Diagnose before you poke
12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 9, 2006
Shawn Messonnier
Dear Dr. Shawn: My dog Jake is 5 years old and in the last six months has been favoring his back legs. It's difficult for him to get up from lying down and it takes him awhile to get going. He has had X-rays, and arthritis and hip dysplasia have been ruled out. His doctor said it could be a nerve disorder. I've heard that acupuncture could work. What do you think?
Answer: It is possible that Jake does have arthritis or at least joint pain, even though his X-rays did not reveal these problems. Why does your doctor suspect a nerve problem? Just because X-rays don't show joint problems doesn't mean that a nerve injury is present. Does Jake have any nerve deficits? For example, does he have any spots of pain on his body? Does he drag his legs? Does he walk normally once he gets going? These are some of the things to consider before suspecting nerve damage.
Acupuncture can help. However, you need a diagnosis before someone simply starts sticking needles into his body. (You also need to know where to stick the needles, and from your description, this would be hard to determine.) You might request a visit to a specialist for more testing such as an MRI. Once a diagnosis is reached, many alternative therapies, including acupuncture, can be helpful. I use acupuncture occasionally, but always with other therapies, such as herbs and homeopathics. These treatments can be tried first, and then acupuncture can be added as needed.
Join me for a free talk on using natural therapies to prevent and treat disease, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Waggin' Tails, 1151 W. Parker Road, Suite 207, Plano. Call 972-867-8800 to reserve your seats.
Send questions to Dr. Shawn Messonnier at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park, Plano, TX 75075 or naturalvet@ juno.com. Visit him at www.pet carenaturally.com.