Dog Arthritis And Blown Cruciate Update

(continued from yesterday)

Our dalmatian mix's blood test results came in, and meanwhile we were also able to locate what was making her so violently ill. It was the medication (hormone) that we had her on for her dog incontinence. Linguini had a rare reaction to Proin (phenylpropanolamine). We have already taken her off it and later, after her health has improved, we'll start looking at alternatives. The mop and bucket (along with bleach and Nature's Miracle) will have to replace the Proin for the time being. That's all good news since she hasn't thrown up once in the past 24 hours. She's already getting stronger.

The limp is a totally unrelated situation we need to tackle. We're going to give Linguini a couple more days to recover from the reaction to Proin and then put her on Rimadyl twice a day for a week. At the end of that time period, we will reconvene with the dog vet and decide for or against surgery. There is still a slight chance that the cruciate is partially torn versus completely blown. If it's partially torn and it's the dog arthritis that is mainly acting up, surgery will be postponed indefinitely to spare the senior dog from going under anesthesia.

I got some comments about dog glucosamine and chondroitin versus Rimadyl. I am grateful for all feedback, but in this dog's case, supplements will not suffice. She's already been on glucosamine for dogs, and on chondroitin,  and on fish oil for dogs. Supplements are always preferable to medication, but only when drugs can actually be avoided. Under the circumstances, the drug, Rimadyl, will potentially help avoid a rather involved, risky, and expensive surgery, so we have to give it a chance.

Twinkie

Dog Arthritis And Possible Rimadyl Adverse Reaction

Our Linguini, an eleven year old female dalmatian mix, has been diagnosed with dog arthritis. 

She's had arthritic type signs for a long time. Due to recent sudden weight loss accompanied by acute vomiting, we rushed her to the dog vet to find out why she was wasting away so suddenly. What was making her so ill? The Rimadyl, the fish oil for dogs, or Proin (phenylpropanolamine), the hormone to help control her dog incontinence? The vet did x-rays and ran a new blood test (her last one was ten months ago).

The telling x-ray

The above x-ray clearly shows that our girl's left leg is heavily afflicted by dog arthritis, as is her spine. Surprisingly, her right leg doesn't show any signs of dog arthritis! After a thorough physical, our dog vet added that the dog's probably suffering fro a blown cruciate and will most likely need surgery. 

We're waiting for the blood test results to come in before we decide how to proceed. We are also playing around with her medications, to figure out which one may be causing the excessive and violent vomiting (the fish oil for dogs is not a suspect at this point). The cruciate surgery is promising. The chances of full functionality are really good. There are rare complications (breakdown) with this type of surgery, but we are lucky because our dog vet happens to specialize in it. The cons are significant as well: with a senior dog there is always an elevated risk during sedation, the recovery is long, and the cost makes us wish we had heeded our own warnings an PSAs and gotten pet insurance!

To be continued . . . 

Twinkie

Rimadyl

What is Rimadyl

Rimadyl is the name Pfizer uses for Carprofen. It's like saying Advil instead of Ibuprofen, for humans. If you have a dog that you're told needs to be on Rimadyl, especially for a log time, skip the brand name and opt for a generic, cheaper brand. It's the same thing. Carprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug mainly used to treat dog arthritis symptoms and flare ups along with hip dysplasia in a senior dog as a long term solution. Short term use is mainly prescribed post-op to relieve temporary inflammation.

In the United States, Rimadyl (Carprofen) is available in 25, 75, and 100mg tablets, liver flavored or non. It's easier for the dog owner to use Pfizer's Rimadyl only because of the taste. Most patients will eat it as if it's a dog treat because of the taste. You need to ask your dog vet about dosage which varies according to the dog's weight.

The most effective way to administer Carprofen, in the long term, is in two doses, a morning one and an evening one.

