Dr. Aronson talks about Surgery-free treatment for osteochondrosis dessecans in canines

Osteochondrosis dessecans (OCD lesion) is a painful condition occurring primarily in young large and giant breed dogs. In OCD the bulb of the humerus bone (the humeral head), which connects to the shoulder socket, develops a “flap” that may detach from the bone entirely. This occurs due to a defect in the process that turns cartilage to bone during the growing phase. This defect results in abnormal cartilage thickening and essentially “starves”  cells within the cartilage. Normal wear and tear of running, sitting and walking turn this weak area into a gap at the junction of the bone and cartilage. The resulting inflammation is very uncomfortable for the dog and an owner may notice their dog develop a limp between 4-8 months of age. It can lead to more degenerative joint problems later on if not corrected.

Osteochondrosis dessecans is almost exclusively treated with surgery. The veterinary 

surgeon will clean out the flap and sometimes fill in the area with stem cells to encourage the growth of new healthy bone. But what about non-surgical options, and pain management for the animal? Since osteochondrosis dessecans is a problem of inflammation and delayed repair, the Assisi Loops is primed to treat the condition.

This is exactly what Dr. Randy D. Aronson, DVM, of P.A.W.S. Tuscon found when he first began using the Assisi Loop at his clinic:

“One of the first cases I used it on was a young golden retriever, about 8 or 9 months old, who had an osteochondrosis dessecans lesion in his shoulder. That’s a condition where the 

blood vessels don’t innervate the bone properly and therefore he has a deficit in the bone itself, as if he had a piece of bone missing.

Dr. Randy Aronson graduated from George Washington University and received his Veterinary Medical Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He shares his practical insights with wisdom and humor as the Radio Pet Vet on KQTH,104.1 FM in Tucson and on the Internet at http://www.1041thetruth.com on Saturday mornings, between 8-10 am PST . Dr. Aronson has owned a successful practice helping and healing animals for 30 years. He is often able to suggest another approach to your difficult pet problems and uses his training in acupuncture, e-stem, laser therapy, nutritional counseling, vitamins, supplements, rehabilitation medicine and traditional Chinese medicine to solve health problems. To ensure quality and accountability for the safety and benefit of his patients, he directs and co-formulates 2Docs, a comprehensive line of pet vitamins and dietary supplements.

In general, we have the Loop as part of our pain management protocol. It assists the body in increasing blood flow, producing natural endorphin release and nitric oxide production, which involves calcium molecules in the anti-inflammatory cascade. We certainly think that the pain and inflammation is improved with the Assisi Loop.”

If surgery is necessary, the Assisi Loop is helpful for dealing with pain pre- and post-operation. Contact us to learn more about how the Assisi Loop can help your pet and  the clinical studies behind the FDA cleared device.