# Deramaxx ?'s



## WINSTON'S MOM (May 14, 2000)

Our GSD is 10 and was diagnosed by x-ray with HD when he was neutered at 13 months. We have been able to keep him healthy and (as far as we could tell) pain free with the help of our holistic vet. Raw/organic diet, several supplements, daily walking exercise, healthy weight. She sold her practice a couple of years ago and we now have a conventional vet who makes house calls. We can see that he is now in need of something more and tried some organic CBD oil with little improvement. So, we started him Deramaxx yesterday.
Gave him half of a 75mg tablet in his breakfast. He seems very restless and almost a little irritated to us. Wondering if anyone else uses this NSID and what has been your experience. I realize it's not the common choice because of the cost but we had a really bad experience with 3 doses of rimidyl with our previous GSD and are not wanting to use that. 
TIA, Barons mom (formerly known as Winstons mom)


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Have you considered Adequan? The reason I bring it up is because It can work wonders relieving the pain and once the initial load up is finished it’s only a once per month shot and can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for nsaids.

My guy really should have had a hip replacement but life and other health issues for him have taken priority. The Adequan shots help him a lot and he only needs an nsaid every once in a while. I also do the supplements and exercises and massage etc.

Sorry, I don’t have experience with Deramaxx.


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## WINSTON'S MOM (May 14, 2000)

We did do Adaquan several years ago when we were still seeing the holistic vet. Our current vet feels that Baron is past the point where that can help. However, if we decide that the Deramaxx is not for him, we may give the Adaquan a try again.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Was the Adequan helping him when he was on it and if so, why did you stop?

I don’t know how bad your boys hips are but my boys are bad and the right side is shot. He would be completely lame with out the shots and I cringe at how much Carprophen (Remydil) he would need to take long term to come close to the relief he gets from Adequan. He can still run a little, take walks and trot or gait with relative ease with rests here and there.

The thing about nsaids is that they can actually exacerbate inflammation If taken too long on regular basis and damage organs. you may want to check the listed side effects of duramaxx 

Sorry don’t intend to sway you but I think info given by your vet may not be complete I just don’t think that you can compare Adequan vs nsaids I know for myself it’s always a balance of comfort, side effects and any damage being done.

I really hope you don’t take offense to this I’m just passionate as it really sucks that our best companions have to deal with this pain.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

I have to get going but one of the supplements that I put my boy on is Natural eggshell membrane. I take it also. It is the membrane between the inside of the shell and the egg white. You know it if you’ve ever peeled a hard boiled egg.

1 capsule 1x/day you will know if it is helping with in 10 days and often sooner. It has a 75 - 80% success rate according to one study and through my own observations when I referred (I keep tabs and so far its 4 success 1 fail). Out of 3 humans and 2 hd dogs. The one fail was human. No side effects it just didn’t ease her knee pain. 

I buy NEM by NOW But there are others you can choose from.

Another great supplement is bone broth. I make my own but supermarkets carry it.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I've used Deramaxx (years ago), and it was OK. However, my oldster (who was as old as your dog) stopped needing it after his Adequan kicked in -- he went from a very slow, creaky amble on a walk to a jaunty trot. We let the dog set the schedule for maintenance doses. After the loading dose, the oldsters might need to be re-dosed with a maintenance dose of Adequan about every 2 weeks. Younger dogs might be able to go a month, but we can tell when it's wearing off on the old guys.

He was also on NEM and Collagen Type II.

I think there's also an exercise component to arthritis -- low-impact, rhythmic exercise is SO important for people AND dogs with arthritis: walking, swimming, etc. I have friends who swear by swim therapy with a veterinary physical therapy team at the vet school -- it's not cheap, but those weekly sessions have made a big difference for their old dog. 

Recently, I've started doing acupuncture, cold laser, and chiropractic adjustments for my current oldster with a rehab vet who is credentialed in all of those modalities. It's helping! The chiro adjustments are kind of amazing in what they're doing for him. When the hips are painful, dogs will compensate elsewhere (shifting weight around), and that will cause other parts of the body to go out of alignment too. We started with a head-to-tail series of adjustments, and I think the low-back and neck adjustment actually made a huge difference for him. MANY old dogs have low back issues (back problems are rampant in the breed, and they're under-diagnosed -- I'm at a point where every dog we x-ray for hips is also getting a spinal x-ray).


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## WINSTON'S MOM (May 14, 2000)

When the Adaquan was given, it was said that he would need 2 rounds. If I were still seeing that vet, they may have re-started it in the past year. 

We have hens and he gets an egg with the shell almost every day. Also, MSM, glucosamine sulfate, magnesium/calcium, bone meal, krill oil & a vitamin mix that I make from the raw feeding book I purchased when he was still seeing Dr. Karen Becker. his food is raw and organic (veggies & pastured chicken from our farm & grass fed & pasture raised beef from another local farm. And, i make bone broth for him Yes, he has a pretty good life - LOL

I didn't give him the Deramaxx today. May try a half again tomorrow and see how he does.

Thanks for all your suggestions


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## WINSTON'S MOM (May 14, 2000)

Magwart said:


> I've used Deramaxx (years ago), and it was OK. However, my oldster (who was as old as your dog) stopped needing it after his Adequan kicked in -- he went from a very slow, creaky amble on a walk to a jaunty trot. We let the dog set the schedule for maintenance doses. After the loading dose, the oldsters might need to be re-dosed with a maintenance dose of Adequan about every 2 weeks. Younger dogs might be able to go a month, but we can tell when it's wearing off on the old guys.
> 
> He was also on NEM and Collagen Type II.
> 
> ...


I'm thinking we will go back with the Adaquan. Our current vet will order it for us and I can give the injection. He has had chiropractic and it did help him. The problem we have now is that he has become very reactive and that almost eliminates any opportunities for things that require an office visit.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

You can buy Adequan directly from Valleyvet.com (syringes too), as long as your vet will fax them the authorization (or give you a paper prescription to mail in). It's a Vet-VIPPS credentialed, US-based pharmacy that only sells FDA-approved, legitimately sourced veterinary drugs (not foreign-market sourced shady stuff) -- it's a trusted source that has been around for years.

You'll have to re-start the loading dose since the dog has been off it for a long time (2 shots per week for 4 weeks), but you'll know by week 3 if it's helping. You'll either see a big improvement or you won't. About half of dogs experiences a strong anti-inflammatory effect from it.

The protocol that works for me is to then step down to 1x per week for a few weeks, and then every other week. We may try to eventually push it back to every three weeks if the dog is doing great, but we may have to hold at the 2-week interval for maintenance forever.


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