Old Dog Losing Hair/Dislocated Shoulder

[tiffanydash_c]

Hi, we have a 12 almost 13 year old mix lab whose health seemed to be declining.  She is losing all her hair in the winter months and is limping badly.  We took her to the Vet who said her hair loss is normal (?!) and that she has a dislocated shoulder.  He said the only way to fix this is a pricy, somewhat risky surger for a dog her age.  His opinion was to just let her keep on going.  Does anyone know any other type of remedy for an old dog who has dislocated their shoulder? It's greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Jaybay]

From what you write, your vet doesn't sound very interested in pursuing much in the way of investigations.  However, if you mentioned that money is an issue, that may be why?  The dislocation could be due to severe arthritis or soft tissue injury to ligaments and tendons that allows the bone to pop out of the socket.  Repairing soft tissues can be difficult with no guarantee of success in either animals or humans.  Your vet is right about that - the anesthesia would be a certain risk since your dog is a senior.  You may need to seek a specialist's opinion at a major teaching university.

[utahmomma]

Did your vet take x-rays??  She may have arthritis or another bone condition.  It might be worth getting a second opinion from another vet.