JAJ2010
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Posts posted by JAJ2010
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Experiencing similar issues with Pike, our 11.5 year old gentlehound. We have been doing rimadyl + gabapentin, and I JUST returned from vet to pick with Tramadol, because he seems to have been in pain the past couple of days. He's sleeping very peacefully right now. Also, he is seeing a doggie chiropractor, which is helping with his mobility! I'd strongly suggest adding that, if the vet agrees!
Thanks! Our vet doesn't do chiropractic, but I may be able to find a local place.
Have many suggestions - all natural.
Arthritis Article here. A few summary suggestions here:
- Joint supplements - Glucosamine, MSM, Chondroitin and C. Read labels. Must be 1500 mgs daily of EACH.
- Yucca Intensive - natural anti-inflammatory. Has worked miracles with my hounds. I haven't had to use drugs/NSAIDs for years.
- Acupuncture - fabulous
- Adequan shots - intensive joint help
- Cold Laser
- CMO
- Grizzly Salmon Oil (3000 mgs daily) & Organic Coconut Oil (1 tbsp daily)
To treat incontinence. Works. Inexpensive. Also, change diet from kibble/grains. I rescued a hound on Proin, and within 1 week, she was off it, and doing fine - not one accident - on Kidni Kare.
THANK YOU! I forgot about yucca! Well look into the Kindi Kare. And was on another incontinence natural remedy that worked for 6 months! Then it did not and we moved to the Proin. This stuff may work better. ☺️
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Any medication, supplement, kibble, treat, hunk of meat, or chewy bone has risk. Nothing in this world is benign. Everything has the possibility of a negative reaction. It's our jobs to weigh and accept the risk vs reward.
We are keeping her on the Proin for the time being. She's been on it for almost a year now along with all her other meds. Her BP is well within the safe range. I will keep monitoring her BP. Honestly at this stage of the game it's about keeping her comfy, happy and spoiled. I reserve the right to change my decision as other risk factors change. This is my & the vet's decision right now, which may be different in 6 months as we are presented with different risk factors. It's much more important to get her pain levels under control than to mess with the Proin right now.
We have to keep in mind that GT is not a complete sampling of all greyhounds. Usually people seek out GT when there is an issue. A great place for people to sort out solutions to possible problems and an incredible knowledge base. For that I am extremely thankful.
Gaba does do good things. Play with the dosages until she gets comfortable. I will warn you however, that if you see her shaking/tremor like, it's her body coming off the gaba. Happened to Kasey, it's a side effect of coming down off the gaba (and it's a common side effect). It's a good sign that they are ready for their next dose tho!
That would terrify me! Thank you for the heads up! ER vet trip saved!
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Bella did very well on Proin. I can't remember why the vet chose that for her instead of DES but he had a reason . He told me that a lot of dogs can be weaned off Proin and we did reduce her dose to a very small one.
I still have to laugh at the psychiatrist that asked me if I was taking any meds not prescribed to me and my answer was the dogs gabapentin. They gave me my own script.
LOL Scripts for all! Our vet is pretty hopeful that the Gabapentin will be a miracle for us. My fingers are crossed! Will be going to costco after work today to get the scripts filled. She started on 25 mg of Proin twice a day, bumped up to 37.5 twice a day, and now we are needing 50mg twice a day. Will give it a couple months and then try weaning back down to a lower dose. The weather just tuned warmer, so maybe the increase of drinking is having an impact?
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Some pictures of Miss Rainy
Her sister tried to frame her for trash picking
You have already gotten great advice & it sounds like you have a good vet's report, so I don't have a lot extra. Tramadol and gabapentin do very well here, with no side effects (obviously that can be an individual reaction)
Twiggy also did well with methocarbamol, I discontinued it after her stroke, but that is definitely worth considering.
You might also want to look into a non-prescription supplement - Duralactin which is a chewable & highly recommended by her vet. as well as the injectable Adequan. (also on advice of her vet, but prescription requited). You can give the injections yourself.
Twiggy's vet also likes a turmeric/bromelian supplement from Source Naturals. I stir the tablet in Twiggy's food & she eats around it, saves it for last & then chews it up, lol. I guess she likes it!
Thanks! We are keeping methocarbamol on the back burner and will look into Duralactin and injections if she gets worse. We are staying far away from anything with turmeric! LOL It made her smell like old cat pee. I got to freak out about kidney failure.
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We are back from the vet! Nothing is wrong with her, she's just old!
