Prescription Alternative For Sore Leg

[Guest gfamily]

Hi all,

 

Fireball is limping AGAIN. He has had all the tests and x-rays, Vet is sure it is a muscle or deep tissue strain - no osteo or joint damage. Pain is in the right rear leg just above the knee on the inside. He will be fine for a few months, then re-injure, usually after a particularly spirited romp in the yard with a squeaky toy. Each time it happens we have to make and wait for an appointment, head over to the vet, get another round of anti-inflammatory/pain meds, and do a week or so of enforced low activity. I have tried the low activity without the meds, but it doesn't seem to help.

 

My question is, since we know what it is, is there a non-prescription treatment we can use to eliminate the repeated vet visits? I went on-line, and there seems to be many herbal and holisitic treatments claiming anti-inflammatory and muscle health properties, but who to believe. And how do I know it is safe for Greyhounds?

 

I was hoping the wisdom of Greytalk could offer a solution. If I have to, I will certainly head back to the vet AGAIN for another round, but it certainly would be easier and less stressful on Fireball if I could keep someting on hand. I have a great store fairly close by with a wonderful wide selection of treatments - so I should be able to get anything you folks can recommend. Unfortunately, the store is not Greyhound savvy, so I do not want to go with just their recommendation.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Guest Bodie]

My Rainy apparently tore a muscle in her shoulder at the track, that was never repaired. At least that is what the vet thinks.

 

Every now and then, Rainy "overdoes" and limps from this injury. The vet gave me a bottle of Rimadyl to keep on hand and I give her the correct dosage until she stops limping - usually within 24-48 hours.

 

What I don't understand is why can't your vet give you a supply of painkillers - since you know the limping will recur - instead of running you in everytime for an appointment? Maybe during this appt. you should press for a supply for future occurences.

[Guest Cris_M]

You could try Boswellin. It is available from health food stores. We used it on Duncan for an old joint injury to his "wrist". He had been on Rimadyl for the same injury and I could tell no difference in the results he had from either of the meds.

 

250 mg. of Boswellin replaced 75 mg of Rimadyl. Boswellin actually helps liver function rather than putting it at risk as Rimadyl does. Like Rimadyl, Boswellin does tend to create loose stools. Boswellin is much, much cheaper.

 

Hope you find something that helps your pup.

[Guest longdogs]

I don't know how much you are paying. William gets either Rimadyl (Carprofen) or Metacam when he has arthritic pain. I don't see any cheaper alternatives, and certainly none likely to work so well. Ask your vet for generic Carprofen rather than Rimadyl. It's the same thing and much cheaper.

[Guest LynnM]

Prevention is going to be your best shot. Get on an exercise and conditioning plan with him and stick to it. Extend his walks and jogs gradually. Find a place where he can free run and get that energy out that is significantly larger than your yard. Chances are likely that it's not the RUNNING that he's doing in your yard, but rather the tight turns in a rather small area that's causing the flare-ups.

 

Heat and massage can do wonders for sore muscles. For heat, I take a tube sock, fill it with rice and knot the end off. I then microwave the sock to warm it up (as hot as is comfortable to you is fine) and place it on the sore area for several minutes. Once the area is nice and toasty, I massage.

 

If you and your vet feel confident that the injury is a chronic one that does flare up from time to time (rather than a new injury every time in a different spot), then ask him for a larger prescription of Rimadyl (or Deramaxx, Metacam or whatever you use) so that you can give it as needed, and not head to the vet every time. If that's still a cost issue, ask your vet for a prescription for Meloxicam, the generic of Metacam, which is available for $4/prescription on either the Wal-Mart or Target $4 prescription program. All but the smallest greyhounds are large enough for the human-size pills (which are, to me, much nicer to deal with than the liquid, anyway).

 

Lynn

[Burpdog]

Have you done a consult with a specialist? Do you have an acupuncture vet close?

[Guest longdogs]

If you and your vet feel confident that the injury is a chronic one that does flare up from time to time (rather than a new injury every time in a different spot), then ask him for a larger prescription of Rimadyl (or Deramaxx, Metacam or whatever you use) so that you can give it as needed, and not head to the vet every time. If that's still a cost issue, ask your vet for a prescription for Meloxicam, the generic of Metacam

That's good advice. I tend to buy carprofen from the vet in reasonably large batches and metacam in 100ml containers. Our vet wouldn't charge for a repeat prescription but it's still cheaper to buy in quantity. I've never asked for meloxicam but will do so next time.