Onyx's Moaning Turned Out To Be Arthritis

[jenn8]

I mentioned Onyx's moaning a while back, which has steadily increased over the

past several months. He has not shown any other signs of pain but a vet visit

confirmed that he has arthritis.

 

So I just wanted to run some things by you all and see if you have any suggestions.

 

We tried Previcox, then Metacam without any improvement and finally got some

relief with the combination of Rimadyl (+Pepcid) daily and Tramadol when needed.

 

Now, he gets his bloodwork done every 6 months.

 

I have been supplementing his diet with Longevity from Springtime, glucosamine,

chondrotin & msm. I tried increasing the dosage and that maybe, kinda seemed

to help, but just guessing on that since I only have the vocalization to go by and

no limping or anything else.

 

We have dropped some weight which can only be good in his case. He is also

learning to let me help lift him in and out of the Jeep, as he is nearly blind and

shouldn't jump in on his own anymore. He is being such a good boy about this.

I can tell that he wants to jump but I say "hold on" and he waits while I put his

front paws up and then waits again til I have hold of his back end, then he pushes

off the ground a little to help his momma hoist his big butt in. Through the indignity

of it all, he still manages to make things easier on me however he possibly can.

 

Anyway, the vet also recommended limiting his stair climbing (all I can do is slow

him down) and a harness for walking, which we will work on next.

 

So my first question is where are the good deals on Rimadyl?!! Best price I can

find is $58.50 for 60, 100mg pills.

 

Any other medication or arthritis advice? Am I missing anything? Doing something

wrong? Don't hold back. You won't offend me.

 

Aslo, am I the only one who has an arthritic dog without any other outward signs?

Just wondering about that. I know it may seem like I have read too much into his

vocalization but there really is more to it in Onyx's case and it has all been discussed

with his vet. Also, the fact that the pain meds made a difference was what finally

convinced me he wasn't just being an old man.

 

On a side note. It has been difficult to figure out what, if anything, was behind Onyx's

moaning all this time but I don't want everyone to instantly assume their their dog has

arthritis too. Moaning can easily mean contentment or comfort or other good things as

well. I would only be concerned if there was a noticeable difference that continued to

increase over a short period of time. I think there are also different types of moaning

that may be more distinctive of pain. Especially with the frequency. If you hear it

enough, you may be able to recognize the difference. With Onyx, over time, I now can.

 

Jenn

[Guest KennelMom]

You may want to try a different joint supplement to see if you get any better results. We went through a few before we found one that made a big difference in our seniors. I think absorption might have something to do with it - some are more more bio-available than others.

 

I'll have to look on my other computer tomorrow, but the price you found sounds about right for what I paid the last time I had an order filled online. I'll be interested to see if anyone has found a better price.

[Guest BleusysMom]

Just an idea to maybe HELP...and you might be able to reduce the NASIDS.....

 

DURALACTIN....it is a dried milk substance that helps to "prevent some of the white blood cells from participating in the inflamation process".....you can read about it at www.omahavaccine.com and order it from them....no script required!

 

A Holistic Vet got my old Lab on it, and it kept her OFF NASIDS for about 1 1/2 years.....

 

The Human form is called MICROLACTIN....but I, and many of my friends & Vet, use the Horse Granules formula......

 

When my Bleu Dog had bone cancer....he CURLED his toes when resting and sleeping when he had pain.....every dog and human has their own way of indicating pain....or Pleasure....or Happiness......

[greyhead]

Our 5-year-old has arthritis in his paws. Instead of Rimadyl, the vet gave us Vetprofen 100 mg last time, a.k.a. carprofen. She said it does the same thing, but cheaper. We only give it as needed, because he also has kidney issues.

 

I don't remember how much we paid exactly, but I checked a website for Allivet, and they had it at 69 cents per caplet.

 

 

[jenn8]

Isn't Carprofen the generic version of Rimadyl?

 

Kennelmom, I was thinking about trying a different supplement. Which one do you use?

 

I'll check out the Duralactin too. Thank you BleusysMom.

 

Jenn

[Guest longdogs]

Isn't Carprofen the generic version of Rimadyl?

