2 Months of CM

2 Months of Conservative Management

Generally, CM for dog knee injuries is defined as a period of time lasting 6-8 weeks by most veterinarians. We are now reaching the end of that time frame with Tucker, and are encouraged by the great improvements we have seen with his muscle mass, range of motion and tendency to bear full weight on the affected leg. He is still taking the Novox antiinflamatory medication, but we are getting ready to ween him off of this NSAID and start using Yucca. He is now down to what appears to be a comfortable weight for him, and we are maintaining his weight by feeding him less, more frequently in the day. He is also still taking the 600 mg of Omega 3 oils twice per day and the Cosamin DS brand glucosamine, chondrointin and MSM supplement.

We are aware that CM is not a “fix” for an injured cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) for our dog, but with the use of supplements and an alternative, holistic anti inflammatory medication like Yucca, we are able to avoid an invasive and costly procedure. Over time his leg will build up the scar tissue necessary to stablize the joint, and hopefully do so without any major arthritic consequences. CM is not for everyone, and generally has been shown to be most effective in dogs weighing less than 15 kg (33 pounds). Although Tucker weighs about 3x this, we have gotten his weight down significantly in the past few weeks, as well as introduced more exercise, and he is doing well.

I am really encouraged by all the progress we have made in just 8 weeks, and really hope we can avoid another surgical repair!