Just got back from the vet, $400 poorer, for x-rays of Sagan's legs. He's been favoring his left leg for a couple of weeks and the x-rays show that he has OCD in his left shoulder. The surgeon is going to evaluate the x-rays tonight and they'll get back to me tomorrow on whether surgery is recommended. Right now he's on a prescription NSAID and is doing pretty well. Bad time of year financially to come up with $2,000 (my guess) for for surgery, but we'll find the money somewhere.

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Just blowing in the breeze

Just got the word from the Vet, surgeon recommends surgery, estimate is $1400 to $1500, better than I thought. Tough part will be keeping a 9 month old puppy quiet for 6 weeks and only going outside on a leash.

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Just blowing in the breeze

Sorry to hear Sagan needs surgery.
What does OCD stand for?

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[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215

Tonka & Tucker

SNOBEAR at the Bridge
Dec. 23, 1999-March 27, 2010


SMOOCH at the Bridge.
Feb. 14, 1999-Dec. 7, 2010

Make sure your breeder knows about it, it is hereditary. It is very successful as a surgery.

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Janice and The Celebration Gang -
"Samantha, George, Tiki, Emily, Mick and Basil" Gone but not forgotten, Sally(Windjammer's Ima Country Girl CDX CGC), Laney(Mandell Marlenes Celebration UD RA CGC), and Cookie(Starseeker's Kissmas Cookie CDX RE CGC).

My Bear had surgery for it at 7 months old. She lived to be 12, and never had anymore shoulder issues. It was really worth it. Back when she had it done, the cost was $1000. Someone commented in the price and I told them that if she lives for 10 years, it's only 100 a year for her to be happy, healthy, and pain free.

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Bear 6/2000-5/27/2012

OCD stands for osteochondritis dissecans, a painful joint disease that affects shoulders, elbows, and knees.

OCD mainly strikes large-breed dogs, and is fairly common in Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Saint Bernards. Not all big breeds are vulnerable: OCD is less likely to affect Doberman Pinschers, Collies, and Siberian Huskies.

Most often the cause is rapid bone development, so OCD is usually found in puppies between four and eight months old. However, it can occasionally be found in older dogs, as well as smaller breeds. It affects male dogs about five times more often than females.

The pain is caused by inflammation and lesions on the smooth cartilage in the dog's joints, right where the bones meet. Small pieces of the cartilage break off and float free in the joint. Those bits of cartilage don't die; they keep growing. (In fact, they even have a painfully cute name: "joint mice.") Once they're floating free, fluid builds up and calcification occurs. The joint gets inflamed and swollen, nerves get irritated, and the pup is in pain.

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Just blowing in the breeze

Thanks, I'll contact the breeder. I do know that Sagan was from the last litter of the breeding pair, being retired after many successful litters. We have neighbors that have two beautiful dogs from the same pair, different litters, that have never shown this problem. I guess the disease can show up or not, we just happened to get a dog that it did show up on.

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Just blowing in the breeze