The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Arthritis The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Arthritis
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Top 5 Health Issues in Senior Cats


With advances in veterinary medical care, cats now often live well into their teens and even 20’s.

However, with old age comes age-related health problems. Fortunately, senior cats aren’t left to days full of sickness and pain as they age. With proactive care on your part, your senior cat can live a fulfilling life in their golden years.

Below are a few common health conditions in senior cats that pet parents should keep an eye out for when caring for a senior cat.

To read more on this story, click here: Top 5 Health Issues in Senior Cats



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Ailments of Aging Dogs: 5 Health Challenges to Watch for in Your Sweet Senior Pup


Keeping an eye out for these common conditions in your sweet senior ensure you stay on top of your dog's health.

Getting old is hard to do. And dogs, much like people, need time to adjust to new routines and changes as they age. The medical needs of senior dogs can be very different from younger pups.

Dogs age faster than humans (although not at a rate of seven human years for each year of their life.) Dogs are typically considered "senior" when they hit seven years old, with larger breeds usually having shorter overall lifespans than smaller breeds. While you may notice changes to their coat color or that their pace slows down, the biggest indicator that your dog has hit the senior age bracket is the emergence of age-related health problems. "Similar to when humans get older, we begin to see more chronic, progressive problems in our pets as they age," said Hyunmin Kim, DVM, Director of Veterinarians, Community Medicine, at the  ASPCA. "And animals are very good at hiding their symptoms when they are sick until they get to the point where they are so sick that they just can't hide it anymore."

To read more on this story, click here: Ailments of Aging Dogs: 5 Health Challenges to Watch for in Your Sweet Senior Pup


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Saturday, August 14, 2021

Does Your Dog Have Arthritis? – Do You Know the Symptoms?


Can dogs have arthritis?…yes they can. They can develop it just as we humans do.

When I noticed my shih-tzu, Domino starting to limp, I took him to the Vet. He diagnosed him with arthritis and prescribed medication, and also suggested that I get him an orthopedic bed specially made for dogs with arthritis. The bed did not look like a bed at all…it looked more like a piece of foam. When I put him on it, he immediately jumped off. Later that day I saw him checking it out, sniffing and put a paw up on it.

I placed it next to his bed upstairs and left it there. He continued to sleep in his regular bed.  I awakened one morning to find him asleep in the new bed.

Domino had two beds, one downstairs and one upstairs…he was spoiled. I put it next to the bed upstairs.  I started to notice when I was downstairs he would go upstairs. This was unusual because he always stayed downstairs with me. I could not figure out what was so interesting upstairs all of sudden to him. Not thinking about the bed, I decided to go see what he was doing. I would find him sitting or lying down on the bed.

I don’t know if these beds really work since I had no way of asking him if it felt better. I just assumed that it was comfortable for him. I finally moved it downstairs and he continued to sleep on it.

Have you noticed your dog having any of the following symptoms?
  • Reluctance to jump, run or climb stairs
  • Seeming to have stiff or sore joints
  • Favoring a limb
  • Difficulty sitting or standing
  • Sleeping more than usual
  • A personality change that involves resisting touch
  • Weight gain
  • Decreased activity or less interest in play
  • Barking or whimpering when touched
  • Seeming less alert
What Is Arthritis?
Canine arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease, is characterized by pain and inflammation in a dog’s joints. Arthritis is caused by the breaking down of smooth cartilage that covers and protects the bones that form a joint. Once the bones are exposed, painful wear and tear can occur.

Treatment for canine arthritis begins with prevention, as keeping a dog at a healthy weight and providing appropriate exercise is important for long-term health.



If you notice any of the above symptoms in your dog, please take them to your Vet for a checkup!



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Saturday, December 22, 2018

Dunking, Autofellating Otter At Oregon Zoo Dies At 20


Eddie, a sea otter at the Oregon Zoo, died this morning, as reported by the Oregonian. He was 20, a remarkably old age for otters, which usually live to be around 15. His main pastimes were dunking a little ball into a hoop, and blowing himself.

