was very noticable and the right not but as OCD usually is a bilateral condition, he did have it in both.  I went ahead with surgery on both elbows ( both done at one time).  The surgery was done by an orthepedic surgeon and after much consultation with him.  i am very happy I had it done as my boy is now leading a very normal life and enjoying being a puppy again at 18 months.  With OCD what occurs is the bone is chipping and in surgery they actually scrap the bones down to healthy tissue again and the healing can begin.  He has mild arthiritus in the right elbow and moderate in the left.  I maintain his weight and, he is on glucosimine and chondrotin, vitamin E and salmon oil.  I have meloxicam only if he needs it.  He has had meloxicam only about 3 times and that was only after a few days of rough playing with my friends golden.  I wish you luck with your "kid" and know everything will be fine. 

Keep him very lean, I mean very lean.  The less weight the dog carries the less stress.  I have kept my very large gsd who had spina bifida (surgery on the 7-8 lumbar vertbrae) and HD under 85 pounds his entire life (he is 12 now).  He stayed very active and comfortable until the last two years and is now on pain medication.  His weight is one reason his qualitiy of life has been quite good.  I check his weight, his muscling, and measure his food.  Folks at the vets say they wouldnt have expected him to live this long (he has an autoimmune disorder as well).

Mrv is there anyway/method/process to determine just how much weight Mack should lose?  Yes, he is FAT.  Our vet is strongly urging a weight lose of two pounds per month, to help ease pressure and further damage on the elbows.  At two years of age, he is 134 pounds and no ribs are visible at any time.  What else are visual indicators for leanness? He was fed cruddy quality food, and he isn't moving around much (part due to elbows, part due to recent h/w trtmt) so he isn't burning the cals he would normally be doing.  He is going to be kept this way for the next six weeks, then I want at least one elbow worked on asap.  Maybe the other done next spring.  He has some ominous signs, at his age most cases like his the dogs aren't so lame/limping/favoring as I have been reading.   Jules

Although I am sure some folks will disagree with me but, I have had considerable success with the Eukanuba Weight Loss formula.  My last Dobe Reggie, was hypo thyroid and over weight.  I used that food to reduce her weight then worked on maintaining that healthy weight.  I know a number of people have been successful using their regular food but substituting canned pumpkin (not canned pie mix) or green beans to make up the "bulk".   The Euk uses beat pulp. 
 
The Purina website has a nice set of diagrams and visuals to help determine what the body should look like and feel like in good weight.  Provides top and side views for comparision.
 
I would also try feeding multiple meals per day (like a puppy schedule) with much smaller amounts in each meal.  I would also look for water treatment options.  There may be someone with a walk in pool who would let you work with him there.  I would not do water therapy without someone who had considerable experience.  You might even be lucky enough to find someone in the area who does a variety of hydro therapies. 

Take heart  there was a rescue (terv) who was taken into foster at 120+ pounds.  They managed to get him down to 80.

Not wite the same, but will tell my story as it does kind of fit in.  Juat a little over 5 years ago my 16 month golden retriever started limping on her right rear leg.  She would be running, stop, limp, and in alittle while go back to running.  Etc.
Three years earlier I had lost my 12 1/2 year old Irish Setter to bone cancer in rear leg--and he had started with a limp, so i was terrified.  I got her to the vet and turns out it was luxating patella.  She had tahe surgery in  about two weeks--was diagnosed just before Christmas.)  My vet did warn me that lots of times they will mess up the other knee favoring the bad ones. or "undoes" the surgery by being allowed to be to active to soon.  She was tied to sofa le (during day) and dresser leg (at night) on short leash for the full 4 weeks.
 
All was well for just a little over a year and her other knee "went south".  This involved more procedures.  He had to repair the Cru. Lig, cut the tibia crest and troque the tibia, insert permanant pins as well as deepen the groove the knee cap rides in.  This time it was 6 weeks confinement.
 
Well she gained weight during her first confinement and during the time she was deciding the knee was good, and then when the other knee went bad, more weight. She had gone from 70 to 85 pounds, and as said above, that is ROUGH on joints.
I couldn't get the weight off her no matter what I tired and I even had her tested twice withing 2 months for thyroid, but it was fine.  Finally my vet told me to put her on Science Diet RD.  And as someone said about the diet dog food, many here do not agree and would never feed it.  But it worked for my girl, the only thing i found that that did.  I got her back down to 70 pounds.  And I think another 5 or 6 pound loss woundt not hurt anythign either.
 