We are detoxing from the Rimadyl for 3.5 days and are going to switch to Meloxicam. Adding in 300mg of Gabapentin at night. With the option of dosing the gabapentin up to 3 times a day if she gets worse.
We cannot use tramadol because of the trazodone that she's on. The interaction causes serotonin syndrome. Long story short, the direct quote - "Bad *** can happen" That sentence alone made my year! LOL I love this vet!
The 50mg of Proin twice a day is the top range, so if that stops working we will explore other options. I was advised the main risk from Proin is hypertension. Which is rare in greyhounds. But me keeping tabs on the BP at home will help catch anything early.
I can always continue to tweak supplements to try and make her more comfy. The reality, she's going to keep getting worse. It's aging, we can't stop it.
She doesn't want to try the codeine sulfate until it's a last resort since it's a narcotic.
So the next 3 days of Rimadyl detox may be rough! But hopefully the weekend will be better.
Thank you to everyone who helped with info! I was able to be very prepared with prices, places to buy, list of meds, and my usual crazy questions 😊 Hopefully the new meds have her bouncing around at GIG next week!
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Her current BP is 114/48. Better than my current blood pressure!
My Toni is on gabapentin, meloxicam, and codeine sulfate. She's been on this combo for more than a year and it's been really effective for her. She has nerve pain from a neuroma on her hind leg, and some hind end weakness associated with aging.
The gabapentin has been a miracle for her. And very effective. The biggest advantage is that it has a HUGE dosing range, depending on what works for your individual dog. It's also very safe and has few interactions with other drugs. Dr Couto does recommend dosing every 6-8 hours instead of every 12 hours for greyhounds, as they metabolize it faster than other breeds.
She's on meloxicam pills because she's the perfect weight to take 1/2 a pill once a day. She was on rimadyl for a while with similar pain management.
The codeine sulfate is an opiate pain reliever, like tramadol, but the tram doesn't work for her. She could take it like candy with absolutely no results. But the codeine does work for her at even a half dose per day. My first experience with it was after my boy's amp 5 years ago and the surgeon sent him home with codeine instead of tramadol.
Toni experiences no drugged out wooziness or wobbling, and can run and play like her youngr housemates.
Good luck!
I'm glad to know that there is another option to the Rimadyl and the tramadol. I have so much price checking to do tomorrow! So many med combinations to write down. I'm a vet's worst nightmare! ☺️ Thank you so much!
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I actually do check her blood pressure. LOL Vet told us we could use a human wrist cuff at home. ☺️ we obviously cannot test at the vet for an accurate number. Holy poop though! I'm going to have to make a list of those interactions... I didn't realize they were so many possibilities!
Honestly I've heard bad things about Proin, but so many people use it with success. We started at a very small 25 mg dosage due to my worry. The reality is, she's almost 12! Having her get upset about waking up in a flood is not anything I want her to deal with. Everything is a balance of risk vs benefit. Nothing seems to be an easy decision anymore!
Thanks so much for all the info! I really appreciate it!
Ry is on methocarbomol for his limping and it certainly helps and I don't find that it messes up his balance or anything, also doesn't seem more sedate but it works on his sore muscles. He is 75 lbs and is given 625mg every 8 hours when I notice him being very stiff. He's not on it all the time, just when I think he needs it and he's 8 so it might complement your 12 year old if given regularly.
Also, I had Kasey on gabapentin for LS. That worked rather well but found that we had to find the right dosage to make it just right, but he was also on prednisone so that's my experience.
Scritches to Rainy.
Thank you! I never even heard of methocarbomol either! Sounds pretty safe if your 8 year old is using it. Glad it helps!
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I'm hesitant to stop the Proin... It's working! I will ask the vet about the possibility of that causing the tremors. Will research DES and incurin. (haven't heard of this one)
Tramadol definitely works for injury pain! When Sunshine had her shoulder ripped open, she would wake up screaming if I wasn't very diligent about the tramadol dosage. Poor kid! I've never used it for anything else though
Metacam and previous week be researched too. Does gabapentin only work along with a NSAID?
The tremors have only occurred twice. All other times she was legitimately cold and got more clothing put on.
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you've already been given the advice I would have, so i'm posting to send gentle hugs. If you'd like to try some essential oils, check out animaleo.info, where Dr Melissa Sheldon, DVM, makes some lovely essential oil blends that can help with mobility and possible neuro issues (I personally use her NEW MOBILITY oil for my arthritis, and her CALM-A-Mile works like a charm for some of my friend's storm-phobic greys).
Since I can't help much, I would also love to see pictures of Rainy ...
good luck tomorrow ...
