OCD DEFINITION
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What to feed  Pups
Winston's Joint Formula
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N'zymes Role in After-Recovery Health

I  have a new Dane boy, Bugsy. I acquired him when he was 4 1/2 months old from a reputable Great Dane breeder. The food he was eating while a young pup was not optimal (in my opinion). This food had a high protein / fat ratio for a growing Dane pup; also the protein and carbohydrate sources were not to my liking. New Research has shown that Giant breed dogs require lower percentages of protein and fat because too rapid growth of the long bones can bring on growth related problems. Higher quality ingredients assure faster absorption and better utilization of the food. 

Bugs was purchased in late November. I slowly began replacing his old food with a new food, to help protect him from any bone problems. Research has shown that a lower protein/fat food slows the growth of the long bones, significantly reducing the possibility of frequently found bone problems such as: OCD (osteochondritis dessicans), Panosteitis and HOD (hypertrophic osteodystrophy) in giant breed dogs. Puppies fed less than Super-Premium quality food within the first six months of life tend to have more growth related bone problems. I have always tried to feed giant breed puppies a protein level of between 20% and 23% and a fat content around 15% to 19%. Also, factors in preventing some of these problems are items like Vitamin C, Coenzyme Q-10 and other nutritional supplements which I also add to the food of my pups. 

Bugs had an elbow injury sometime in the middle of October, before I purchased him. When he began to exhibit limping problems on the right front within a month of his purchase, I felt that the limp might be a recurrence of his old injury. X-ray diagnosis of his shoulders in January showed bilateral (both shoulders) OCD, a nasty problem usually requiring extensive surgery. 

A quick explanation in laymen terms, of OCD . . .  The cartilage that covers the joint ends of the bones thickens, and no longer receives adequate nutrition.  The cartilage begins to die and crack. This causes inflammation in the joint and a divot of cartilage (like a grass divot on the golf course) breaks off the head of the bone (cartilage) in the affected joint, floating freely in the joint, causing pain. The joints usually affected are: the stifle, hock, elbow or shoulder, with the latter being most common. In medical reference books, the causes are listed as genetic predisposition, rapid growth and/or feeding poor quality food. 

Bugsy's movement had to be limited to walking on a leash only for outdoor necessity. No exercise at all other than that. As he was originally purchased as my next obedience prospect, this put a serious crimp in my training plans. I also am a firm believer as is my vet that OCD may or may not be a genetically carried problem (according to the Veterinary Journals and Manuals the jury is still out), therefor, Bugs was neutered as soon as I discovered the OCD. This was a terrible tragedy, as Bugs is a lovely specimen of the Dane breed. 

My vet, Dr. Eric Bloomfield, was strongly in favor of  surgery for this condition, and felt there as little in the way of alternative treatment. I called an orthopedic surgeon or two to learn a bit more about the surgery and its outcome.  Frankly, the financial prospect of this surgery was enough to scare us ($1,500 at least PER shoulder), not to mention the trauma and risk of such radical surgery and anesthesia, twice! Danes are extremely sensitive to anesthesia, many dying on the table due to heart or breathing problems while under.  There is also no guarantee that, once the surgery is performed, recovery will be 100%. So, as you can see, other options needed to be considered. 

SURGICAL SOLUTION
OCD surgery is very traumatic to the joint, the muscles must be separated, the shoulder joint popped apart, and the area where the divot came from must be curetted. In more severe cases of OCD, the head of the long bone must be scraped to stimulate growth of good tissue. The whole joint must be washed out with saline solution to remove any debris. There is no guarantee that this surgery will cure the limping, and recovery time is about three months for each shoulder. 

In books and on the internet I conducted research, and found several non surgical options that I wished to explore. After phone calls to the University of Pennsylvania and University of Ohio, I had more information on the disease.  A friend referred me to Dr. Cindi Bossart at the Animal Hospital of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Bossart gave me information suggesting her course of surgery-free treatment had been up to 90% effective, and I felt a bit more hope. She did of course offer no guarantee, but offered a bit more leeway as far as time in which I could work. 

Many vets, including my own, warned that if the surgery didn't take place by the time Bugs was one year old, he could be crippled for life. Dr. Bossart felt that perhaps I had until he was two years old to work on the problem without risk of crippling. Her reason for this was that in Danes and other giant breeds, the long bone growth plates take up to twice as long to close as in average sized dogs. The growth plate closure time is the window in which they feel the OCD surgery must occur to have the best chance of succeeding. 

Dr. Bossart agreed to discuss Bugsy's case with Dr. Bloomfield, and offer her opinion and treatment protocol for OCD. Dr. Bloomfield was willing to try the alternative plan, with much trepidation (I think he said, I have a great deal of doubt about this treatment plan.) The plan called for 2 doses of injectable Adequan twice weekly, supplemented by the addition of Cosequin (and/or glucosamine and chondroitin taken orally). A full dose of Adequan is normally given at a rate of 2mg/pound animal weight, IM (intramuscularly), once a week for 6-8 weeks. The protocol we followed was 1mg/pound body weight, IM, twice a week for 6-8 weeks. We then gave a full dose once a week for two weeks. 

