Pre & Post Joint Surgery Tips

I was recently asked this question via email. Hopefully some of my other blog readers dealing with a dog preparing, undergoing, or rehabing from surgery can benefit from some of these helpful tips.

Question: "My Brittany is getting ready to have hip relocation surgery. Do you have any diet recommendations for joint healing?"

Having your faithful hunting companion and best bud go "under the knife" is a stressful situation for both of you!

Response: If your Brit is in good overall health going into the surgery I recommend the dog staying on the same diet. I believe stress from a food change close to surgery could put undue strain on your dogs immune system, which needs to be at full strength to devote to the overall healing process. Even if your current dog food does contain some Glucosamine/Chondroitin. I would add at minimum 750mg per 50lbs of dog per day of a liquid Gluc/MSM/Chon supplement. Nutri Vet makes a great product and the dog gets the most bang for your buck! Liquid supplements are the best bet because dogs digest and metabolize liquids much more completely than pill form supplements. Liquid can be poured over his regular food making it very easy to administer. The natural anti-inflammatory properties of this formula will help dramatically in the healing process and help to lubricate/condition the ligaments and tendons post surgery as well as slow down degenerative issues that will certainly arise in the future.

The biggest post op concern is proper rehabilitation. Take it extremely slow. Even when you think(and the dog acts like) he or she is totally healed they probably are not. Dogs have a way of masking still nagging injuries. It is during this time they are most likely to injure another joint because they are favoring the injury or possibly re-aggravating the surgically repaired joint. The next biggest post op concern is the dog putting on weight following surgery due to inactivity. Be VERY watchful of food ration/portion size and limit treats to those very low in calories. I recommend high protein/low cal treats like pure dried meats(chicken, duck, buffalo) that are packed with nutrients to help in muscle/tendon/ligament development.

Water based physical therapy is low impact and increases the chances of the joint healing correctly. Seek out a clinic that offers it!

I hope these suggestions help. As always, listen to what your vet has to say and follow their advice close. They will have the hands-on experience of seeing exactly what is best for your dog. But always be open to second opinions. Just like human surgery...this is serious business!
Best of luck out there. -Mark