Thank you for the hugs! I'm not in total freak out mode. Still hanging onto my logic. This is the first vet trip where I am really nervous though. I'm so scared the vet is going to find something bad that I have missed. Which is most likely illogical, since I'm such a freak about my animals. I generally notice things way before normal folks.
I just reordered EO too! I haven't tried the New Mobility blend yet. I will try ordering it next time.
I have cats so have to be careful with the EOs. I will try to post some recent pics tonight/tomorrow. Photobucket and I have an iffy relationship. -
Desi is taking Rimadyl & Gabapentin, with a couple of Tramadol thrown in on the really bad days. Plus the joint supplement and omegas and we're
even trying the "new" thing......powdered elk antler velvet. He's 13-1/2. You're right......I spend way more on meds for him than I ever did for myself.
LOL The cost is crazy! Elk antler velvet? I need a farm... I wonder if it really works? Honestly Gabapentin is cheap at Costco, so I don't mind going that route if the vet agrees.
The gabapentin is less expensive than the rimadyl. She can take at least 3 a day if needed. You can use both together, also. I purchase the rimadyl at Fosters and Smith. They have a generic brand. You can get the gabapentin at Walmart.
Thank you! I think the gabapentin works with the rimadyl? At least that is what the internet and case studies are advising. Glad to know she can have it 3 times a day!
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Ask about methocarbamol (Robaxin). It's a muscle relaxer, and it should just make her more comfortable in general. It might well make her more wobbly (wobblier?) the first day or so, but she should adjust quickly. Just watch her on stairs and stuff those first couple of days.
It's a people-med, so if your vet will write a prescription, you can shop around for a good price.
(And if you go with gabapentin, that's also a people-med available at local pharmacies.)
Thank you! Our vet is awesome at writing scripts. Costco is our frequent friend. I don't mind if she's wobbly for a few days. We can easily manage that.
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We have a vet app tomorrow night, but I like to be prepared and try to educate myself beforehand. This is my first go around with an almost 12 year old pup.
Rainy is walking slower than a old one legged lady in a walker! She's looking very uncomfortable in her shoulders. Still wants to go for walks and is mentally engaged. Hind end is weak and sways if she is bumped. Still passes the neuro hind end test with flying colors. She is not happy about me flipper her hind toes under.
She never had been good about stairs! Fell down the entire flight of stairs in the fall, so she no longer is allowed to decent on her own. Loves sniffing the sniffs outside! She seems to be better in the morning fresh out of bed, and gets progressively more sore throughout the day.
I've caught her displaying little shivers/tremors when her ears are not cold to the touch. Thinking it's pain related and she's just being very stoic. I had to pick up her back leg last Thursday morning and she let out a cry. I didn't crank the leg, just lifted it 4-5 inches of the floor. She also looks uncomfortable during her massages.
She's on 50mg of Prion twice a day & 75 mg of Rimadyl twice a day. Along with green lipped mussel, fish oil, vit e, glucosamine, and 2 pills of Zeel twice a day.
Should I ask about trying Gabapentin? My googling is showing mixed results. What else may help her? I'm of the opinion that I want her comfy & happy even if it shortens her life span. Cost is factor at this point. The Rimadyl & Prion is not cheap.
Any advice?
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I had a recent freak out about Rainy's kidneys. She's fine, but I learned that green tripe is the completely balanced perfect kidney diet. I assumed that meant fresh green tripe. I've never used the canned stuff, so am not sure if there are additives.
Just use disposable gloves to touch the stuff! That smell.....
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As of last night, she doesn't smell any longer!!!!!!! Phew! Vet isn't going to believe this one! Thank you everyone for all the help!
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Green tripe! It's perfectly balanced and extremely low in phosphorus. I only know this because I thought Rainy was having kidney issues. So I freaked out and researched while we waited for a vet app.
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I'm trying to remember if I added some turmeric to their veggie goo mixture. I think I might have. This batch has lasted 3 weeks. So she's been getting a daily dose. That stopped today! I chucked the stuff.
Time will tell... It never occurred to me that could be the culprit.
I'm hoping this is it. Since she is giving us nothing else to really troubleshoot. Bouncing around like a normally stinky pup.
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My goodness. Well firstly, it appears you have cats so.....Kasey would smell like cat pee because he would often just drag his body along the grass and pick up the smell. Perhaps they sprayed somewhere maybe and she's rubbing up against it?