Just a short blurb on the active agent in Adequan, Glucosamine and Chondroitin. The active ingredient in Adequan and Glucosamine is Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAGs) derived from bovine tracheal cartilage.  Chondroitin has a similar active agent. The mechanism, or HOW these things work is mostly unknown. PSGAG is characterized as a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug. Studies have shown that
PSGAGs inhibit certain catabolic enzymes which have increased activity in inflamed joints. 

Eric Bloomfield began the program of Adequan shots and Cosequin (glucosamine hcl and chondroitin sulfate), on Bugs in late January. I was adding vitamins C and E supplements to the medical treatment. After three weeks I wasn't seeing much improvement in Bugs' movement, so I began to increase his SBGA (Super Blue Green Algae) intake along with the normal amounts of  his other supplements. I also contacted Marina Zacharias, a certified Homotoxicologist and Holistic practitioner who carries a variety of holistic, herbal and homeopathic remedies. She suggested that I add Traumeel (an anti-inflammatory agent), Bone Stim Liquescence and Arth-9 to his diet. 

Traumeel and Bone Stim Liquescence are both Homeopathic remedies. Traumeel acts like a natural anti inflammatory but does not mask pain, Bone Stim Liquescence is specifically for bone related problems, it helps the body regulate the problems with a bone (ie, for fractures it speeds healing, in OCD, it helps the body regulate calcium metabolism and heal bone).  I Obtained them from Marina Zacharias.

Arth 9 is similar in action to Cosequin, but more comprehensive. Arth-9 has additional nutrients to stimulate healthy cartilage, and aid in tissue repair. The added Bromelain decreases inflammation, Boswellin and Circumin promote joint healing, increase synovial fluids, and speeds the healing of cartilage. Vitamin C, Zinc and Copper provide nutritional support for the other ingredients. Overall, the product helps promote
complete joint-ligament support. 

In early March, I began to see some improvement, a slight increase in his use of the right front leg. I continued the shots of Adequan, and raised the dosage of glucosamine and chondroitin. Bugs had his last Adequan injection the first week of April 1998. 

Bugs continues to show improvement. As of this date (May 22, 1998) he has not limped in about six weeks. I continue to feed Bugs SBGA (I always will), and he is going to probably continue the chondroitin, glucosamine, Bone Stim Liquescence and Traumeel for another month or so. 
(source for the Bone Stim and Traumeel)

Surely, I will never be able to credit one particular portion of the treatment plan to his recovery. The fact that I introduced an assortment of nutritional supplements along with the Adequan therapy will make it difficult to pin down which of them was instrumental in the recovery I have seen so far. I don't really believe that it matters. Adequan is likely the most active agent in Bugs' recovery, since it has been used with such
positive results by Dr. Cindi Bossart in the past. 

Was any of his improvement directly related to the SBGA, Traumeel, Bone Stim or Arth-9? No, not alone certainly, but I do believe they probably contributed to the ability of his body to deal with the OCD and its related stress. I also feel that a body in good health, given the nutrients it needs to repair itself, will do so. 

I just got a copy of a recently (February 1998) published independent study of SBGA and its effects on the immune system, especially on the activity of the body's killer cells (the ones which search out and destroy cells such as viruses and cancers). This published study, done through Magill University, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Toronto, has yielded some amazing results about the positive benefits for the immune system, of eating SBGA, for animal and human alike. 

This  research project appears in Chapter 3.1 of the IBC Library Series, Volume 1911, entitled: "Effects of the Blue-Green Algae Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on human Natural Killer Cells, Phytoceuticals: Examining the health benefit and pharmaceutical properties of natural antioxidants and phytochemicals".

For a copy of this study, you may contact Magill University, or Cell Tech in Klamath Lake Oregon. You may also phone me and I'll point you to what data I have on hand. 

Information on the Homeopathic and Holistic remedies can be obtained from Marina Zacharias, whose information appears at the end of this article. 

I hope this article will give some of you hope that there ARE sometimes other options besides surgery or traditional treatment. Veterinarians,  drugs and surgery are wonderful, valuable tools in our arsenal against pain and illness in our dogs, and without them, the world would be a poorer and more dangerous place. But, like all good craftsmen, we need more than a couple of tools in our proverbial tool boxes. Go out and research, study and discover all that alternative medicine has to offer. Good luck! 

Lyn Richards, DogLogic.com 
danelady@doglogic.com 
(SBGA and Dog health info) 
2375 State Rd 13 N 
Jacksonville, FL 32259 
904-287-8824 FAX: 904-287-6176  

MEET BUGSY