Dog question for Bill Barham

[Thomas Macaluso]

Bill I

 

[fatrap]

Tom

If I can chime in here. I raise Vizsla's and started feeding the dogs glycosamine and condroiten(sic) dog food. It has made a world of difference in joint stiffness and recovery from a tough day hunting. I use Diamond but there are other good ones on the market. I was at the National Pheasant Fest in Omaha and talked in depth with several dog food manufacturers. They all agreed on this suppliment as a good way to improve joint condition in dogs.

Lucky, my five year old, started on the supplimented dog food and after two weeks I could tell a difference. I'll put A.L.F. on it as soon as his time on puppy chow is up.

fatrap

aka Vdog

aka Mike G

 

[Dennis Ciccaglione]

Well Tom I'm not Bill (or his wife)



But I am with Mike on this...



I have been using Glucosamine now for quite a few years and we have had very good results with it. We were first introduced to it when one of our dogs tore his ACL & we decided to have it replaced (he is now my $5000 dog but also my best friend). Anyway our vet recommended trying the Glucosamine and he is on it still today as is our 11 year old 132lb Rotti who has arthritis. Major improvement in him, he definitely move much better and with little to no pain.



I will be very interested in Bill's wife

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Hi Tom,



First, Nancy and I both agree with Mike and Dennis. Those two supplements, Glucosamine and Condroiten can do wonders for a dogs with stiff joint problems. However, what I would do is check with my Vet and ask about Rimadyl and/or Derramax. These are made especially for arthritis, etc. Rimadyl I believe can cause liver problems so the dog has to be checked frequently. My neighbor had (he just died) a 13 year old Doberman that two years ago started falling down because his back legs could not hold hom anymore. He started on Rimadyl and the improvement was astonishing. Then, because of the liver thing he was switched to Durramax and I swear Tom, he started acting like a darn puppy. His last two years of life were wondferful. Especially when he was almost put down. Ask your Vet about those two..

Another thing, what kind of dog? He is large but is he supposed to be? A fat dog can be very hard on his joints.

Dennis, I know Lady who does message therapy for dogs and cats, and a couple of horses too, and I agree, I'm a believer too



Bill

 

[Thomas Macaluso]

Thanks Guys ! Bill the dog is a Rottie/Lab mix . He is a big dog ,but could stand to lose about 10-20 pounds . He gets plenty of exercise each day I walk him and my younger dog about two miles every night and he can move when he wants to . To be honest I

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Give those over the counter meds a try Tom.. Can't hurt



Bill

 

[Jon Havens]

Tom,

I have two older labs, 12 and 13 years old. They were both starting to get quite stiff and in some pain so our vet said to try a Glucosamine supplement. We saw results within 2-3 weeks with one and 5-6 weeks with the other. The stuff we are using is called Glyco-Flex III made by Vetri-Science Laboratories.



Jon Havens

 

[Jon Havens]

Tom,

Also beware of Rimadyl. Our yellow lab took it after some knee surgery. We didn't find out until after that a side effect is it can cause deafness, she is not totally deaf but just about. We obviously can't prove that the Rimadyl caused it but it is a strange coincedance.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

As I mentioned, Rimadyl needs to be monitored though I have not heard of the deafness issue. Nobody I talked to after reading this has heard of it. Sorry about your Dog Jon.



Bill

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Bill, One of the meds Ranger is on is Rimadyl, what the story with stuff, is it bad for him? It's for the pain right?

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Chris,



It's an arthritis drug. I believe for pain and easing of the swelling asscociated with arthritis. It worked great on my neighbors dog but he had to have blood tests quite often because it can maybe harm the liver. If I get a chance I'll look it up on the computer later. I'm on some pain med right now and can't concentrate. You should see how many times I retyped this



Bill

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Chris,



This is just part of one hit I got when I did a search on Rimadyl.

It's a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID).

The action of these drugs is similar to aspirin, in that they inhibit inflammatory substances called prostaglandins (PGEs), which cause pain, inflammation, and fever. These drugs are safer than aspirin.

There is risk of liver failure with all NSAIDs. Liver necrosis in Labrador Retrievers caused by Rimadyl have been reported in the largest numbers. The manufacturer of Rimadyl alleges these reactions are attributed to the fact that Labs are the most common breed, and Rimadyl was the first and most commonly prescribed NSAID. Rimadyl may be getting a bad rap. All NSAIDs have the potential to cause liver failure. Blood tests before administration of NSAIDs cannot predict this liver reaction. The risk of this reaction is small (1:10,000 with Rimadyl). NSAIDs are relatively new to veterinary medicine. Veterinarians have little clinical experience with these drugs. Although every manufacturer has data that alleges their drug is safer than the others, no credible non-manufacturer-sponsored data exists which accurately compares these drugs.

Because of the Labrador Retriever statement I want you to see this asap.



NSAIDs Dos and Don'ts



Do Ask your Vet for a written warning about side effects, and read this warning. Ask to see the manufacturer's package insert.



Do Test your pet for kidney problems before starting NSAIDs. This is especially important in older pets, who are prone to kidney failure. A urinalysis and blood test (BUN, Creatinine) are essential.



Do Monitor kidney and liver function if your pet is on these drugs for a prolonged period of time. Monitoring is recommended whenever the dosage is increased.



Do Give Zantac or other antacid medication daily to prevent duodenal ulcers, a common side effect of all NSAIDs. Unfortunately this will not prevent gastric ulcers.



Do Give polysulfated glucosamines (PSGAs -- Adequan, Glycoflex, or Cosequin) with prolonged use of NSAIDs for arthritis and degenerative joint disease. NSAIDs relieve pain, but unfortunately over a long period of time NSAIDs can contribute to cartilage degeneration. PSGAs help cartilage to heal. NSAIDs can cause G.I. ulceration. PSGAs are part of the protectant lining of the G.I. tract. NSAIDs are better tolerated with PSGAs. PSGAs also protect the kidney.



Do Stop the medication at the first signs of gastric upset, nausea, lack of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea.



Don'ts



Do not mix NSAIDs.



Do not give NSAIDs with steroids like dexamethazone, prednisolone, Vetalog or Depomedrol. Gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding can result. A 3-to-5 day withdrawal period is necessary if you switch from one drug to another.



Do not give NSAIDs in patients with known impaired gastrointestinal, kidney, cardiovascular, or coagulation functions. If liver enzymes are elevated, use only at a lowered dose, and with liver treatment medication (i.e., SAM - E)



Do not give NSAIDs with Enalapril or other ACE inhibitors, Lasix, or with nephrotoxic drugs like aminoglycoside antibiotics or psychotropic drugs (Prozac, Clomiclam).



Do not give NSAIDs in dogs with Cushing's disease or other diseases where the patient is predisposed to thromboembolisms (blood clots).



Do not use NSAIDs in trauma patients or critical care patients due to potential clotting problems and nephrotoxicity.



A final note:



Relief from pain by NSAIDs is an individual response. If your pet does not get adequate relief from pain and return to normal function with one NSAID, it is worth trying a different NSAID.



I hope this helps Chris and good luck,,



Bill