My dog has a chipped bone in her knee and arthritis. She is only 5 years old. The vet said she has to have the bone removed, which is costly. Is that our only recourse? Can a chipped bone be dissolved?

It depends on the breed of dog, for example extremely large breeds have a harder time mending their bones, as do smaller dogs, such as lap dogs or tiny breeds. If the dog is above 100 pounds or below fifteen, then you need to have the surgery to prevent future problems.

Bone is not going to dissolve. Sometimes it will reattach (like ends of a broken bone), but that's not likely to happen in a joint that is constantly moving. Since it has already caused arthritis, it should be removed. She is also at higher risk for damage to the other leg because she puts more weight on the side that doesn't hurt.