[mastiffsue]

Hi Diana - I was doing some more research on Prolotherapy and ran across your question. I have a foster rescue mastiff that is going through prolotherapy right now and it is helping him. It was determined that a TTO or a TPLO would not work for him and the only thing that would would be 2 total knee replacements. The only thing I do not like is that he is put under anesthesia each time : ( . It takes him 2-3 days to fully recover and he has treatments every 2 weeks. I'm trying to research if that can be stretched out longer. He has had 4 treatments so far, along with electric acupuncture. He will never be "fixed" but he is off of all pain meds now. I don't know what else you were looking for as far as information but if you ask, I will try to answer!

 

[mastiffsue]

Vet said once the treatments are done, they are done. He should need nothing more (at first said 3-6 treatments, we are at 4 and he now says he may need more). The first one we did without anesthesia and while Toby did OK (just got a little testy a few times, as I imagine that large needle poking in his knees does really hurt, and a bunch of the needles fell out during acupuncture and it was harder to turn him over while awake)... vet felt he would get a better treatment if anesthesized. And he does... more needles for acupuncture in more places (like above his eye and in his foot pads) and not having to worry about the pain of prolotherapy injection because they do really move that large needle around. We do it every two weeks but I've been reading and most websites state every 2-6 weeks so I'm going to see if we can push this one back another week. It seems that it takes Toby 3-4 days to come out of anesthesia, and part of this is most likely the pain referred to in the articles of prolotherapy, then he is good for about 2 days, then fantastic for about 4 days, then back to good, then it's time for another treatment. I'd like to have another week in there to see what happens. I'm not sure vet will go for this yet as I haven't asked. I haven't had an issue with restricting Toby's exercise as he is not an active mastiff at all with knees that are virtually bone on bone and "crunchy", although he is only 2. I don't think they'd want to do much after treatment, but if they did, I'd restrict it for 2-3 days but would ask your vet to be sure.

 

[mastiffsue]

I completely understand as I was very hesitant too and still am each time. If another person from the rescue hadn't gone with me the 2nd time, I don't know that I would have done it. Try it without anesthesia and see how she does. I'd love to hear how she is doing when she starts the treatments too. I can't remember which website it was, but one of them said you could see the improvement with x-rays (filling in of the "cushion" between the joints).