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PAIN RELIEF FOR PETS
Pain Relief for Pets Prolotherapy Gives Joints New Life
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BrianEngler, ofDrexelHill, Pennsylvania, wasaskedtoprovide hospicecareforasenior Akita.Tadaowas underweight,weak, arthriticandhadbeen severelyneglected.He neededaplacetolive outhisremainingdaysincomfort.Even thoughTadaowasunstablewithseverely limitedmobility,Englerbelievedthattheold doghadmorethanalittlelifeleftinhim. Engler’sveterinariantriedprolotherapyinjectiontreatmentsforTadao’s jointpainandhesoonbecamemore comfortableandgraduallymoreactive.“By thetimewecompletedthetreatments,he wasabletogetupanddownwitheaseand startedcruisingaroundthekitchenlooking forsnacksonthecounter,”saysEngler. Prolotherapy,shortforproliferative therapy,isn’tjustfordogs.Anyanimal withajointcanreceivetheregenerative injectiontherapy,whichrelievespainby strengtheningligamentsandtendons supportingthejoint.It’sminimallyinvasive,involvingthe injectionofasugar solutiondirectlyinto theaffectedarea.The body’sinflammation responsekicksin,resultinginregrowthof newfibersinligaments andtendons.
Prolotherapyhas beenaroundalongtime.Itwasusedto treatlameanimalsaround1350B.C.Back then,ahotpokerwasusedtoinducethe inflammationresponse.Inthe1930s,injectionofanirritantsolutionatthesiteofthe injurybecamethenewmethod,andhas sincebeenshowninscientificstudiesto facilitatetherepairandregrowthofconnectivetissue,ligaments,tendons,cartilage andotherjoint-stabilizingstructures. Modernprolotherapyhasremained basicallythesameforthelast80years, althoughtheinjectedirritantsolutionis modifiedaccordingtotheveterinarian, thetypeofanimalandtheinjury.Every vetusesaslightlydifferentprolotherapy “cocktail”,whichtypicallyincludes50 percentdextroseandpossiblyseveralother by Julie Peterson Prolotherapy offers an effective alternative to surgery in a significant number of partial ligament tears or persistent joint pain issues. ~Judith M. Shoemaker
ingredientsthepractitionerfindsuseful, suchassaline,vitaminB 12 ,lidocaineand homeopathiccombinations.Somevetsalso offerplatelet-richplasmaorstemcellsin theinjectionmixture. “Prolotherapyoffersaneffectivealternativetosurgeryinasignificantnumber ofpartialligamenttearsorpersistentjoint painissues,”saysJudithM.Shoemaker, DVM,ownerofAlwaysHelpfulVeterinary Services,inNottingham,Pennsylvania.“It’s quiteinexpensiveandthesuccessrateis verygood.Manyanimalsrespondafterjust afewtreatments.” Shoemakertypicallydoesprolotherapytreatmentsinthree-tofive-week intervalsuntilthejointheals.Shealso lookstocorrecttheunderlyingissuesof theproblem.“Jointsdon’tgettornupwith normalmovement,”shesays. Animalsmayhavejointissuesfrom falling,butothercausesincludeoverweight,longtoenailsorchiropracticissues. Prolotherapystabilizesjointsafteran injuryandachievespain-freemotion,but it’sonlysuccessfulifthecauseoftheinjury isremedied.
By the time we completed the treatments, he was able to get up and down with ease and started cruising around the kitchen looking for snacks on the counter. ~Brian Engler
“Prolotherapyisaveryimportanttool inintegrativeveterinarycare,butit’snota panacea,andit’sneverastand-alonetreatment,”saysChristinFinn,DVM,owner oftheCanineRehabilitation&Integrative VeterinaryCenter,inKingston,Washington.“It’spartofacombinationofintegrativetreatmentsbasedonwhatisbestfor yourpet.” Therightbalanceoftreatmentsto helpananimalfeelcomfortablecould includelasertherapy,osteopathicmanipulation,acupuncture,physicaltherapy, custombraces,prolotherapyorrest. Usingprolotherapyinconjunctionwithotherposture-correctingand integrativetherapiesisawinforpetsand theirowners.Surgeryisfraughtwith complicationsandexpensive.When prolotherapyisusedaspartofacomprehensivetreatmentplan,animalscan recoverfrominjuriesthatmayhavebeen debilitatingorevenfatal. IveySumrell’sIrishsporthorse recoveredfromasevereinjury.At8years old,Johnnywasbittenontheneckby astallion.“Hisneckbecameunstable andhehadsevereproblemswalking,” saysSumrell,ofTryon,NorthCarolina. “Ultrasound-guidedprolotherapywas donethreetimestoallofhisneckjoints.” Johnnywasabletoberiddenandlived tobe22. AndTadao,thedogthatwas expectedtodieinhospicecareayear ago,isenjoyinglife.He’snowwell-nourishedandloved,andpainlesslygoesfor walksandplaysatthepark.“Tadaoisthe posterchildforwhatprolotherapycan do,”saysEngler.
Julie Peterson writes about health and environmental issues. Reach her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
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