A clip of Eddie dunking a ball into a hoop became popular when the zoo posted the video in 2013. This wasn’t just for show: The otter performed this exercise to work out his arthritic elbows. As for the purpose behind excessively licking his own genitals—well, he probably liked it.

To read more on this story, click here: Dunking, Autofellating Otter At Oregon Zoo Dies At 20


You may be interested in reading: Sea Otter Plays Basketball to Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain


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Saturday, November 10, 2018

Could The Drug That Cost This Beloved Pet Its Life Kill Your Dog Too? - Vet Raises The Alarm Over An Arthritis Pill Prescribed To Millions Of Animals


When Sue and Robin McGibbon took their beloved Labrador Abby for her annual check-up last month, they thought the most they had to worry about was slightly increased creakiness in her joints.

"She’d had problems with arthritis for some time, but it was growing worse and we didn’t want to see her in pain," says Sue. "Our vet had always tried to treat her with homeopathic remedies, but this time he gave her an anti-inflammatory drug." The family took Abby home, hoping life would become more comfortable for her. Instead, she suddenly became seriously ill.

For six days she suffered endless bouts of vomiting and diarrhea before suffering paralysis in her hind legs. Eventually, Robin and Sue, from Bickley, Kent, felt they had no choice but to have her put down.

Now, the heartbroken couple and the vet who treated Abby are convinced the drug used to treat her actually killed her.

The drug was Carprodyl, which is widely used to treat millions of dogs in Britain and around the world.

Vet Paul Grant had believed the drug, whose active ingredient is the painkiller and anti-inflammatory carprofen, to be safe. He has decided to speak to the Mail in the hope of raising awareness over the drug’s potential dangers.

"I’ve never seen a dog deteriorate like this from using a medicine that was supposedly safe," says the vet, who had treated 13-year-old Abby since she was a puppy.

"Carprodyl is what we call a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, and Abby had been on a similar one before with no problems. But this was different.

"I’m heartbroken for the family, and feel devastated by what happened. I’ll never prescribe that drug again."

Such an impassioned reaction from a vet who deals with animal deaths on a daily basis is unusual, yet he does not believe owners or vets have been made properly aware of the drug’s potential dangers.




The vet who gave Carprodyl to Abby the Labrador has since said he will never prescribe the controversial anti-inflammatory drug again.

This is exacerbated by the fact Britain has a complicated system of reporting reactions to animal drugs, so it’s almost impossible to gauge how many other dogs like Abby there have been.

In the U.S., however, where the drug has been on the market for five years longer than in Britain and where the reporting system is more transparent, concerns have been raised for more than a decade. Shockingly, this supposedly "safe" drug is thought to have killed at least 3,200 dogs.

Civil claims for damages have been settled with bereaved dog owners and campaigns have been waged to warn of carprofen’s potential dangers.

On this side of the Atlantic, however, dog owners are kept worryingly in the  dark, something that haunts the McGibbons.

"We would never have allowed Abby to take this medication if we had known about the potential side-effects," says Sue.

"She was a wonderful dog,  full of personality. It is difficult to describe the horror of watching her deteriorate. She only went in for a check-up, but we lost her."

Carprofen was first marketed in the U.S. in 1997 by Pfizer Animal Health as a treatment for arthritic dogs. It works by restricting the production of chemicals that cause inflammation.

Marketed with the brand name Rimadyl, it was an instant success. In 2002 the drug was launched in Britain, where it has been similarly popular. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which licenses medicines, soon began receiving thousands of reports of adverse reactions.

One complaint was from Jean Townsend, 75, from South Carolina. "I had a chocolate Labrador called George," she tells me. "My vet noticed he was limping and said Rimadyl could help."

"But he began to go off his food and then started vomiting and passing bloody faeces."
Within a month, George was dead. A post-mortem examination revealed he had liver damage, bleeding and gut ulceration. Jean sued and was joined by 300 other people in a class action that was settled by Pfizer in 2004 for $1,000 per owner, but the company didn’t admit liability.

