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Watch VideoNew surgery treating arthritis for dogs
Story By: Jamie Smith
Source: NBC
A first-of-its kind surgery is being called a success, a treatment for dogs that suffer from arthritis and feel extreme pain when walking.
California's Veterinary Specialists in Carlsbad performed the elbow joint replacement surgery on an 8-year-old German shepherd named Keyway.
Keyway is now recuperating well, and was able to walk a day after surgery. Keyway's complete recuperation is expected to take about 12 weeks.
Just like people, dogs can also suffer from extreme arthritis, especially in their front limbs, where they place most of their weight. Veterinarian Sarit Dhupa said dogs put about 60 percent of their weight on their front limbs. The wear and tear of the joints makes it extremely painful for them to walk.
Up until now, there was no effective solution to this problem, but a small metal implant seems to be changing that. "What we do is use a technique to remove all the joint cartilage and then replace it with a prosthesis," said Dhupa.
This new surgery cost approximately 6,000 dollars and is now part of a clinical study. But since the surgery is still part of a trial, the clinical study can cover most of the cost.