I give her a SynoviG3 chew every day that I get from the vet (at his recommendation) and I also give her 1 MSM/Glucosamine cap each day along with anEsterC, a Foster & Grant VitaCap for large dogs, and a fish oil cap that has anchovy, sardine and mackeral oil in it.  It is human grade, Spring Valley, that I get at walmart and all 3 dogs, hubby and I take the same cap each day.
 
Oh, I have rheumatoid arthritis and the rheumatologist told me when diagonised about 25 years ago to eat fish several times a week.  I love to fish, but do not like to eat it.  I do eat salmon patties and tuna salad, but that is about it.   Any way, hubby gets a little of my catch, but most of the rest is cooked up for my dogs.  And I have to say, not many dogs gets flounder that sells for $8 a pound for filets in the grocery stores around here  People nearly have a heart atack when they find out I feed a lot of the flounder I catch to my dogs.  I prefer to catch stuff like whting, sand trout, mackeral, that aren't the prime fish of the area like spotted sea trout, redfish and flounder, but they get what i catch.  And if for some reason i am not doing much fishing, they get canned mackeral about 4 nights a week.
 
It is very important to keep the weight down.

Bearbaby, that's what I'm thinkin' about mine that both elbows are bad but only one is obvious. Does your dog lead a more normal life since the surgeries?
Mrv, Thanx for the web lead, I will go to Purina and have a 'looksee'.  I bet Mack is at least 40 pounds overweight. I am feeding him Blue Buffalo, I am pleased with it, he loves the taste, and I don't have to feed much to fill him up.  He is getting a little pumpkin, from a can (not pie filling lol) .
Sandra, WOW.  Sounds like you went through a lot to get your golden repaired, we are facing a similar road.
All I can say is holymoly.    Jules

Hi Jules
 
Yes My boy "Barlee" leads a very normal life.  He is a very happy 18 month puppy.  Without the surgery he would have been in pain as he had bone chips in his elbow that caused him pain and inflamation.  He now no longer has the chips and therefore is pain free.  The one thing I was told was he would never be a "working" or "hunting" dog that would be able to climb mountains and such but that is ok as all I want from him is to take him for walks and have him as a memeber of the family...he is so happy with that.  I take him for one long walks daily  or 3-4 20 - 30 minutes walks off leash as well I have his sister over for "sleep overs" for a day or two a week and they play hard and he is fine.  The surgeon told me after a day of hard play he may be stiff getting up from a nap and to give him medicam if necessary to help with the inflammation.  The only time I have done that is 3 times...once just a few weeks after his surgery and after a longer walk, and twice after several days of his sister staying with us for a week both times.  I am trying to keep him lean and supplement with Vit e, salmon oil (natural anti inflammatory) and glucosimine and condrotin.  Yes he does for sure lead a very normal and happy life....it is so important to let them be puppies .  As upset as I was when I had received the news of his condition and having gone through the surgery and recovery, which is work but u can do it...I have to say the surgery was worth it...without surgery he couldn't go for very long walks and was very uncomfortable.  I wish you all the best and to keep in touch.   

That's good to know, very reassuring.  Hopefully Mack will be able to lead a relatively pain free life after everything is taken care of.  Today isn't one of those days, tho.  He isn't eating much and keeping pretty quiet, I don't think he feels well.  Jules

Know you are not alone at least!  Not only did I just take in a very high need rescue, (a skinny, 110# newfie 1 year old "puppy" with absolutely no training, socialization, etc, but the biggest love) and I find out our beloved almost 2 yr old amstaff boy has just been diagnosed with elbow displasia, haven't even discussed with the specialist which type it is...I'm devastated!  Been dealing with lameness for a year now, finally getting closer to a "real" diagnosis, it has been difficult to say the least.  Also has some "bony changes" in his shoulder, don't even know the details yet...  He is on Adequan (injected) and Duramax, as well as eating Science Diet ZD.  He was on glycoflex from "puppyhood".  He is very active, when he feels good, and is as lean as can be thank goodness for that!  I know how tough it will be, but maybe we can help each other through!  Sounds like you are like me, I will spend whatever it takes, I just want my boy to be pain free and enjoy life!