"We would never have allowed Abby to take this medication if we had known about the potential side-effects."


Dangerous: In the U.S., where Carprodyl has been on the market for longer, it has claimed that the drug could have killed as many as 3,200 dogs (stock picture).

Subsequently, Pfizer was twice ordered by the FDA to beef up its warnings, eventually to include "death" as a possible side-effect.

"I have no doubt this drug does benefit many dogs, but others have a terrible, sometimes fatal reaction," says Jean. "The drug companies have never satisfactorily explained that and they should."

In its defense, Pfizer points out that fewer than 1 per cent of animals react badly to Rimadyl, and that of those the vast majority recover.

Pfizer and other drug companies also point out with justification that many of the dogs that benefit from taking carprofen would otherwise be in so much pain they would have to be put down.

"For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards," says a Pfizer spokesman. ‘Carprofen has been licensed in the UK for more than ten years and millions of tablets have been prescribed during this time.

"We would encourage anyone who has a concern to speak to their vet, who can then report it."

"I have no doubt that this drug does benefit many dogs, but others have a terrible - sometimes fatal - reaction."

In Britain, animal pharmaceuticals are licensed and monitored by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), a branch of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It runs a system of reporting bad reactions to drugs called the Suspected Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme (SARSS), but this is discretionary, not compulsory.

Harvey Locke, past president of the British Veterinary Association, says there might be a case for making reporting mandatory, but adds: "There would need to be strict guidelines laying down exactly when a report should be made. At present it is up to the discretion of the vet."

Mr. Locke, in common with most vets, believes carprofen is perfectly safe in most cases, but he and his colleagues have no way of knowing how many animals are reacting badly to it. Here’s why.

Carprodyl, the branded carprofen that was given to Abby, was given a license for Buckinghamshire-based Ceva Animal Health in 2008.

Potential side-effects listed on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate website include: vomiting, soft feces/diarrhea, fecal occult blood, loss of appetite and lethargy, which in very rare cases may be serious or fatal. It also lists rare incidences of gastro-intestinal bleeding.

However, as side-effects do not have to be reported to the VMD, there is no way of knowing the true scale of the problem.

"I have treated dozens of dogs where these drugs have upset their stomach, but this would not come under SARSS reporting," says Mr. Locke.

Disturbingly, when I repeatedly asked the VMD how many adverse reports it had received about drugs containing carprofen, I was initially told "it would not be simple" to find out. Later I was told I would have to make a Freedom of Information request for the figures, which could take six weeks.

In the U.S., adverse reaction figures are freely available from the FDA to any member of the public. In Britain, pet owners are told the figures could be "commercially sensitive"  even though the same drug companies operate in both countries.

For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards.

Instead, it was left to Ceva Animal Health to tell me that in the case of Carprodyl, there have been just four SARSS reports, including Abby’s death. During the past year, the company has sold 1.7 million doses of the drug.

"We think this is proven to be a very safe drug," says Martin Mitchell, Ceva’s global director of communications. "I have four dogs, and two of them are on Carprodyl. I would never put any animal at risk, least of all my own."

In the case of Abby, Robin, 68, and his wife Sue feel certain carprofen caused her death. But they’ll never be able to prove it.

In the U.S., however, one couple believe they have evidence directly linking carprofen to the death of their golden retriever, Sophie.

Christopher Cooper and Shelley Smith filed a lawsuit against Pfizer last year after six-year-old Sophie was given the drug, as Rimadyl, to help recover from ligament surgery on a knee.

"We were given the drugs without any information on potential side-effects," Christopher, a 45-year-old businessman, tells me from his home in Colorado.

"If I had known, there’s no way we would have given her Rimadyl. She was in the prime of life."

Instead, she suffered a similar reaction to Abby’s and had to be put down. ‘We have no doubt this drug killed Sophie,’ says Shelley.

