Sorry this is long. I found this message thread very interesting because over 3 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. My doctor said it was 'triggered' by an antibiotic that I was given that I had an allergic reaction to. In one month I went from hiking 8 miles and not breaking a sweat and doing climbing walls to being so disabled with pain and swelling in my feet, hands, my joints ached and sensations in my legs (needed to sleep on my back with legs up on pillows) that I had to get pants with elastic. The doctor told me that I would be disabled and on meds the rest of my life. He could not explain to me sufficiently how this could happen in one month. I refused meds and toughed it out. The first month I felt sorry for myself and was a couch potato. Then I kicked myself and started to read. That was about the only thing I could do. This is what I found out and how I beat my diagnosis. I found that when we reach around the age of 40 our body slowly diminishes it's production of our super antioxidant glutathione. This is a major player in the proper functioning of our immune system and regulates so many body systems that I am not going to list all of them here. The one I am going to mention is that it does regulate the hormones. When this is depleted via the severe immune response that happens when you receive a vaccination the body's cells and gut (80% of our immune system is regulated from there) is no longer protected because of oxidative stress. When the gut is compromised the body absorption of vit. D is diminished. Now another thing to take into consideration is family medical history. Is there allergies or auto-immune disease in the family? If this is true then there is the possibility that there could be any one or more of these factors: 1) defective GSH (glutathione) gene; 2) elevated levels of free floating IgE in the body; 3) increased levels of histamine release from mast cells. These are the most important. Because I found that RA was an auto-immune issue likely caused by my allergic reaction to the anti-biotic I had to deal with the inflammation and find how I could diminish this. First I started with diet. What foods can cause inflammation and eliminate them? I eliminated all processed sugars and went to honey for a start. Then I found what to add to my diet to increase my body production of glutathione (I was 58 at onslaught of RA). I added more fruits and green veggies (increasing my vit C & E). As I researched further I found that whey protein helps intensify the C & E so I started taking a whey suppliment. With the changes in diet initially I saw slow impovement in 1 month. When I added the whey protein I saw improvement in 2 weeks. It took 2 years for my body to heal itself and I was pretty much symptom free and pain free. The only problem I had left was my gut. I believe I had IBS (irritable bowel symdrome). I never went back to the doctor so this is my diagnosis of the symptoms that I had. My gut would feel funny (I called the five minute warning) and I would have to find a bathroom fast. Every store I went to I knew where the restroom was just in case. Further research was done to find out that Autistic children are glutathione deficient and their gut problems diminished after going gluten free. Hummmmm I pondered this for about 1 day and decided to minimize my gluten and test the foods I did eat to see what reactions I would have. I no longer eat standard breads or pastas. I can eat rye bread and one bun with unbleached white bread for my hamburgers. (I love my food, sorry.) I can also eat the pasta that is labeled semolina pasta. Don't understand why but I can but I do not overdo it. I have been reading labels for 2 years now and I am pretty much (money is a little tight) all natural foods, frozen veggies, etc. As of one year ago I am now totally symptom free. Wohoo! My only problem is that I know I will never be 100% ever again. I do have energy level problems so I do everything in moderation. I have to take a power nap every afternoon. I lost 35 - 40 lbs of muscle mass so I can't do some of the strenuous things I used to. But the upside is that my allergic responses to seasonal pollens are next to non-existant. No flu or colds (this was a concern of mine). Over all with my auto-immune issue it is all under control and people are amazed that I ever had RA and was 95% disabled. This is my story. Do your own research. If your doctor will not test for glutathione deficiency (warning: they will not) ask them to test for magnesium deficiency. Glutathione deficiency goes hand in hand with magnesium deficiency. Foot note: Glutathione supplements do not work because the body does not absorb the glutathione. The best way is to get the body to produce more. Here is a link that might be useful: Histamine

Deramaxx is one of the most ulcergenic NSAIDs known with long-term use. It should not have been a surprise for anyone that the dog bled to death through its GI tract. That kind of thing just makes me *so* angry! NSAIDs can be a godsend for some dogs. The rate of reaction considering the number of dogs on chronic NSAIDs is quite low. However it is extremely important to 1) know what, if any, underlying conditions the dog has 2) monitor both the behavior and bloodwork of the dog on a regular basis 3) give the appropriate dose and 4) avoid potentially dangerous drug interactions (steroids are a definite NO with NSAIDs, and that includes topical preparations). That said, if you are able to provide some extra effort, your dog can benefit from many alternative treatments. I'm a huge fan of Duralactin for my arthritic dogs- Ana who has 2 grade 4 (the worst) luxating patellas is only on Duralactin, glucosamine/chondroitin, vitamin E, and Fish oil and she does pretty good. She needs an NSAID very rarely for when she overdoes it, but otherwise is maintained just on regular exercise and those supplements. Hopefully your dog (what is his name?) will feel better with safer alternatives, but if not, follow through with monitoring. If he feels bad on NSAIDs, STOP the NSAID and call your vet immediately. It could be a serious problem, no matter how long he has been on them. I've known dogs to have reactions *years* after starting chronic NSAID use.

I have a to be 12 yr. old female lab. Her hips are bone on bone. Can hear the grinding when she does steps. It freaked me out so that I took her to the vet and we asked if it was bones breaking something like small fractures. No vet says it is from the loss of all the silicone-like substance that normally surrounds the hips. For our gal the vet says to let her get stiff would be the worst for her. We take her for a short walks every day. On the days I work from the house I take her out every couple of hours and walk around the yard. My DD walks her down to the mail box after school. She's hanging in. As for the supplement thing? Didn't do anything for our gal and it was super expensive. We are already doing Deramax for her and the vet says the other stuff was really a waste of time for us. It breaks my heart when I follow her up a set of stairs (would never let her do it alone), but she is my shadow. If I let her she would follow me up and down 20 times a day. We have limited to once up after the last out and one down in the a.m. (of course if there is a middle of the night need we take her out). I literally have to close my bedroom door to make her stay upstairs once she's up. If I run down for something she'd be right behind me. Too funny and yet so sad.

You really need to take him to the vet and have him examined If he is hopping on three legs it could be a cruciate ligament injury because the leg becomes unstable so a dog will only tentatively put weight on it but will also lift the leg and hop instead. If you notice the leg slipping out from under him then that's another sign it's the cruciate. Cruciate injuries normally need surgery and won't improve on their own. But really a vet needs to look at it to tell you what it is.