Any fungus in her toes? I second a tomato like bath, similar to deskunking, but really you'd have to treat the problem, especially if it's recurring. I agree also some antibiotic if she is smelling funky! Anything you've added to her diet recently? I know when I was giving Tumeric to Ryder he absolute reeked! It just came right out of his pores. Any additives or supplements you've been giving her?
I only ever did skin scraping on Kasey's ears when he was beginning his allergy downturn as they thought it could apparently be scabies, so I understand why if there are no lesions present why they might not do that.
You are brilliant!!!! I started turmeric about 3 weeks ago but only gave it for a few days. She doesn't seem to like the taste. Do you remember how long to detox? I didn't even think of that as a possible issue!
No way she's rubbing or rolling in cat pee. She is wearing jammies all the time because it's cold. Cat isn't peeing anywhere except the litter box. Dogs cannot get to litter box. No fungus or anything on toes or pads. She just has regular skin, fur, and some old lady warts/bumps.
She gets brushed daily. Probably now has dry skin from the vinegar! I have a special soap that will help her recover though. We use the K9 Slick n Shine soap. Will add in some really good deep conditioner.
Is there anything stuck up her nose? In her ears?
Nothing that she minds or that I can find. I never thought about the nose possibility though!
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There can be medical issues that can lead to odd smells as well, can you check in with your normal vet about what else could be causing this?
Any suggestions on medical reasons we could chase out? So far the only symptom is the smell.
You could try mashed tomatoes. If the source of the smell is on your girl, washing her with the tomatoes should help.
But I would ask another vet and let him check her thoroughly. Something like diabetes changes the odour of the body. Perhaps other illnesses do, too? But cat pee? I never have heard anything like that.
That's a good idea! I'll try tomatoes next! She's hasn't had any excessive drinking or peeing, so I'm not sure about diabetes. I bet I could check her with a human blood meter? I'll call and ask the vet about that! Thanks
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So I have a bit of a mystery for everyone. Rainy smells like old cat pee! It's all over her skin. 100% coming from her. She's almost 12 yrs old.
I freaked out sniffed every square inch of this house and rushed to the vet. Kidneys and urine tested perfect. I was told we couldn't do a skin scraping without a lesion? This wasn't our normal vet so I'm highly skeptical about that response!
I was told it may be bacterial. To give her a vinegar bath every day for a week. If it was yeast the vinegar would help too.
Her ears are completely normal. No gunk! Her skin is a little red.
As soon as we stop the vinegar, within a couple days the vinegar smell goes away and the cat pee smell comes back!
I need a solution! I can remove the smell with a bath, but it comes back within 24 hours.
Do I continue with the vinegar for another week? Switch to apple cider vinegar? Some other product? Magical soap? I even tried a dry rub of baking soda while we were waiting for bloodwork results. Worked for 2 days!
Of course this is completely a human problem. Rainy insists she's fine! No itchiness or tenderness.
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Thanks! Amazon rules the world... ☺
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Of course! I'm pretty sure our vet has my cell memorized by now. The IBD incident was scary. Thought we were going to lose her.
Thanks! I'll look into those supplements. Rainy was on that brand for her incontinence for a bit until it stopped working. I remember seeing the stuff for urinary health.
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I'm now convinced of a uti! After dinner, she peed, then pooped, then tried to pee again and only a few drops came out. No reason for her to squat a third time, unless there is discomfort.
Maybe the extended bland diet and crazy supplements somehow caused a bit of a urine pH shift. My poor little piggy just can't catch a break! Antibiotics and maybe I'll research a cranberry supplement.
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That makes sense. Thanks so much! I'll bench the worrying for now.
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This morning is the very first time I've noticed.
She went out about an hour ago. Peed then separately pooped in the back of the yard.
Not sure about a uti... There haven't been any accidents in the house. Anything is possible though!
I'll keep an eye on her and not panic yet. She's acting like her normal crazy self. Honestly didn't even think it was possible for them to do both consciously at once.
Last out yesterday was around 10:45pm, first out was at 7:30 this morning. So not a crazy long time.
She did have a big meal for dinner yesterday.
I think I'm most worried about it being a side effect from the Tylan powder. She's been on that for about 6-7 weeks now.
Rimadyl Not Working Any Longer. What Next?
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
I am stunned! She hasn't even started the meloxicam yet! First dose of that will be tomorrow morning. Just with the one dose of gabapentin a day, she's a totally different dog. Doesn't seem to have a sedation effect yet. She's ready to party! Hasn't let me have much rest this weekend! ☺️
AtticusMom thank you! Sounds like cold lazer therapy might in our future. I didn't know they could combine with acupuncture.