barkster wrote:
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!
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 !