So your dog is suffering from arthritis.
You’re not alone. It’s sad as a pet-parent to see your beloved pooch transform from an energetic canine companion to a dog that can only make a stiff walk. What makes it even worse is seeing your beloved dog lie down while groaning in pain and not being able to jump to his favorite couch. This leaves you with the question, what can I give my dog for arthritis?
In this article, we will tackle the medications your dog can take to treat arthritis. Get to know these remedies right here.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are known to give your pet relief and reviving their spirits with properties that battle pain and inflammation. Here we’ll introduce three (3) analgesic medications for your pooch suffering from arthritis.
NSAID-medication work by reducing prostaglandins and hormones that causes the pain in your dog’s body. Once it takes effect, you can expect your pooch to finally be able to move easily and even exercise. NSAIDs are known meds to give to your dog when in pain.
You can take this opportunity to introduce exercise activities to preserve the normal function of their digestive tracts, lungs, and heart. An arthritic pet can also improve their muscle strength. By exercising, you’re helping your dog by potentially correcting their joint alignment. When the joints align, pain is significantly reduced.
1. Rimadyl
Generic name: Carprofen
A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Rimadyl can be used to treat inflammation and pain caused by arthritis as well as hip dysplasia and other joint diseases. Rimadyl does its magic by reducing the hormones that cause the said inflammation and pain in your dog’s body. Further, Rimadyl can also be used to alleviate pain associated by fever and also ideal when your dog has recently gone through a dental procedure or surgery.
Ideal for:
Dogs aged at least six (6) weeks
Benefits of rimadyl:
- Recommended as a daily dose
- Most dogs can easily tolerate
- Easy to give; available as a chewable tablet
How to give rimadyl
Most medications come with instructions for you to follow. As for Rimadyl, it must be given with food. Along with that, make sure your dog has access to a lot of water as he will be needing it. If you don’t trust your comprehension to the instructions, you are always free to talk with your vet or ask the pharmacist to explain it to you.
Note: While Rimadyl is ideally effective, you can only purchase such when prescribed by your veterinarian. Moreover, it is NOT advisable to give Rimadyl to dogs used for breeding as well as lactating and pregnant dogs. Ultimately, you can’t give this medication to a cat.
2. Deramaxx
Generic name: Deracoxib (der-ah-cox'-ib)
Another NSAID used to control inflammation and pain is Deramaxx. It is used particularly to battle against degenerative diseases affecting dog joints – namely osteoarthritis. It works by reducing the substances causing fever, inflammation, and pain.
Deramaxx comes as a chewable, scored, beef-flavored tablet. Just like Rimadyl, you can also give Deramaxx to a dog that has recently gone through a dental or surgical procedure.
Ideal for:
Dogs in general
Benefits of deramaxx:
- Ideal for canine arthritis
- Controls chronic osteoarthritis
- Reduces pain and inflammation
- Tasty for dogs; beef-flavored and chewable
- Easy to give
- Nonsteroidal
How to give deramaxx
This medication’s most common dosage is to give 0.45 - 0.91 mg/lb ONCE per day for a dog suffering from osteoarthritis pain. For treating a dog with post-operative inflammation and pain, you can give 1.4 – 1.8 mg/lb ONCE per day.
The beauty of Deramaxx is they contain a beef flavor and completely chewable. This means you won’t have a hard time administering it to your dog. Further, it’s up to you whether you’ll mix it with your furball’s food or not.
Just like the previous NSAID, you must prepare a lot of water for your dog.
Note: Deramaxx also needs a vet prescription. Also, do NOT give this medication to your cat.
3. Novox
This one is basically like the generic equivalent of Rimadyl. Novox is also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used to treat inflammation and pain caused by joint diseases namely arthritis. Novox can also be given to dogs suffering from hip dysplasia and fever. Just like other NSAIDs, you can also give Novox to a pet who recently had an operation (especially orthopedic-related).
Novox makes itself appealing to dogs by having a liver flavor. It does its job by decreasing the hormones behind the inflammation and pain endured by your dog.