The couple’s solicitor, Jennifer Edwards, says: "Since I filed the lawsuit last July, I’ve been contacted by hundreds of dog owners who say they’d like to join a class action. When you consider that kind of response, the company’s safety claims for this drug don’t stack up."

Sue and Robin McGibbon wish they’d known all this before allowing Abby to take Carprodyl.

Martin Mitchell, of Ceva, sent me a copy of the leaflet his company issues with Carprodyl. It includes all the potential side-effects in full accordance with the law.

However, the couple say the pills they got from their veterinary clinic, Tender Paws Ltd, in West Wickham, Kent, appeared to have been repackaged in a "fuchsia-colored" box with a slip of paper inside. I sent them a copy of the official instructions and Sue was shocked when she saw all the potential side-effects  warning that the drug could be fatal.

"We never got this," she says. "The only side-effects that it warned of was diarrhea."
I approached Tender Paws several times, but no one would comment on the repackaging of this drug.

All that remains to be seen is whether the Veterinary Medicines Directorate will take any action — and find out if the practice of re-packaging drugs without adequate warnings is widespread.

Or will it simply hide behind secrecy and Freedom of Information requests? A watchdog without a bite or even a bark.

For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards. Instead, it was left to Ceva Animal. FOLLOW US!
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Friday, August 31, 2018

Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year Old Dog in Lake Superior to Help with Arthritis Pain



It’s an image that’s hard to look at without smiling.

A dog sleeps in blissful repose, head rested against the neck and shoulder of a ponytailed man standing shoulder-deep in water. The man appears in profile, and he wears dark glasses, but his eyes seem to be closed. The smile on his face matches the dog’s contentment.

The photo has drawn the attention of thousands of people since being posted on Facebook last week. The story behind the photo is touching.

Professional photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson took it off Bayfield’s Reiten Beach in Lake Superior on Tuesday. The man is her friend John Unger. The dog, an aging, arthritic shepherd mix, is named Schoep, after a brand of ice cream that’s popular in southern Wisconsin (the dog likes vanilla).

Unger and his then-fianceé found the dog 18 years ago at a humane society in Ozaukee County, Wis., when it was an 8-month-old puppy.

“We knew we wanted to work with an animal who was abused,” Unger said. “I just had a vision of working with an animal to bring out his full potential.”

Testing suggested that the dog had been beaten by a male, and it took Unger another eight months to fully earn his trust.

The relationship with his fianceé didn’t work out. They shared custody of Schoep for a while, but he has been Unger’s full time since his former fianceé moved to Colorado 13 or 14 years ago.

But the breakup with his fianceé caused Unger to enter a depression. One night, he said, he went to a breakwater in Lake Michigan off Milwaukee with thoughts of suicide.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night). He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. … I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my ass.”

Unger has no other pets, but he said that while growing up he dreamed of having a house full of dogs. Like him, Hudson is a dog-lover. Self-employed as StonehousePhoto, she includes dogs in much of her work. “My dream … is to only take photos with dogs in them,” she said in a telephone interview on Friday.

It’s the right community for people who love dogs, Hudson said.

“Bayfield is a dog town,” she said. “We all love dogs. A lot of us have them, and basically we keep track of each other and our dogs.”

She hadn’t seen Unger for a couple of months and thought his dog might have died. But last week, Unger approached her with a request. “He said it’s been so warm in the lake I’ve been able to take Schoep into the water,” Hudson related. “He’s so relaxed he just falls right asleep.”

Unger, who found his way to Bayfield about six years ago, had a photo of himself with his dog in mind for several years. But that mission took on added urgency last week he said. Noticing Schoep limping, Unger took his dog to a veterinarian in Ashland. The vet prescribed pain-relief medication, but Unger doesn’t yet know how effective it will be. If Schoep isn’t able to get up without pain, it will be time to put him down, Unger said.

Unger stopped the conversation to regain his composure.

“What was going through my mind when Hannah was taking those pictures was that this may be the last time I’m going to be swimming with him,” Unger said.

