Page 6 - Hobe Sound Reflections - May '21

Page 6, Hobe Sound

Tip of The Tail

Canine Hip Dysplasia although hip dysplasia begins in puppyhood, most dogs don’t Surgery and alternative medical treatments are also available.

develop clinical signs until they are older. It often takes years of There are also several surgical options to correct hip dysplasia.
gradual bone degeneration until a dog becomes symptomatic. The two most common surgical techniques for hip dysplasia are
Your veterinarian will suspect hip dysplasia from clinical signs total hip replacement and femoral head ostectomy (FHO). The
and history, but a radiograph is needed to make a diagnosis. choice of surgery will be determined by your pet’s age, condition,
Treatment depends upon the pet’s clinical signs and and level of activity. Acupuncture, stem cell treatments, and
amount of discomfort. There are very effective nonsteroidal traditional Chinese medicine have all been used to treat hip
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can help. Each case dysplasia with varying results. There have not been extensive
is different and your veterinarian may use one drug or a scientific studies on these alternative therapies, although
combination of drugs. The treatment will usually change as the some are very encouraging in small studies. Talk with your
disease progresses over time. veterinarian about their experiences and recommendations for
Most dogs with hip dysplasia will usually start with an oral complementary medical procedures to help your dog.
joint supplement. Many dogs will benefit from polysulfated Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical Center is
glycosaminoglycan injections (Adequan) on a regular basis. dedicated to providing the best possible care for your pets. With
The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint. During growth, both Controlled exercise will keep your pet’s weight down and keep focuses on compassionate care in surgery, physical therapy and
the “ball” (the head of the femur or thighbone) and the “socket” the muscles strong. Physical therapy including treadmill, cold rehabilitation, preventative medicine, extensive diagnostics, and
in the pelvis (acetabulum) must grow at equal rates. In canine laser treatments, electrostimulation and controlled exercises have emergency service, Palm City Animal Medical Center combines
hip dysplasia, the joint grows abnormally and results in laxity been highly effective at improving an affected dog’s quality of exceptional medical care with a caring philosophy for pets and
of the joint, followed by degenerative joint disease (DJD) or life and should be part of any treatment regimen. It will also slow their owners. For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit
osteoarthritis (OA). down the progression of arthritis. Excess weight puts undue stress www.palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on Facebook
The degree of lameness that occurs is dependent on the extent on the hip joints and weight control is extremely important. at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.
of these arthritic changes, and may not be correlated with the
appearance of the hip joint on X-rays. Some pets with significant
signs of hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis on X-rays may not exhibit Public Health In Action from page 1 To learn more about volunteer opportunities to support
any clinical signs, while others with minimal changes may be COVID-19 vaccination, contact Kathleen Stacey, United
very painful and lame. The need for volunteers increased in 2020 as COVID-19 Way of Martin County volunteer coordinator, at (772) 283-
Genetics plays the main role in hip dysplasia, but advances in cases rose across the Treasure Coast and the nation. Medical 4800, Ext. 2210 or email: kstacey@unitedwaymartin.org.
nutritional research have shown that diet also plays an important and nonmedical volunteers are recruited through the Medical The Florida Department of Health in Martin County is
role in the development of hip dysplasia. Large breed (generally Reserve Corps (MRC), a national organization with local dedicated to protecting, promoting and improving health
greater than 50 pounds) puppies should be kept at a normal, lean units to meet the public health needs of the community. The of all people in the community. For information about
weight during growth, NOT encouraged to grow very large very year 2021 also brought the opportunity for collaboration with COVID-19 visit www.MartinCountyHealth.com.
fast. the United Way of Martin County, which provides volunteer United Way of Martin County’s mission is to improve
A study of German Shepherds found that overweight puppies placement for nonprofits and public agencies. lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community.
were almost twice as likely to develop hip dysplasia as their “We are very grateful for the support of the United Way To get involved, visit www.UnitedWayMartin.org.
normal-weight counterparts. These studies have allowed food for providing dedicated volunteers who are eager to support
manufacturers to develop specially formulated diets for large the community during these challenging times and encourage
breed puppies. others to get involved,” Vitani said.
Although any dog can be affected, it is predominantly seen United Way of Martin County runs the AmeriCorps
in larger breeds such as German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, Seniors program which engages older adults in volunteer
Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Old English Sheepdogs, service. In February, DOH contacted United Way to request
Bulldogs, etc. Large mixed-breed dogs are also at risk for assistance with volunteer recruitment, spurring Director
developing hip dysplasia and should be fed a special large breed of AmeriCorps Seniors Kathleen Stacey to activate their
growth diet the first year. network. Through their efforts, United Way of Martin County
Weakness and pain in the hind legs are the usual clinical signs. helped recruit and coordinate placement for over 50 medical
The dog appears wobbly and is reluctant to rise from a sitting and nonmedical volunteers who devoted nearly 400 hours of
or lying position. Some dogs will limp or be reluctant to climb service at vaccine clinics throughout the county.
stairs. Over time, the dog will start to shift his weight forward. One of their volunteers, United Way of Martin County
Initially, the front legs may hypertrophy and look stronger. But board member and retired nurse Jane Cebelak, has
eventually, the front legs will be negatively affected with this volunteered at dozens of clinics to date, dedicating many
extra burden. These signs can be seen in puppies as early as a days, nights and weekends to the effort. “Giving my time
few months old but are most common in dogs one to two years to assist with vaccination clinics in my hometown is a great
of age. Dogs with mild hip dysplasia on X-rays may develop way to act locally and think globally as it is important to Retired registered nurse Jane Cebelak of Palm City helps a
minimal arthritis without clinical signs until they are older. In fact, our nation’s overall efforts to recover from the pandemic,” Martin County resident fill out paperwork during a vaccine
Cebelak said. clinic hosted by United Way of Martin County.

Captain’s was established in 1980 servicing
Palm Beach County and is a privately
owned and managed company.
Captain’s is committed to providing
dependable, reliable and professional
ground transportation to and from all NoN-Toxic cancer immunotherapy
South Florida Airports and Seaports. PBCVH212
To reserve your vehicle:
561-798-2180 or 800-634-7890 www.captainsairport.com
Available NoW

Southern Exposure Technologies Safe and Effective!
Computer Install/Setup/Repair
(561) 315-0144 This is the Original Immunotherapy that
getsetgo.annie@gmail.com balances and optimizes your immune system to
* DSL, Broadband,Wireless Install
* Networking, Troubleshooting fight almost any type of cancer.
* Instruction
* Hardware/Software Installation
* Virus/Spyware/Adware Fix Hundreds of successes over the years.
* Cleanup/Maintenance/Backup
* Business Consult/Startup/Move
* Website Design/Maintenance Continuously available since 1977
Call S.E.T. to install your “new computer, printer
and wireless network”! in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
GET S.E.T. GO!
REASONABLE HOURLY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY RATES
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES FOR AS LOW AS $50.00 AN HOUR, See our website for more info:
WITH A MINIMUM OF 6 HOURS A MONTH,
OR 2 HOURS A WEEK, OR ON AN AS-NEEDED
BASIS RATE OF $75.00 P/HOUR. www.Quantumimmunotherapy.net
START YOUR NEW YEAR WITH SECURE BACKUPS,
QUALITY MAINTENANCE, ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND
PERSONABLE ON-SITE SUPPORT! or call for more information: Toll-free number (561) 766-0878
(561) 315-0144
CALL S.E.T. TODAY FOR YOUR COMPUTER NEEDS! Email: Quantimmuno@gmail.com