NSAIDs and Anti-inflammatories for Dog Arthritis
If your pet is being treated for arthritis, the standard veterinary orthodoxy is to prescribe chronic corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Veterinarians do not usually use alternative treatments.
Some of the common pain relievers prescribed for canine arthritis include:
- Metacam (meloxicam) – another NSAID
- Rimadyl (carprofen) - a NSAID that has been effective in treating the pain, but which potentially has very serious side effects, as do all compounds in this drug class
- Hyaluronic acid derivatives
- Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) – PSAGS are given by injection twice each week for one month and then every few months, and have anti-inflammatory activity.
- Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) – a widely used NSAID
- Ibuprofen – a NSAID
- Phenylbutazone – a NSAID with a mode of action similar to aspirin
- Palaprin6 - a buffered aspirin specifically for dogs
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Aleve and Orudis
The use of NSAIDS definitely reduce joint inflammation but the side affects from this type of treatment can include stomach upset, gastrointestinal bleeding as well as kidney and liver damage. They should be discontinued if vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite occurs. The drugs tend to be well tolerated over the short term though long term usage can cause potential problems, including drug interactions with other steroid medications.
In the case of Rimadyl, the side effects are potentially fatal and the manufacturer reports the following possible adverse reactions: decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark or tarry stools, increased water consumption, increased urination, pale gums due to anemia, yellowing of gums, skin or white of the eye due to jaundice, lethargy, in-coordination, seizure, and behavioral changes. Renal, hematologic, neurologic, dermatologic, and hepatic effects have also been reported, as well as death.
That’s just one example that tells us it’s wise to consider all options before putting an animal on chronic drug therapy, and once again stresses the importance of first obtaining a proper diagnosis. It would be terrible to put a dog on a long term and potentially harmful medication based on a diagnosis that was faulty, and yet it does frequently happen.
Another factor to seriously consider is our notice that the painkillers above only treat the pain, but do absolutely nothing to treat the cartilage damage that is causing the pain. Over time, the long term use of these drugs can even actually speed the progression of osteoarthritis by interfering with cartilage repair, and thereby make the disease worse in the long run. With long term use they can actually destroy your pet’s cartilage so that its arthritis and joint pain even worsens.
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