When Hudson got to the beach on Tuesday, Unger and Schoep already had been in the water for about 10 minutes, so she only had about five minutes to take the photos. She didn’t know the results until she looked at them on her computer later on Tuesday, and she didn’t have time to post them to her Facebook page until Wednesday evening.

It didn’t take long for the image to go viral.

“About six hours later I was in complete awe that it had been shared, I think it was, 200 times,” Hudson said.

But that was barely the beginning. By Sunday evening, the photo had been shared 86,000 times, “liked” 150,000 times and viewed in excess of 1.8 million times. The more-than-17,000 Facebook comments on the photo include words such as “touching,” “tender,” “loving,” “breathtaking” and “precious.”

Hudson, 34, who didn’t charge Unger and doesn’t expect to make any money from the photo, accomplished what she set out to do. “A lot of the time if I find an interesting, cool story that’s positive about animals, I’ll just do it,” she said.

Unger, 49, works as a caretaker on the farm where he lives outside of Bayfield. He got his first computer in February and admits to being befuddled by the Internet. He has seen the responses to Hudson’s photo, but isn’t quite sure how to respond.

“He is not really keyed in to the Internet world,” Hudson said. “That’s what makes this all even more fun. Because I think he’s getting e-mails from women asking if he’s single.”

Unger — who is single — said the overtures haven’t been quite so blatant as that, but he has picked up hints of interest from some women online.

Which is fine, Unger said.

“Boy, is it tough to meet women up here,” he said, laughing. “So this might open up a new road.”

The photo of Unger and Schoep is the second photo taken by Hudson to cause a sensation since she started her business in 2005. The first was of a bear crossing the ice on the lake in front of the Madeline Island ferry. “I tend to be in amazing spots at the oddest times,” she said. “It’s Lake Superior, and weird stuff happens.”

Hudson’s husband, Jim, 34, also works on his own. A former police officer, he left the force 10 years ago to be a full-time fisherman. “We call it breathing into the bag of self-employment,” Hudson said. “But he’s having fun and we can do it and make a living and stay in Bayfield, which is very important to us.”

Hudson is having fun in her work, too, especially when dogs are involved.

“I have a blast,” she said. “I can’t believe I get to do this.”


         Arthritis Dog Photo Goes Viral: John Unger and his Dog, Schoep Share Tender Moments







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Friday, August 17, 2018

Does Your Cat Have Arthritis? – Do You Know the Symptoms?


Most cats appear naturally agile and athletic, easily jumping from their perches to the floor with an uncanny sense of balance. However, signs of arthritis can begin at any age, even in kittens. Watch for these early-warning signs of arthritis in your feline friend:

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease,  causes pain and inflammation in a cat’s joints. Although fairly uncommon in felines, arthritis tends to affect the elbow joint when it does strike—but many joints can be afflicted.

What Are the Symptoms of Arthritis in Cats?
  • Felines suffering from arthritis may show overall stiffness
  • swelling of the joints
  • lethargy, lameness
  • decreased flexibility and discomfort when you pet or handle them in certain positions. Decreased activity
  • Lapsed litterbox habits (due to pain caused by getting in and out of the box)
  • Hesitancy to run, jump or climb stairs


If you notice any of the above symptoms in your cat, please take them to you Vet for a checkup!


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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Pot For Pets: U.S. Federal Law Puts Vets Into A Quandary


REUTERS - A wave of medical research is providing fresh evidence that marijuana may help dogs and cats cope with arthritis, epilepsy, anxiety and other maladies without the side effects of traditional drugs, but veterinarians are afraid to prescribe it for fear of running afoul of federal laws.

At least 30 U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana, but none of them make provisions for ailing animals.

As a result, veterinarians are reluctant to even discuss marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law, over concerns of putting their professional licenses at risk, said Dr. Jeffrey Powers, chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association's subcommittee on cannabinoids. That leaves it to pet owners themselves to make life-altering decisions about dosing and duration of the treatment.