Dangers Associated With Rimadyl

For long-term use, Rimadyl has been associated with liver and kidney problems, and even gastritis and ulcers, that's why if your dog is going to be prescribed this drug, he/she needs frequent evaluations and blood work done at your vet's office. Other side effects, include loss of appetite, vomiting, and wobbling. If your dog is just getting started on Rimadyl (Carprofen) you must keep a watchful eye and contact your vet if you notice: vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, increase in water consumption, seizures, increase in urination, drowsiness, skin changes, and behavior  changes (energy level, aggression)

Other names for  Rinadyl/ cheaper solutions

 

If you own a small dog, and you are a responsible owner, you may want to opt for buying larger pills that you cut down to the proper size. No vet will recommend that, so you have to be careful. As for glucosamine for dogs, fish oil for dogs, and chondroitin, you should know that they are not alternatives. These are supplements. They do help boosts your dog's system, but they are not drugs therefore they only compliment the use of Carprofen, they don't replace it. You can always opt to purchase a senior dog food that has those supplements in its formula.
If you are going to be using the drug long-term, there are other names, including the generic Carprofen, you should look up. They do the same job and cost a lot less. Other names include: Novox, Vetprofen, and Care-O-Pet that are available in caplets or chewable. The savings are significant. Another way to save money is not to buy it from your vet. There are companies (such as 1800petmeds.com) that offer great deals over the Internet. Do your research.

When shopping around, I recommend you look up Carprofen, a term few dog owners know.

M--

Dog Allergies

There has been a general increase in allergies to humans and pets alike. At a seminar I recently attended, Liz Koskenmaki, DVM addressed the issue giving me plenty of information to pass on. Dr. Koskenmaki started out by saying that 50% of all her patients come due to allergies.

While she didn't discuss the cause of this phenomenon, she mentioned the three main dog allergy  causes and their manifestation. She also mentioned dog allergy treatment solutions for each cause.

The three main dog allergy causes are:

1. dog fleas
2. dog food allergies
3. environmental allergies

The patients may have ear issues, skin (yeast or bacterial infections), irritability, weight loss, and itching. For starters, the dog vet has to rule out three major things: ringworm, mites, and bacterial or yeast infections.

1. Allergies Caused by Dog Fleas

No dog is born with flea allergies. Flea allergy develops after exposure for a long period of time. That's why, according to vets, all canines should receive preventive dog flea control. Dog fleas are not easy to see, but that does not mean that your dog is free of them unless he's on medication. Dr. Koskenmaki suggested the use of Fronline Plus, Advantage, Advantix (caution: this one is toxic to cats!) as a way to prevent exposure to fleas, therefore overall avoidance of related dog skin allergies. When I questioned the current warnings against spot-on medications, she replied that the bad rep is due to formulations that come from other countries that are usually really cheap (she used Hartz as an example) that can indeed have devastating effects on our dogs. She also reassured me that overall, the "quality stuff" is still considered quite safe. She mentioned Fronline and Revolution as good choices, and that the only side effect she has personally seen from Frontline was minimal hair loss at the application site.

2. Dog Food Allergies

Dog food allergies are quite common. Many dogs are allergic to corn, byproducts, soy, added dyes . . . There are plenty of hypoallergenic dog food options to try first. If that does not solve your dog's food allergy issue, you should consider the possibility of protein allergies. It takes a dog about 3-5 years from birth to develop allergies to protein. In such cases, one can switch to lamb, venison, duck, rabbit, or fish dog food.  Another option to "test" protein allergies is to switch to hydrolyzed protein. Switching to a hydrolyzed protein diet is a way to diagnose food allergies, but it is not a diet your dog should be on long term. Remember, this diagnostic technique takes a while since it takes about 6 weeks for your dog's system to clear up. There are also blood tests available to diagnose dog food allergies, but they are not 100% correct.

3. Environmental Allergies

Environment related dog allergies are the worst. There is intradermal testing (skin testing) that shows exactly what your dog is allergic too. Based on those results, your vet can provide you with a special cocktail shot fit for your dog, but the process takes as long as 8 months.

Dog Allergy Treatment Suggestions

1. 30% of dogs will respond to antihistamines, which are found to be relatively safe to use even long term. 

2. Atopica: is an immunosuppresant drug with not too many side effects. It takes 2-4 weeks to work but it is not licensed for cats yet (although some vets do use it on cats).

3. Dog steroids: The results are instant BUT there are many side effects. They are tough on the liver and leave your dog prone to infections. 

4. Fish Oil for dogs: A great supplement that boosts the immune system, helps with dog allergies, strengthens the heart, brain, skin and nerves. 

Dog allergies are common and complicated to treat. This article should help guide you to think in the right direction or in the least in your communication with your personal vet.