Prognosis

Little factual information is available describing the benefits of conservative and medical 
management.  One follow-up study on 50 young dogs (3-12 months of age) exists, in 
which this type of management was 76% successful.  Successful in this case is defined as  
a clinically normal patient or patient with slight or intermittent abnormalities.  The owner 
must be well educated on the disease, and have reasonable expectations for the results.  
This approach is not curative.  The purpose is to relieve pain, maintain joint function, and 
allow normal activity.  We would like to stop the degenerative process or prevent severe 
damage in such a young patient, but since the degenerative process has already begun, 
osteoarthritic changes result and are self-propagating.  The patient will probably continue 
to have problems throughout life.  Should those problems worsen severely, other, more 
expensive and invasive surgical procedures can be done.  The results depend heavily on 
client compliance as well as the individual response of the patient.