Old dog, need advice (Cortisone shots or Rimadyl)

[3dognite]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

Oh Corgis! Adorable! Good to see you 3dog! I would have sworn you were in VT!

DogAware.com Health: Arthritis in Dogs more info than you probably ever want!

Adequan for Dogs is a good article on Adequan, plus the website of the manufacturer has good info too. It's 8 loading doses - 2 a week for 4 weeks. Then you go from there - depends on the dog how often they need it (1-2x a month).

Holistic Care for Pets at the bottom she also has really good information on pain in stages - I find her info easy to read/get.

Nope, Montana. Yeah, I adore my little Corgi but their lifespan is about 14-16 years, so whatever I do, won't change that.


Thank you all so much for all the feedback. My spouse and I talked it over, and I think we're going to start with the least invasive/side effect med for now and see how he responds. He has put on some weight with the cold weather (he's 46 pounds and probably should be about 38--he's a big Corgi) and that's not helping, but the pain is keeping him from running as much as he used to so he's not getting his exercise.

Whatever the vet says has the least side-effects is the start. And he said that the injections of Cortisone are very popular and have few side effects, but we'll discuss the other options as well.

[I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO]

Getting that weight off is really going to help!

I agree that Adequan is a great drug-really no side effects either (their study only shows side-effects in dogs that receive much higher doses than what is given).

I also just heard about Duralactin-helps with inflammation. It's a product derived from milk. An agility friend of mine got her GSD off of NSAIDs after two months of using this product.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Good thing I don't have the codes for the nuclear football! There must be 3somebody in VT.

I don't know if it's the same in dogs, but for people, steroids put on weight big time. I don't know if the med itself helps to cause it (like some meds do all on their own) or the fact that you could pull up a chair to a buffet with a napkin tucked in your shirt and go to town, when you're on them!

If there is a place that does things like laser therapy, underwater treadmill (for weight loss - and not a lot of water needed for a Corgi!) you could try that.

And 8# weight loss will take some time to do. That's like 20% of his body weight right? I think (not good at math) that would be like a 200# person losing 40#. I am not sure the best way to do that with an older dog. But I am sure you can do it!

[3dognite]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

Good thing I don't have the codes for the nuclear football! There must be 3somebody in VT.

I don't know if it's the same in dogs, but for people, steroids put on weight big time. I don't know if the med itself helps to cause it (like some meds do all on their own) or the fact that you could pull up a chair to a buffet with a napkin tucked in your shirt and go to town, when you're on them!

If there is a place that does things like laser therapy, underwater treadmill (for weight loss - and not a lot of water needed for a Corgi!) you could try that.

And 8# weight loss will take some time to do. That's like 20% of his body weight right? I think (not good at math) that would be like a 200# person losing 40#. I am not sure the best way to do that with an older dog. But I am sure you can do it!

There May be a new vet in the area that has the hydrotherapy. We could probably walk him on the treadmill! We had 14 inches of snow overnight a week or so ago and the poor critter was having to tunnel to go pee! The cold is the worst for him, he just loses his spark and willingness to gallop through the snow.

He's not a real energetic eater and we're going to cut him back to about 1 and 3/4 cups of food. I may start working on massaging him, that's a looooong low back that he has so some extra lovies will be good. He's a bit heavy to be carrying up those steps though!

The vet knows we want him to lose some weight so I'm sure won't push the steroids if we opt against if weight gain is a fear. And I need to get him back on the glucosamine and cosequin too, that alone may bring his sparkiness back!

[M&J]

I wanted to add the Duralactin so I emailed the company to see if it's safe with Zeel and Traumeel. They called me AND emailed as a followup that it's perfectly safe to give with all meds I asked about, including the Zeel and Traumeel. I am going to order some.
Best of luck!

PS. I had luck getting fourteen pounds off Rudy with Wellness Core Reduced Fat food.

[Quinnsmom]

Originally Posted by Jax08

Laser therapy. No side affects, good results. Same price as rimadyl.

I second this idea. Laser is very effective, completely non-invasive, comfortable when being used and available at vets or animal chiropractors. My SIL markets them for the largest medical laser company in Canada and has great results recorded from dog practitioners and horse trainers. I have had laser treatment on a knee with osteoarthritis and have had good pain and stiffness relief.

[jocoyn]

Cold laser really gives my dog a boost
I am starting him on turmeric after seeing a friends dog do so well with it. It is full of natural cox-2 inhibitors (like meloxicam)

[3dognite]

Originally Posted by Quinnsmom

I second this idea. Laser is very effective, completely non-invasive, comfortable when being used and available at vets or animal chiropractors. My SIL markets them for the largest medical laser company in Canada and has great results recorded from dog practitioners and horse trainers. I have had laser treatment on a knee with osteoarthritis and have had good pain and stiffness relief.

I'll have to check into that...I'm not at all sure that there are any vets in the area (within 100 miles) that do laser, but I'll look into it!

[Quinnsmom]

Perhaps some of our members who live in your state might chime in and suggest a vet or a chiropractor. Some human chiros are also qualified to do canine treatments.

A university with a veterinary faculty would have this treatment available.

[Magwart]

Adequan gave me my old friend back! He went from barely going up and down stairs, and slowly moseying on a walk to wanting to RUN. He joyfully nudges us to ask to jog now on our walks and seems to enjoy them so much more.

It doesn't work overnight (most of us seem to see the effects in about week 3 of the loading dose), and it's a long-term commitment (we do maintenance shots every 2 weeks), but combined with good supplements, and exercise, it has had a DRAMATIC benefit for him -- way, way beyond the supplements alone. We did those for a long time, we also did pain meds -- the adequan was the "game changer" for him, and I wish I'd known about it earlier.