Sorry this is long. I found this message thread very interesting because over 3 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. My doctor said it was 'triggered' by an antibiotic that I was given that I had an allergic reaction to. In one month I went from hiking 8 miles and not breaking a sweat and doing climbing walls to being so disabled with pain and swelling in my feet, hands, my joints ached and sensations in my legs (needed to sleep on my back with legs up on pillows) that I had to get pants with elastic. The doctor told me that I would be disabled and on meds the rest of my life. He could not explain to me sufficiently how this could happen in one month. I refused meds and toughed it out. The first month I felt sorry for myself and was a couch potato. Then I kicked myself and started to read. That was about the only thing I could do. This is what I found out and how I beat my diagnosis. I found that when we reach around the age of 40 our body slowly diminishes it's production of our super antioxidant glutathione. This is a major player in the proper functioning of our immune system and regulates so many body systems that I am not going to list all of them here. The one I am going to mention is that it does regulate the hormones. When this is depleted via the severe immune response that happens when you receive a vaccination the body's cells and gut (80% of our immune system is regulated from there) is no longer protected because of oxidative stress. When the gut is compromised the body absorption of vit. D is diminished. Now another thing to take into consideration is family medical history. Is there allergies or auto-immune disease in the family? If this is true then there is the possibility that there could be any one or more of these factors: 1) defective GSH (glutathione) gene; 2) elevated levels of free floating IgE in the body; 3) increased levels of histamine release from mast cells. These are the most important. Because I found that RA was an auto-immune issue likely caused by my allergic reaction to the anti-biotic I had to deal with the inflammation and find how I could diminish this. First I started with diet. What foods can cause inflammation and eliminate them? I eliminated all processed sugars and went to honey for a start. Then I found what to add to my diet to increase my body production of glutathione (I was 58 at onslaught of RA). I added more fruits and green veggies (increasing my vit C & E). As I researched further I found that whey protein helps intensify the C & E so I started taking a whey suppliment. With the changes in diet initially I saw slow impovement in 1 month. When I added the whey protein I saw improvement in 2 weeks. It took 2 years for my body to heal itself and I was pretty much symptom free and pain free. The only problem I had left was my gut. I believe I had IBS (irritable bowel symdrome). I never went back to the doctor so this is my diagnosis of the symptoms that I had. My gut would feel funny (I called the five minute warning) and I would have to find a bathroom fast. Every store I went to I knew where the restroom was just in case. Further research was done to find out that Autistic children are glutathione deficient and their gut problems diminished after going gluten free. Hummmmm I pondered this for about 1 day and decided to minimize my gluten and test the foods I did eat to see what reactions I would have. I no longer eat standard breads or pastas. I can eat rye bread and one bun with unbleached white bread for my hamburgers. (I love my food, sorry.) I can also eat the pasta that is labeled semolina pasta. Don't understand why but I can but I do not overdo it. I have been reading labels for 2 years now and I am pretty much (money is a little tight) all natural foods, frozen veggies, etc. As of one year ago I am now totally symptom free. Wohoo! My only problem is that I know I will never be 100% ever again. I do have energy level problems so I do everything in moderation. I have to take a power nap every afternoon. I lost 35 - 40 lbs of muscle mass so I can't do some of the strenuous things I used to. But the upside is that my allergic responses to seasonal pollens are next to non-existant. No flu or colds (this was a concern of mine). Over all with my auto-immune issue it is all under control and people are amazed that I ever had RA and was 95% disabled. This is my story. Do your own research. If your doctor will not test for glutathione deficiency (warning: they will not) ask them to test for magnesium deficiency. Glutathione deficiency goes hand in hand with magnesium deficiency. Foot note: Glutathione supplements do not work because the body does not absorb the glutathione. The best way is to get the body to produce more. Here is a link that might be useful: Histamine

