Asked on the Dog Forum by glw247 on 8/6/03, 2:17 pm
Q: ear mites and fractured hip
hello my dog's name is wilbur. he is an old english sheepdog and recently was in an accident that fractured his hip. we took him to the vet and they took x-ray's and said that the hip would have to heal on it's own. they also said he has authritis that is worse than the fracture. is there any reccomdation that you have to help us make him more comfortable? he seems to be in pain quite often. also, he has been scratching at his ears and whining with them lately, and i think he may have ear mites...is there any way that i can check, and treat him for them? i would take him back to the vet, but i am out of money due to the expensive cost that i have just had to pay for all the recent vet bills. please give any advice.
thank you,
Ginger
Answered by Swoozie on 8/6/03, 2:59 pm
A: ear mites and fractured hip
I hate to break the news to you but your dog will have to go back to the vets. Ear mites are generally seen in puppies and can be introduced to an adult dog through a puppy infected with them. Ear mites have the appearnace of coffee grounds. I'd say it's a better chance of your dog having an yeast or bacterial infection which will require antibiotic ear drops, plus the vet will have to clean out the ear canal prior to medicating it...Ear infections can go into the inner ear as well and cause lots more problems. they can inflame the vestibular nerve causing the dog to lose it's balance and not be able to walk .. You dog needs to be seen by a vet for this. As for thr broken hip, did the vet perscribe and pain medications? If not, you need to talk to him about it. They make orthopedic beds for dogs which help to relieve pressure on they're bones. Having one of those for him might make him more comfortable. good luck :-) Hare's a site too on ear mites and infections
http://www.pethealthcare.net/html/body_canine_ear_infections.html
> hello my dog's name is wilbur.
> he is an old english sheepdog
> and recently was in an
> accident that fractured his
> hip. we took him to the vet
> and they took x-ray's and said
> that the hip would have to
> heal on it's own. they also
> said he has authritis that is
> worse than the fracture. is
> there any reccomdation that
> you have to help us make him
> more comfortable? he seems to
> be in pain quite often. also,
> he has been scratching at his
> ears and whining with them
> lately, and i think he may
> have ear mites...is there any
> way that i can check, and
> treat him for them? i would
> take him back to the vet, but
> i am out of money due to the
> expensive cost that i have
> just had to pay for all the
> recent vet bills. please give
> any advice.
> thank you,
> Ginger
>
Answered by Krazy4Kritterz on 8/6/03, 4:47 pm
A: More on arthritis
Hi Ginger,
I do hope that you are keeping this guy under strict rules. Overexercising can seriously damage a healing bone, especially in a large dog. So sorry that he, and you, are going through all of this right now. What a bummer. :( At least he survived his accident, though. That is wonderful.
I agree with Swoozie. There is no getting around the fact that the vet needs to check out his ear problem. He's probably going to need a follow-up soon anyways, right? Just bring it up at that point. The vets around my area do not charge the regular office visit (usually $30 or so) if it's for a follow up to something they've already treated. So... if you ask about it at your next visit (assuming it's very soon), then that might save you a bit of money. Most vets will also accept payments. Especially since they've already been treating him for a while now.
Here's something I wrote to someone else who's dog had arthritis. I do NOT suggest that you try any exercise programs or anything of that nature without first discussing it with your vet, since of course he's got the hip problem going on.
Good luck to Wilbur!
From my Dog FAQ:
First things first, bring her to the vet right away, if you haven't already.
They will be able to prescribe a medication, if it's determined that she needs it. Has she been diagnosed with arthritis already? You said she's having hip pain - has dysplasia been ruled out? If not, I'de suggest having X-rays done as well.
There are many drugs out there which ease arthritis pain; Etogesic, Rimadyl, etc... Regular buffered aspirin can also provide pain relief for dogs. But you'll need to talk with your vet about the proper dosage. Also ask them if putting her on a Chondroitin/Glucosamine supplement might benefit her. Never administer any sort of medication without first consulting your vet.
It's also important to make a vet visit before shrugging this off as joint pain because bone cancer can have very similar symptoms as arthritis; causing limping, stiffness, and discomfort.
Dogs with arthritis or dysplasia should have their physical activity limited because too much activity will make the joints become inflammed. However, it's also important that she be kept at her optimum weight and prevented from becoming obese, which is very hard on the joints as well. Talk with the vet about a weight loss plan if you suspect your dog is overweight. If she's at the right weight for her size, then be sure to keep her at that level.
As a general rule, if you can't feel your dog's ribs with just slight pressure, or if she has no waist, then she is probably too heavy.
Most dogs benefit from heat therapy. Heated beds are available at most pet stores or online. As are cooling beds which, for some reason, my hip dysplastic dog prefers over heat. :) The regular orthepedic ''egg crate'' type mattress covers are available just about everywhere. Putting one of these in your dog's bed will also help to provide pain relief.
The Doctor's Foster & Smith company (www.drsfostersmith.com) has a lot of canine orthepedic products.
Some other things you might look into are physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage. These types of facilities are available for dogs, though they aren't necessarily easy to find. Your vet should be able to locate such specialists for you.
Good luck to you and your dog! :)