Change could come soon to California, which appears ready to pass the nation’s first law giving veterinarians the legal cover they need to answer questions about using cannabis for pets.

"A human can get their doctor's advice but a dog can't, legally. It's bizarre," said Judy Boyle, 62, of Beaver Island, Michigan, whose dog Mac had for years been taking traditional prescription medicines for arthritis and anxiety. The cumulative effect of those drugs was causing Mac's liver to fail.

Research on her home computer convinced Boyle in March to instead regularly give her 40-pound (18 kg) Australian Cattle Dog cannabinoid dog chews. Five months later, he's a much calmer yet more energetic dog, and his liver function has returned to normal for the first time in years, Boyle said.

To read more on this story, click here: Pot For Pets: U.S. Federal Law Puts Vets Into A Quandary 

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Monday, September 12, 2016

Shanthi, a 41-Year-Old Asian Elephant at the National Zoo Gets a New Pair of Boots


Washington, DC – If you think your feet hurt after a long day spent atop them… imagine weighing 9,000 pounds.

That’s the situation that Shanthi, a 41-year-old Asian elephant at the National Zoo, finds herself in. Shanthi suffers from arthritis, which can make getting around painful. It’s also led to problems in her front feet, including cracks in her toenails and lesions on her skin.

Actually, they’re more like boots, custom made for Shanthi in about a size 20, with an EEEEEEEEEEEE width. Sitting on a table in a staff room in the zoo’s Elephant Community Center recently, a single boot resembled a rubberized birdbath.

When Shanthi wears the boots, said elephant keeper Deborah Flinkman, “She looks like she’s going off-road.”

Elephants have five toenails on their front feet and four (usually) on their back feet. An elephant foot can be close to 20 inches across when it’s resting on the ground, six inches smaller when it’s lifted up and the weight is off it.

“We put a lot of attention into elephant feet,” said Tony Barthel, curator of the zoo’s Elephant Trails and Cheetah Conservation Station exhibits. “It’s one of the things we can do to help ensure that they’re healthy.”

That foot care includes regular inspections, pedicures and occasional X-rays.

Shanthi’s arthritis has caused her to lean forward on her feet, stressing them. Zoo veterinarians needed to treat the arthritis with injections and apply topical treatments to Shanthi’s troubled nails and skin. They also needed to keep debris out of the fissures in her feet.

This all posed a challenge, especially keeping the medication on long enough to work. Elephants are intelligent and curious, with dexterous trunks well-suited for unwrapping bandages. Boots had been used successfully at other zoos, so the National Zoo decided to give them a try.

There is no Brannock device for elephants, that metal contraption humans step in to measure the length and width of their footsies. Instead, the Smithsonian’s 3-D Digitization Program produced scans of her feet that were sent to Teva in California.

The footwear company already had experience with interesting custom jobs. It made a pair of elephant shoes in 2004 and in 2011 created a tiny sandal for the Santa Barbara Zoo, where a Humboldt penguin named Lucky had an impaired foot.

“There’s not a tremendous amount of feedback that comes back from the animals,” said Chris Hillyer, director of innovation for Deckers Brands, which owns Teva. “But the reality is, all the principles we use in making good footwear for humans is absolutely applicable, from the standpoint of traction, durability, drainage and fit.”

Chris flew to China to oversee construction of the shoes, which Teva donated to the zoo gratis.

(A local outfit also made some custom boots for Shanthi before the zoo settled on the Tevas. Joe Stern, of Cobbler’s Bench in Landover, Md., fabricated a pair that was hardened with the spray-on lining used for truck beds. Joe finished them off with red soles to make them resemble high-end Christian Louboutin pumps. Shanthi seems to prefer the more casual Tevas.)

What does Shanthi think of wearing shoes?

At first, Tony said, it was like when you “put a sock on a dog and they don’t know how to walk. She did a little bit of that. . . . She was very careful about how she walked. That was an important part of the learning process.”

Now Shanthi takes the boots in stride.

