Gold Bead Implants

[shangrila]

I am especially worried about Zoey's hips right now and I am exploring our options to help her more. One of the things I am considering is gold bead implants. Has anyone ever had experience with gold beads? I know what articles say about them, but I would prefer to hear honest feedback from a real person.

[newflvr]

I checked with Cowboy's holistic vet about using them for his epilepsy and he said that there was a big study done on them at University of Florida vet school and the results were that they didn't work....but that was for epilepsy so I have no info on using them for hips. . . .but maybe you could call there and ask them??

I just found the name of the doctor who was doing the research...her e is his contact info

Dr.  Clemons
http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/neurohp.html

Phone number:  352.392.4700 ext. 4700

It's just amazing what I can find when I start cleaning of my desk  !

[Nicole]

Heather, I know that there was some research done here in Indiana, too. (that was that article I gave you). You might want to try to call the Purdue University Vet School. They are one of the best vet schools in the country and may have a ton of info for ya.

Here is their website:

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/

Good luck, and if I hear anything else, I'll keep you informed!

[brandon]

Found this on Canine-HD Yahoo Group:

Author: Hielm-Bjorkman, A; Raekallio, M; Kuusela, E; Saarto, E;
Markkola, A; Tulamo, R M
Institution Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical
Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Title: Double-blind evaluation of implants of gold wire at
acupuncture points in the dog as a treatment for osteoarthritis
induced by hip dysplasia.
Appears In: The Veterinary record. vol. 149, no. 15 (2001 Oct 13):
452-6.
Country of Publication: England.
Abstract:
Thirty-eight dogs with hip dysplasia were studied to evaluate the
use of gold wire implants at acupuncture points around the hip
joints. They were assigned at random into two groups of 19. In the
treated group, gold wire was inserted through hypodermic needles at
electrically found acupuncture points around both hips. In the
control group, the areas were prepared in the same way but had only
the skin pierced at sites which were not acupuncture points, with a
needle of the same size as that used in the treated group. Over a
period of six months the dogs were studied repeatedly by two
veterinarians and by the dogs' owners who were unaware of the
treatments the dogs had received; they assessed the dogs' locomotion,
hip function and signs of pain. Radiographs were taken at the
beginning and end of the study. Although the data collected from both
groups by the veterinarians and the owners showed a significant
improvement of locomotion and reduction in signs of pain (P=0.036 for
the veterinary evaluation and locomotion and P=0.0001 and P=0.0034
for the owners' evaluation of locomotion and pain, respectively),
there were no statistically significant differences between the
treated and control groups (P=0.19 and P=0.41, P=0.24, respectively).

Just so you know, there are several active groups on Yahoo dealing with dog orthopedics, HD, etc..
Canine HD
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineHD/

Conservative Management
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConservativeManagement/

Ortho Dogs
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orthodogs/

[brandon]

Here's a good thread with some people reporting the progress from having it done:

http://www.newf.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=001174#000000

I can copy and paste the thread to you if you can't read it.

Brandon

[GreatDanz]

I just had gold beads done on my dane for Spondylosis and Wobblers.  There's no doctor I would go to for this other than Dr. Durkes in Indiana.

If you search the internet, you will find a multitude of personal accounts of dogs that have had the procedure for various conditions.  There is no doubt that the majority of dogs have benefitted from gold beads.

Here is Mickey's blog I created to journal our experiences: http://goldbeads.blogspot.com/

I would certainly try this before I would go with any of the traditional surgery options, i.e. fusing of vertibrae. 

[sc.trojans]

I have heard a lot about them from Great Dane people - who often turn to them for the common Spondylosis and Wobblers issues in that breed.  One colleague of mind recently referred several to this site for more information:


http://www.danebytes.com/gold_bead_implants.htm

My understanding is success is excellent on young dogs who seek treatment early and drops to only 50% when the dogs are elderly or over 10 years of age.

Good luck