New Hope for Dog Owners: The Adequan Alternative (Page 3)
by Barry G. Davis
The first three weeks proved uneventful - disheartening, really, because there were no observable changes. She still limped severely; the "click" from the join was still there; and the only way the we could keep even a semblance of muscle tone was by swimming her daily in the river behind the house. After the fourth injection, however, we began to notice subtle changes. The "click" began to soften, and she started to use the leg a tiny bit more. By the day of the fifth shot, the "click" was gone. And after the sixth, the changes were dramatic. He leg still was very weak because of the lack of muscle, but the pain obviously was gone. In order to rebuild the muscles, she was placed on a controlled exercise program. Two months after the last shot, she worked a late-season upland-bird hunt, running hard and retrieving a full limit.
The acid test was a late-season duck hunt in brutal conditions. Any healthy retriever, except maybe a raw-boned Chesapeake, would have had a tough time with the ice and cold, so I was prepared for the worst. Misty broke ice on the first retrieve, crawled out of the water and had her coat turn into icicles in seconds; then, she stoically sat out an hour of no birds. My endurance gave out before hers. The only visible negative effect of her hip was a slight limp for a brief time, and that was treated by a single aspirin tablet.
How the Adequan works is simple. In medical terms, it "stimulates chondroblast activity and increases the production of synovial fluid." For us laymen, that means it stimulates the production of cartilage (the cushion) and synovial fluid (the lubricant) in areas where they're needed. In dysplasia, that would be the affected hip joint. It has no effect in normal joints, so there's no worry about overloading and creating problems. As Dr. Koby put it, "Essentially, the end results of the drug's application is a total 'repaving' of the joint with new cartilage and synovial fluid." The worst side effect thus far encountered is a simple "pain syndrome", mostly in cold weather. When treated with aspirin, it disappears within a few days.
Since their first experiment in August '86, Drs. Koby and Tillis have treated approximately 30 dogs. The results have been positive in all hip and stifle (knee) cases. Re-treatment two shots only) has been necessary only once, in a basset hound with extremely sloppy hips.
As with any other medical treatment, though, there are always qualifications. "Success", for example, is relative. For a dog that can barely move and needs assistance in rising, success is the ability to rise, walk, and function on its own again. For one just beginning to exhibit problems, success can be a return to virtually near-normal performance. In Dr. Koby's words, "You have to understand the mode and mechanism of the drug in order not to expect more from it than it can deliver." And, you have to fit the cure to the case. They don't use it exclusively in their practice, because sometimes the case, for certain specific reasons, doesn't fit their established criteria. |