The arthritis treatment seems to be working. The swelling in her left foot has eased. Keepers have to stuff some foam in the boot to make it fit — elephant orthotics — and Shanthi is more mobile and unafraid to amble down the steep incline into the pools, where she plays and rolls around.

“We’ve given her a good quality of life and improved her level of comfort,” said Don Neiffer, the National Zoo’s chief veterinarian.

On a recent afternoon, Deborah the elephant keeper knelt at Shanthi’s feet, separated from the elephant by widely-spaced bars. The world’s largest land mammal can be dangerous, after all.

“If she stood a foot away, I wouldn’t be able to do it,” Deborah said.

But Shanthi was standing up close, encouraged by Deborah’s calm patter and light touch — and by the apple-flavored fiber biscuits Deborah offered.

At just the tap of Deborah’s finger on a gnarled gray toe, Shanthi lifted her left foot. Deborah slid a boot under it, and Shanthi stepped down.

“Perfect,” Deborah said. “What a good girl.”

She sealed the Velcro closure, cinched the webbing at Shanthi’s ankle and then said “Over,” asking the elephant to rotate 180 degrees and present her right foot. This Shanthi did, pausing only to lazily grab some hay with her trunk.

Shanthi lifted her right foot, then, like Cinderella after the ball, gingerly stepped into the boot.

I’ve seen parents have more trouble getting their squirming toddler into a pair of sneakers.



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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sea Otter Plays Basketball to Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain



Eddie is a bit late for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, since it was just contested this last weekend, but he can dunk with the best of them. Nothing fancy like jumping over a car or ball boy, though. After all, Eddie is a sea otter. And the great thing about Eddie's dunking is that he doesn't do it for show. No, he dunks off stage at the Oregon Zoo to improve his health.

Eddie is 15 years old, geriatric for the species, and suffers from arthritis in the elbows. Veterinarians prescribed regular exercise, and the zookeepers came up with dunking a basketball as the perfect elixir. Eddie caught on quickly.

"He's definitely got game," the zoo's Jenny DeGroot told KPTV. "Sea otters have incredible dexterity, so it makes sense Eddie would have this hidden talent. They're famous for using rocks as tools to crack open clams."

Unfortunately, Eddie's dunking takes place behind the scenes at the zoo, so visitors can't see the Blake Griffin or Terrence Ross of the otter world. But perhaps the zoo will allow Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts a visit to see Eddie dunk; surely he'd be interested.

Video: (Place mouse on video to start)




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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Update! Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year-Old Dog in Lake Superior is Now Receiving Donations



John Unger, Schoep update: Donations galore after Lake Superior dog Facebook photo, YouTube video

They say dogs are man's best friend.

John Unger and Schoep of Bayfield, Wisconsin are proof of that.

Their friendship started when Unger adopted Schoep from a shelter as a puppy 19 years ago.

It turns out Schoep wasn't the only one who needed to be rescued.

"He's been my guardian for a number of years," Unger said.

Time has given them memories, but it has also taken a toll on Schoep's body.

"This joint right here kind of freezes up," Unger said pointing to Schoep's hind leg.

Arthritis and hip dysplasia have settled into Schoep's joints.

The only comfort now is a routine that keeps Schoep off his feet.

Unger takes Schoep out into Lake Superior for a dip as often as they can.

Unger gently places his arm under Schoep as they float together in the water.



With no pressure on his body, Schoep quickly falls asleep in Unger's arms.

Schoep's eyes close as his head rests on Unger's chest.

Sometimes they stay that way for hours.

"This is living," Unger said as they floated in Lake Superior Thursday evening.

Unger is careful with every minute.

He's not sure how much longer Schoep will be around.

He wanted just one picture of them in the water to capture their friendship.

He asked Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, owner of Stonehouse Photo in Bayfield, to take a few pictures.

She posted one picture of Unger and Schoep on Facebook, and it went viral within a few hours.

It has now been viewed more than 2 million times.

Unger said he is overwhelmed by all the attention.

He just wanted to capture one moment with his best friend; instead he captured the world.



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