Buxton's panting and the diagnosis of arthritis in dogs

[tsharlo1]

During last night's webinar I talked about Buxton's panting and there were several suggestions. Thank you @Dr. Christina for offering to post them here.
Buxton is an 8 yo Bernese Mountain Dog. He has been holistically raised since he was born and I have had appointments with @Dr. Jeff too. Buxton's local vet (new to us) diagnosed significant arthritis in 3 legs. He enjoys his walks but the past several weeks he has slowed down after about 30 minutes and pants a lot even now that the weather is cooler. He has been on Trixsyn and rotating joint supplements for several years. I recently added CBD and Myos and increased the omegas. I also started having him lay on my PEMF mat. @Dr. Sara mentioned laryngeal paralysis as a possible cause for his panting.

He sniffs a lot on his walks and as an intact male he marks and often kicks vigorously after marking. I wonder if that is making his arthritis worse.

I will observe his panting closely even when not on walks and start journaling. Would CBD and increased omegas help at all if it is early stages of laryngeal paralysis?

I will make an appointment with Dr. Jeff after he has been on the CBD, Myos and increased omegas longer.

Thank you to all for your comments.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Sorry to hear about Buxton's panting, slower walks and the arthritis diagnosis.

Were x-rays taken of his legs showing arthritic changes?

Has he had any recent (3-6 month) bloodwork?

Have there been any physical or emotional changes in his environment in the past few weeks to months? If so, I'd be suspicious that these may be related to his panting and slower walking.

There are lots of potentially palliative things you can try to help him feel better while getting to the underlying DEB (Dynamic Energy Budget/Balance) root of this. Many of them were in the chat which @Dr. Christina will post.

For anyone who'd like to dive deeper into DEB, here's a bit about the understanding of energy management in biology:

Knowledge about metabolic performance is key to conservation biology, sustainable management and environmental risk assessment, which are seen as interlinked fields.

Multidimensional scaling for animal traits in the context of dynamic energy budget theory

Abstract. The method of multidimensional scaling (MDS) has long existed, but could only recently be applied to animal traits in the context of dynamic energy bu

academic.oup.com

role of Dynamic Energy Budgets in conservation physiology

This paper reviews applications of dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory to conservation issues. We discuss how the DEB framework, through its mechanistic nature,

academic.oup.com

Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) Theory and conservation issues; Forecasting in a changing world

In this special issue we explore dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory to conservation issues and its applications in conservation research. DEB theory was first d

academic.oup.com

This may seem to be unrelated to Buxton's arthritis but actually is key to understanding, preventing and helping it (and is a "new" way to understand vitality and energy in all living beings).

 

[tsharlo1]

Dr. Jeff, Thank you for your reply.

X-rays were not taken. She diagnosed the arthritis by exam. Do you think x-rays would be important?

Buxton had CBC, chemistry and UA in April and the vet didn't note anything of concern. He had VDI testing done in June and B12 and magnesium were low normal and everything else was ok.

You asked about recent physical or emotional changes. We have attended obedience trials and some have been out of town. He is very comfortable traveling and staying in hotels. He has become comfortable resting in his crate at the trial but is stressed when we go in the ring. We have been to my son's (out of town) a couple times and he has become accustomed to being there but he doesn't have my undivided as usual when it is just the 2 of us at home or traveling.

I will read the information on DEB.

Thank you.
Debbie

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Do you think x-rays would be important?

Yes, for a definitive diagnosis of arthritis x-rays are super useful. However, they sure aren't necessary for Buxton (unless you want to know for sure what's going on in his joints).

HA (hyaluronic acid) is very helpful for many pups if he is not already getting this. Especially Trixsyn:

Trixsyn® Canine Hyaluronic Acid Joint Supplement for Dogs - Cogent Solutions Group, LLC

cogentsolutionsgroup.com

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Debbie,
There is an old saying, "Dogs walk on their legs, not on their x-rays." This is true, and x-rays don't do anything for Buxton's comfort. They do, however, show us if there are bony changes in the joints. Dogs can be lame and sore for muscular and conditioning reasons, as well as because of joint inflammation. If we know that arthritis is present, that is a big cause of lameness. I know Buxton has dysplasia in his left elbow, so I would be quite surprised if there wasn't some arthritis there. With excellent hip conformation, rear arthritis is less likely. It would likely be helpful to have Buxton assessed by a sports medicine practitioner, as they can assess where he is stiff, and give you good exercises to improve his comfort level.
Hugs to the big sweetie from me,
Dr. Sara