Have posted on other forums but am new here. Hope you don't mind if I join in. I had a German Shepherd who had hip problems. At times he too would have trouble walking outside or getting back in so I kept a large beach towel handy. I would put the towel under his belly, hold the ends together above him and help him walk out, let him do his business and then replace the towel and help him back in. The towel was wide enough that it didn't cut into him belly. Maybe this would help when Sadie can't get up. I also found that a bean bag chair was a wonderful bed for dogs with arthritis. Not only is it comfortable but when my Thor got to the point that he would occasionally wet himself, the beanbag cover was such that it let the urine flow thru to the paper below and kept the wetness away from him until I saw it and cleaned it up. (Need to have a two beanbags ) The "beans" were in a cloth bag container and I would hose them with soapy water and hang it outside to dry and just throw the main cover into the washer. I finally had to have my Thor Man euthanized after he had a stroke. He was 14 years old. It's been over 12 years and I still miss him. Good luck with your Sadi. It's so hard to see your "babies" growing old. I have a 14 year old Australian Shepherd/Chow mix, an 11 year old Lab/Chow mix and two 9 year old German Shepherds. I can see the age making changes in even the 9 year olds but we just adjust our ways of doing things and continue on loving and enjoying each other.

Hip dysplasia causes arthritis which is a progressive condition. Unless the cause- hip dysplasia- is cured, arthritis will continue to progress and cause more problems in the future. Nobody can predict how long any particular dog will be comfortable without pain meds, with pain meds, etc. For severely affected dogs, surgery is the only option to reduce pain. Others are good with long term meds, but those are not without potentially serious consequences which require routine bloodwork. Metacam and rimadyl are in the same class of drugs- NSAIDs- and have very similar adverse effect profiles. One drug is not any better than the other nor is one any safer than the other for long term use. Showing signs at age 3 is not a good thing. Bunny hopping is a sign of pain, which needs to be addressed. Besides NSAIDs there are many other pain control options available- glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil, duralactin, strict weight control, physical therapy, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, etc. My own Ana was born with severely deformed rear legs and I managed to avoid NSAIDs until she was 6. I had her on glucosamine/chondroitin and fish oil since I got her at 6 months of age, added rimadyl at 6 years, and added duralactin at 8 years. She still sometimes needs tramadol on bad days. Since past age 6 her degree of pain has increased drastically, as has the rate of increasing pain. I have access to acupunture and that is my next modality. Surgery was performed on one leg at age 4 but it did nothing to alleviate her pain. I would be prepared for multiple vet visits and substantial money in the not to distant future. I think the dog will need at least an FHO to reduce pain- looking at $700+ per leg. Gold standard would be total hip replacement in both legs, but that is about $5000 per leg. Even just pain management can be costly with the routine bloodwork to make sure the meds aren't killing the dog. If you have that kind of money, great. But please don't think that the dog will not require expensive chronic medication at least.

Just wanted to give an update. Monkey is still hanging in there. About 3 weeks ago, it wasn't looking great as his lump had grown very rapidly in the prior two weeks, so we tried another chemo. He did well for the last 3 weeks. Good energy, purring. But in the last day or so, I've noticed some of his prior behaviors coming back. The pacing/restlessness and the strange litter box behaviors. I'm a little nervous that the brain involvement is beginning again. We were scheduled for his next chemo next week, but I called and we moved it up to today. I'm hoping it will help this latest issue. I'm also going to see if we can start him on some pain meds to keep him comfortable. I'm a little worried this is the beginning of the end, since I saw this exact progression before his radiation to the point where we almost put him to sleep. I always knew that the treatments were only buying us some time but admittedly part of me was in denial after seeing him respond so well. But I'm at peace with the situation as I know I tried everything I could and sometimes these things just happen. If you have any spare good thoughts, I'd appreciate them for Monkey and my family that he will feel a little better, and if this is the last stage, that he won't be in too much pain and that I will know when it's time. It's so hard because I want to spend time with him but he doesn't really want attention or affection right now. :(