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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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Arthritis
Arthritis is a very common problem in older dogs and
cats. When properly treated, your pet can
experience a greatly-improved mobility and quality of
life. There are a variety of supplements and
medications that can be used to treat arthritis
Arthritis is a major problem in both dogs and cats.
It is often easier to recognize in dogs, but many cats
also suffer from this affliction. Signs include
difficulty rising, difficulty lying down, stiffness,
decreased jumping, decreased playing, weight loss in the
hindquarters, and increased sleeping.
Click
here for a video presentation made by the pain
management specialists at the Colorado State University
College of Veterinary Medicine entitled
Is Your
Pet in Pain?
Arthritis is what happens when the joints wear out.
Joints are biomechanical marvels, consisting of layers
of articular cartilage which cover the ends of the
bones, joint fluid, which acts as a very sophisticated
biological lubricant, and ligaments and the joint
capsule, which provide mechanical support and
stabilization for the joint.
With age, wear and tear, or injury, any or all of the
components of the joint can be damaged, and once that
happens the whole structure begins to spiral down-hill.
Tissue damage leads to inflammation, which in turn
causes the joint fluid to become thinner, causes damage
to the articular cartilage, and causes swelling and pain
in the ligaments and joint capsule.
Diagnosing arthritis is done mainly with a physical exam
and history. X-rays can be helpful, especially in
severe cases or when the lameness seems worse on one
side. In many larger dogs, arthritis is a
consequence of Hip Dysplasia, a degenerative condition
caused by abnormal conformation of the hip joints.
Click the link to go to a more detailed discussion of
Hip Dysplasia, including some good x-rays.
Arthritis can and does strike many joints besides the
hips. Elbow arthritis is also especially common.
Cats quite frequently get spinal arthritis.
Arthritis can happen anywhere, and quite frequently
does.
Arthritis is readily treated with a variety of
medications and supplements. In no particluar
order, here is a brief listing of some of the more
common treatments.
Nutritional Supplements Many people are personally acquainted with the benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin. These are nutrients that help build good joints by building better joint fluid and articular cartilage. Nutrients like this with medicinal properties are often called Nutraceuticals. In many cases, significant pain relief is obtained through the use of glucosamine and chondroitin. There are literally hundreds of brand names out there. Some are good, some not-so-good. Because they are not regulated by the FDA like drugs are, their label content and their actual content can and does vary widely, depending on the brand. I usually tell my clients that if they are taking a glucosamine and think it works, use that one on their dog. If they are not taking one personally, I recommend picking a mid-priced product and trying that on their dog. If they don't see any response, I then recommend using the brand name Cosequin for their dog. In general, most dogs do well on one-half the glucosamine dose that a person would take. The product Cosequin for Cats is a good first-choice product for arthritic cats. These products have no side effects or other adverse effects, and for this reason I think every arthritic dog should be on glucosamine.
Adequan is another glucosamine-like product sometimes
used to treat arthritis. Adequan is injected,
however. Injecting the product avoids the loss due
to digestion, and so large doses can be given.
J/D is a food marketed by Hills Pet Nutrition, the
Science Diet folks. It contains significant
quantities of glucosamine and chondroitin as well as
omega-three fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, and
other anti-oxidants and industry buzz-words that are
believed to be beneficial in the treatment of arthritis.
J/D is a fairly new product, and although independent
research has not to date been done to validate all of
the label claims, Hills' in-house data are reasonably
convincing, and I believe J/D is worth a try.
All of these nutraceutical-type products are aimed more at prevention rather than cure.
Although they often do provide significant relief of minor arthritic pain, alone they tend to have limited value in the more severe cases of arthritis. When combined with other, more potent treatments, they often act synergistically. They take considerable time, weeks to months, to have full effect.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Called NSAID's for short, this class of drugs includes such familiar characters as aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve, Mobic, Rimadyl, Feldene, Clinoril, Lodine, Orudis, Deramaxx, and Celebrexx. Many people, and many dogs, for that matter, experience significant relief from their arthritis symptoms by using these drugs. They act by reducing inflammation in the joint. They are common, and many are available without a prescription.
DO NOT GIVE YOUR PET ANY OF THEM WITHOUT CONSULTING
ME!!!
The reason is that every year,
about 12,000 people die
from side effects associated with NSAID's. Now,
we're not talking about 12,000 people who "got sick"
from adverse reactions to NSAID's, or 12,000 people who
"were hospitalized" with adverse reactions to NSAID's,
we are talking about 12,000 people who flat-out died.
The fact is that NSAID's have some real and serious
side-effects, and if they are used in the wrong patient
at the wrong doses and are not monitored, you can expect
to have problems with them. Even aspirin or
ibuprofen.
One of the reasons we see so many problems with NSAID's
is their availability. People who should never be
taking NSAID's in the first place just go down to
Walgreens and buy them. Then there are the people
who take several different NSAID's at a time.
NSAID's don't play well together, and their adverse
effects tend to be additive while their beneficial
effects are not. Then there are interactions with
other drugs. There are certain other drugs which
can not be taken safely along with NSAID's. Then
there are people who take a whole handfull of ib uprofen
at a time. More is not better.
There are also species differences, too. There are
only two NSAID's that I would even consider giving to
cats. The rest are uniformly toxic to cats.
Dogs don't tolerate ibuprofen well, and if you want to
see what bad things happen to dogs' stomachs after only
five days of aspirin, click the link
Aspirin for Dogs and Cats. Phenylbutazone is a
great drug for horses, but causes severe blood
dyscrasias and liver toxicity in people. Rimadyl
is a great drug for dogs, and is the main NSAID we use
at Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic.
NSAID's can be used safely with great success. Let
me repeat that: NSAID's can be used safely with
great success. The keys to safe and happy NSAID
use are
1) to use it in the right patient
2) use it at correct doses
3) be careful to avoid bad drug interactions
4) monitor for adverse events.
At Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic, we have used Rimadyl for
years, and feel that when used properly, it is a safe
and effective treatment for dogs with all stages of
arthritis. We do this by doing blood testing on
older patients before beginning NSAID therapy to make
sure there are no pre-existing medical conditions that
would make NSAID's a bad idea. We then evaluate
your pet's medical record to see that there will be no
adverse drug reactions to anything previously
prescribed, and we talk about how to never give any
other drug without talking to me first. Then we
use the lowest possible dose that provides adequate
relief, and we have a long talk about how more is not
better. Then we set up a monitoring plan to make
sure problems don't creep up on us.
When prescribed and used in a safe way, NSAID's can be a
real blessing to your older dog.
Other Drugs
There are several other drugs that are useful in
treating arthritis pain. Tramadol, also known as Ultram, is a potent pain killer that can be used alone
in patients who are not good candidates for NSAID
therapy, or it can be used in addition to NSAID's like
Rimadyl. Amantadine is a drug that is useful in
combating chronic pain. It acts on the spinal cord
to decrease the pain response. Dextromethorphan is
more commonly known as a cough-suppresant, but has
properties similar to amantadine and is occasionally
used in a similar way.
Click the link to return to
Older Dogs and Cats
Click this link to return to
Special Library
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