 

Jenn

 

Yes, and it's generally around 2/3 the price of Rimadyl (here). Carprofen works quickly and well and we found with William that after an intensive week at normal doses, he could go on a maintenance dose of half the normal theraputic minimum dose and it definitely helped keep him spritely. The low doses didn't work at all unless we hit the problem first with a full dose. Carprofen makes a visible difference within a couple of days, sometimes jut 24 hours. We ultimately used generic meloxicam (Metacam) instead because there are more risks using carprofen (Rimadyl) long-term. The meloxicam takes longer to have a noticable effect but does a good job after a week of use. There are cheap human meloxicam generics that can also be used for dogs. 

 

 

 

[greyhndz]

There is a generic now available (carprofen) for Rimadyl. I haven't tried it so can't attest to its palatability or efficacy. KV Vet has very good prices for most meds though I don't see carprofen as generic. Entirely Pets does carry it. They carry Rimadyl as well. Their prices are also good.

[jenn8]

That is where I am getting it from. Good to know I picked a decent place, I guess.

 

Maybe the fact that I can get Tramadol for 4 bucks at Target is making me think I can find the same deal for Rimadyl.

Target wasn't going for it though.

 

Jenn

[Guest argolola]

Prayers for your little sweetie.

[phall]

The best price I got for Rimadyl for my senior boy (now at the bridge) was from Foster and Smith. I got a quantity of 60 75-mg tablets for $47.40 (this was a about a year and a half ago, so prices may have increased).

 

Good luck with your boy!

 

Pat

[Batmom]

Have you checked with your vet about the Rimadyl? Last time one of the pups here had any, it was really cheap -- couldn't've been more than 30 cents a tablet ... BUT ... that was NONchewable form.

[CaliforniaGreys]

The other thing you may want to try is Traumeel gel which you can get at any health food store. I use it on the pups with arthritis and it really seems to help. If you decide to try it, be sure to get the gel, ir massages in really well. It's homeopathic and has arnica in it which is good for pain. Hope he feels better!

[patricia]

I hope Onyx feels better soon. Kiss him for me.

[grey14me]

Jenn, it can't hurt to try some salmon oil as well. I just give Holly the regular salmon oil capsules from Trader Joes...I think it's about $7 a bottle. Tell Ony that Holly sends him a big kiss...I'm sure he'll be thrilled Hopefully, we will see you sometime this month...I'll email you soon, ok

Edited December 1, 2008 by grey14me

[greyhndz]

The best price I got for Rimadyl for my senior boy (now at the bridge) was from Foster and Smith. I got a quantity of 60 75-mg tablets for $47.40 (this was a about a year and a half ago, so prices may have increased).

 

Good luck with your boy!

 

Pat

 

 

Hi Pat

 

I've experienced a lot of frustration with F&S - it takes forever to receive an order, they don't communicate with you to let you know about any problems, and they try to limit their communication with vets to faxes. I found the pharmacy phone staff less than helpful. Their prices may be good but I'll never order from them again.

[jenn8]

I am going to try all these great suggestions. Onyx is easy to give pills and vitamins to.

I just put them in his food and he gobbles them up!

 

He wasn't too excited about that kiss from Holly though.

 

Jenn

[Guest boondog]

Acupuncture has been wonderful for Dillon's spinal arthritis. I was a skeptic, but now I'm convinced that it works. I highly recommend it. Just make sure you have a certified practitioner.

 

Give Onyx some scritches for me.

[Guest Smiley]

Check my post (a few down on this page)-we just started Smiley on Duralactin which is a natural remedy for joint issues. It may be worth adding to your regime. I hope your baby is feeling better soon-winter has to be tough for our older guys.

[Guest houndlover]

I was buying the generic Rimadyl (Novox) through Fosters&Smith for Casey. It was the best price I could find and it helped a lot. I just recently switched Casey to MELOXICAM from the Walmart $4 program. It seems to be working well for him and I have saved myself soooooo much $$$$$.

 

Casey also gets milk thistle everyday to help with liver support b/c the NSAID's can cause liver problems. He also gets a joint supplement daily and has bloodwork done every 6 months.

 

Hope this info helps and I hope Onyx is feeling better soon. I'm so glad that you were able to figure out what the problem was and get him on something to help with the pain.