Ideal for:
Dogs aged at least six (6) weeks and above
Benefits of novox:
- Effective medication
- Needed only once per day
- Available in both caplet or chewable
- Easy to give/administer
How to give novox:
Novox is designed to taste good for your pets. That said, never store this medication in a place where your dogs can have an easy access – otherwise, you can potentially trigger an overdose.
The most common way of giving Novox is ½ tablets for 30 days. To be safe, give Novox exactly as explained by your vet. As always, you are free to ask the pharmacist to explain everything about this product.
As for storage, remember the following:
- Controlled room temperature of 20-25C (68-77F) for 100mg Novox Carprofen Chewable Tablets
- 15-30C (59-86F) for 25mg and 75mg Novox Carprofen Chewable Tablets
Note:
Novox is vet-prescribed. A caution to remember includes not giving this medication to lactating and pregnant dogs as well as those dogs used for breeding. Further, do not give this medication to other animals like cats. More importantly, this should never be ingested by any human.
Corticosteroids
Before everything, know that ALL warm-blooded animals naturally produce corticosteroids inside their bodies. Yes, it includes us humans, and our pets. PetMD recommends steroids including corticosteroids as a remedy for arthritis in dogs.
If you’re asking, what can I give my dog for arthritis pain, corticosteroids is yet another option for you. Of course, you can’t just force your dog to produce corticosteroids. Thankfully, pharmaceutical versions can be purchased and given to your dog.
Pharmaceutical corticosteroids are just like the natural steroid, but they come at a higher concentration. Apart from arthritis, you can give this medication to a dog suffering from other chronic pains.
The top-selling corticosteroids include Triamcinolone, Prednisolone, and Prednisone.
1. Triamcinolone
Generic name: Triamcinolone tablets
This corticosteroid is formulated to deal with various skin conditions including dryness, redness, scaling, crusting, and most importantly, inflammation. It does its job by reducing swelling which makes it also ideal for allergic disorders.
Ideal for:
Dogs and cats in general
Benefits of triamcinolone:
- Treats multiple conditions
- Decreases inflammation
- Battles skin irritations
How to give triamcinolone:
This medication must be given with food. Otherwise, you can trigger an upset stomach. You should also give your dog plenty of water to drink. For the instructions, you must refer to the directions given by your vet himself. Moreover, feel free to ask the pharmacist for an explanation.
Note: Triamcinolone is sold per tablet and it requires a vet prescription. One important thing to remember is to never stop this medication suddenly. The dosage you give must be gradually reduced before your dog can finally stop the medication.
2. Prednisolone
Generic name: Prednisolone
Another corticosteroid, Prednisolone treats various diseases including allergy and inflammatory conditions. It decreases inflammation and swelling which results in a reduced pain. Chronic inflammation due to joint damage can also be treated with Prednisolone. This makes it ideal for dogs suffering from arthritis too.
Ideal for:
Dogs and cats in general
Benefits of prednisolone:
- Ideal treatment for allergies
- Treats a wide array of inflammatory conditions like arthritis
- Also treats other auto-immune conditions
- Decreases skin itching and redness
How to give prednisolone:
Store Prednisolone at a room temperature where it’s safe against heat and moisture. Prednisolone must be administered with food. Specific instructions on how to give are done by the vet. You can also ask a pharmacist to explain things to you.
Note: While giving Prednisolone, do NOT give other prescription medication or any over-the-counter meds. It may be possible but you need to talk to your vet first. Importantly, ask the vet first if your pooch has a heart disease, liver disease, or any other medical conditions. Potential side effects may include nausea, insomnia, upset stomach, and vomiting.
Before giving your dog any med
While we can assure that everything in this article is harnessed from thorough research, the team highly recommends every reader to visit a vet first – and actually make it a priority.
You can also talk with a pharmacist if a vet is not available at the moment. Always do this before giving your dog over-the-counter medications and any prescription drugs.
Summary
What can I give my dog for arthritis? The question that a lot of pet parents ask. If you find yourself asking the same question, you can simply reread everything and try to ask your vet what medication is best for your beloved canine companion.
