Huxley’s Gait – August 7, 2012 – Backyard to Side Door before Pubescent Angelica Root

August 9, 2012

Our chocolate Lab Huxley turned 10 years old this past June. With the recently revised canine-to-human age conversion chart factoring his weight (96 lbs. down from 110), Huxley is the equivalent of a 78-year-old man.

For the past two years hip dysplasia, a traditional disease of senior Labs, and arthritis have begun to affect him. It’s one of the prices we pay for purebred dogs; a closed genetic pool allows harmful recessive genes to come to the fore.

The above video is, I think, a good representation of his current mobility. You’ll note his wobbling gait, his sitting down after taking a few steps and his inability to go up a short flight of stairs unaided.

We have always supplemented his premium kibble with fat-free yogurt, omega oils, vegetables, fruit and, in season, antihistamines.

For several months he’s also been receiving 50 mg of Novox (carprofen) a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and 1/4 tablet of Tramadol hydrochloride, a narcotic-like pain reliever. We moved to this after 18 months of canine aspirin to manage his pain. He appears to no longer  be in pain, or perhaps we have merely reached the threshold of his stoicism.

We no longer give Huxley glucosamine-chondroitin. Why? It doesn’t work, at least not in pill form.

My wife has two artificial hips. So we have some background in dealing with hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis and related conditions. She regularly took glucosamine-chondroitin supplements for more than a decade. Her condition never improved, only grew worse and she ended up replacing both hips.

Here are some links that I think are useful in determining whether glucosamine-chondroitin is effective (below). Given this information, I’m always surprised that when challenged, MDs and DVMs almost always fall back on, “Well, it can’t hurt.”  That’s not enough, in my opinion. It’s also not free, in addition to being useless. No doctor who claimed belief in this supplement has offered to pay for it out of his own pocket for us.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/glucosamine-the-unsinkable-rubber-duck/

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/glucosamine-update-a-new-study-and-a-new-product/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16495392?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/news/20100916/study-glucosamine-chondroitin-no-help-for-arthritis

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/glucosamine.html

This past week we’ve begun giving Huxley a new herbal supplement White Crane Formula Hip Guard from Natural Solutions, Inc., Speonk, NY.
This is leading.
I’m on record as a skeptic of alternative and complimentary medicine; specifically, acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, reiki and all ‘energy’ based treatments. Non-FDA approved supplements are included in my skeptical view. If you want a great resource for false claims of all sort go to Bob Carroll’s most excellent The Skeptic’s Dictionary.
This is leading. 

So why am I trying White Crane Hip Formula? I’ve been told it works by people whose opinion I trust and whose intelligence I respect. I realize that this is only anecdotal evidence and, as I always say, the plural of anecdotes is not data.

But I will not allow my skepticism to preclude a treatment that might help my beloved senior dog. If I have to admit that this herbal supplement works, I’ll be happy to do so. More than that, I am hoping that I see the kind of results others report.  Even though right on the label it states, “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease.” That’s a pretty big disclaimer, no?

Also, I challenge the average dog owner to determine if this treatment is unsuitable because their pooch might be sensitive to dragon’s blood (the bark or resin of Croton lechleri, a flowering plant native to South America).

I want to try and eliminate my own bias. If White Crane Formula Hip Guard works, it should work whether I ‘believe’ in it or not. So I’ll be posting additional videos as Huxley takes his first full month of White Crane Formula Hip Guard. I’ll ask you to look at these videos and judge for yourself Huxley’s improvement (or lack thereof).

The following information (below) is on the White Crane Formula Hip Guard label. I’ve never seen any medication with so many ‘active ingredients.’ But I am fond of white peonies. So there’s that.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Active ingredients: frankincense, myrrh, corydalis tuber, tangerine, curcuma root, pubescent angelica root, cinammon bark, drynaria, teasel root, morinda, eucommia bark, ox knee root teasel, lycopedium, eupolyphaga, dragon’s blood, atractylodes lancea, white peony, jujube fruit, clematis, astragalus, white atractylodes, aconite, angelica radix.

Inactive ingredients: Contains no fillers, colors or additives.

Cautions: Do not use in animals sensitive to any of the ingredients.

Directions: Give 1 capsule per 10-20 lbs twice daily.

Statements not evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. For use in animals only. Sold through veterinarians only. Natural Solutions, Inc. makes no warranty, express or implied, for its products. In no event shall Natural Solutions, Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages, and the limit of liability shall be the price paid for the product herein.

 

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