Abigail is a 3-year-old basset hound. She is in excellent physical condition and belongs to a young lady who is a student at New Mexico State University. Abby was brought into our hospital in January of 1999. Upon examination, Abby was found to have an extremely painful left hind leg. The leg was non-weight bearing, and Abby snapped if you touched it. The owner said they were out for a walk and Abby took off chasing a rabbit. She said she heard Abby cry out, and the dog came back to her, carrying her leg. Abby was sedated and radiographs were taken. No fractures were noted, and upon palpation it was dislocated medially and the anterior cruciate ligament was stretched or torn.
As the injury was discussed with the owner, it became apparent that the young lady was not financially able to proceed with the recommended treatment. Normally, this condition requires surgical intervention. The ligaments are examined and repaired if necessary, and the patella is relocated and secured to prevent future dislocation. Few options were available; the owner elected to treat Abigail with manual replacement of the patella, a pressure wrap, and velvet antler. Abby was started on 900 mg velvet antler for two weeks, and then the dosage was adjusted down to 600 mg daily.
Since Abby was a college dog many miles from our hospital, she was not examined again for over six weeks. Upon re-examination, Abby had excellent mobility in her rear legs with only a slight change in gait of the injured limb. Her knee felt very stable upon palpation, and her temperament was as carefree as it had been before her injury. The owner reported that she had observed noticeable improvement in Abby’s condition within ten days and that within three weeks Abby was no longer limping and appeared to be completely pain free.
Abby continues to take her velvet antler daily and eats the capsules like a treat. This is a situation where money dictated the course of treatment. Offering an alternative solution to problems is not only necessary at times, but is greatly welcome by pet owners. Being trained in conventional medicine makes it difficult at times to consider alternatives, but the results we have observed makes it apparent that alternative therapy may be as good or better than conventional medical treatment.
Abby’s owner comments, "I am convinced velvet antler healed Abby’s leg, and I have recommended it to many of my friends. The problem is, people cannot find it and veterinarians are not familiar with its use."
