Adequan: An Alternative for O.C.D.
by James W. Barger, DVM
Remember the lines to the old song "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen...", well that would have to qualify as the theme song for every veterinarian who treats a lot of Great Danes.  Shortly after obtaining the status of breeder-veterinarian, you are awarded the lofty title of expert, whether you want it or deserve it or not. After 8 years as an "expert" I have certainly seen my share of troubles: bone trouble, eye trouble, skin trouble, GI trouble to name a few. With all of the giant breeds it seems that they come with giant troubles, and heartbreak becomes routine. As a breeder-veterinarian many times you feel like Captain Kirk going where no man has gone before. Call it scientific exploration, serendipity or quackery, sometimes you find something that seems to work.
One of those routine heartbreaks in Danes is osteochondritis dissecans (O.C.D.) O.C.D. is a crippling joint disease that occur sin large breed dogs, usually between 4-8 months of age. It can show up in almost any joint, but the most common in Danes is in the shoulder. Closer to reality would be to say that the easiest to diagnose is the shoulder; in other joints O.C.D. may go undiagnosed because of the difficulty in seeing the lesions on the radiograph. The cause of O.C.D. is unknown, but heredity, nutrition, breed predisposition, and trauma may all come into play in its etiology. The classic treatment for O.C.D. is to surgically clean out the joint. Despite what we may or may not believe about its cause, reality, again, is that to repair this surgically could be a disqualification in the show ring. Therein lies the rub. To cut or not to cut. If you take the conservative route, resting the dog for up to three months, joint mice may develop, assuring arthritis; if you cur you may be restricted from exhibiting, not to mention an unsuccessful operation.
About three years ago, my wife and I were faced with just that situation. You can imagine our dismay upon coming home to find our five month old bitch limping severely in one shoulder. A friend who had been caring for the dogs had let them inside, and the puppy charged in the bedroom and careened against the dresser, coming up limping. Upon taking radiographs of the shoulder I found the classic O.C.D. lesion in the shoulder; the other shoulder was unaffected. Kim and I, after long discussion, opted for a conservative approach, and decided to cage rest the puppy, in hopes of avoiding surgery. I hate joint surgery, but I knew in my heart it was the only avenue for repair. After three months of waiting, we decided that joint surgery was necessary.
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