# Zappa and pain meds and hips



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

So, Zappa went to the vet again today. I was aiming for a 3 lb weight loss and we went over by a few. He was at 76 lbs today, I wanted him at 78 to help his hips. When he looses too much, he just gets way too thin too fast. So anyway, we are going for a 2 lb weight gain now.

Well, the vet and I were going over pain meds today. Neither one of us wanted to try Rimadyl(sp) because of his GI issues and back in April/May his lipase was through the roof. So, we decided together on aspirin. The vet wants him to have 406mg (1 regular strength, 1 baby) 2X a day. Does this sound OK?

We are trying to hold him off on a replacement until we move to Washington. I want to be able to stay consistent with 1 surgeon, 1 rehab.

Does anyone have any recommendations on natural pain relievers?


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

BTE responded really well to chiropractic & accupuncture - You might want to look for one of those practitioners. I think licorice or anise tincture is supposed to help, too. BUT be very cautious mixing your pain relievers or other supplements without checking with your vet first.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I am interested in chiro but I would feel better if he had a better activity level so I will probably wait until after he gets his replacement and is through with his rehab. My vet here is doing his referral to WSU before we leave so Zappa doesn't have to go through all the pokes and prods and examinations after we have to find a new primary vet.
Right now he is on Adequan injections weekly and gets fish oil/vit e added to his meals. We will be starting the aspirin tonight with dinner.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I have a lot of recommendations. I tried Ascriptin and it did NOTHING for Chama. 

The two natural pain relievers that worked best for her (and have been working for friends' dogs too) are:

Only Natural Pet Get Up and Go 

Tasha's Herbspirin 

I used these in addition to a loading dose of Cetyl-M, a double dose of Springtime Inc's Longevity and 2000mg/day of Ester C.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Oh, yeah. I forgot to add he is getting glucosamine/condroitin.


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## jfisher (Dec 29, 2005)

My vet doesn't like Rimadyl. He actually feels the analgesics in the opiate category are safer because they've been around for centuries and in a way are natural, being derived from the poppy plant. In addition, they work better and there's no risk of abuse when they're being used on an animal. For later in life or end-stage illnesses, definitely. They've had a lot of pets with bad reactions to Rimadyl and hardly any with opiates.

-Jackie

PS- The vet DOES have to be able to trust that the owner really is giving it to their pet and not selling it or taking it themselves, but I think that would be a pretty sick individual to watch their pet suffer just so that they could get high.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Unfortunately, there are probably ALOT of sick people out there. We are going to try the aspirin for now and see how that works.


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## jfisher (Dec 29, 2005)

Hmm...I wonder if the vets could eliminate that possibility by doing random drug screens on the pet, making sure the pet tests positive for opiates? (Charged to the owner's account, of course) No loss of profit for the vets, and much less risk of the owner abusing the pet's drugs.

-Jackie


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Not a bad idea Jackie. My biggest worry would be that my 1y/o "kitten" would get into them. She was given some narcotic pain med after her spay surgery that had her swinging on the cat tree by her rear legs. We, ummm, kinda threw the rest of the med out and refused to give her anymore drugs after that.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Opiates don't work as antiinflammatories, do they? It's a different kind of pain relief too...


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## jfisher (Dec 29, 2005)

Lisa, you're right, they don't. They affect only the brain, making the patient feel less or no pain, but not doing anything about the cause of the pain. They remain, however, the best medicine to treat severe pain which is why they're still used, despite all the risks that come along with them. (Greater risk to humans than animals though, given our tendency to abuse them or use them just to feel good.)

Perhaps in a situation where an inflamed joint is causing severe pain, the vet could combine an anti-inflammatory with an opiate. I know there is no contraindication for using the two types of drugs together.

-Jackie


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Right, but inflammation will create more damage, so if an antiinflammatory will work, and is tolerated, I can see why that would be a preference.

I see my mom who can't have an antiinflammatories because she is on coumadin. The other drugs she cannot tolerate or do not get at the pain like an NSAID would. I can't imagine going through life unable to take advil.......

Kendra, I hope that the aspirin helps. It never seemed to help Indy, but I think her pain has always been mostly nerve pain.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Well, Zappa is on Adequan. Does that count as an anti-inflamatory type medication? Something to consider. I will try the aspirin for the week and see how he does before we do something "heavy-duty".


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Lisa, you were typing while I was lol. One thing that does worry me is he is chewing on his left foot all the time now, to the point that I will probably have to do an e-collar on him soon. I just wish there wasn't so much going on right now (preparing to move, hubby in Iraq, etc) or I would have his hip replaced right now. My hubby doesn't get the whole hip replacement for a dog, but he basically sucks it up when I tell him that Zappa was here before he was LOL. He knows my boy is my life.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I would say chiro if you could manage it. As soon as Max starts chewing his forelegs, I know he needs an adjustment.

LOL, I guess Zappa has met the residency requirements


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Not so much residency, but it puts the hubby in his place, lol. The way he was raised pets were just animals who were basically kept outside. The way I was raised is that animals were part of the family. He is getting used to the idea, it just takes more time to train a husband than it does a dog!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: jaggirl47..... it just takes more time to train a husband than it does a dog!


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I've been on the yahoo CM knee group for Penny and the people there swear by Vaxamine, http://www.vaxaminek-9.com/welcome.php 

Some do the human version and some do the canine version.

And my vet really likes duralactin for chronic inflammatory conditions.

So those are two things you could consider.


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

If you're interested in trying acupuncture there is a veterinarian in Cibolo that is really good. His name is Jake Wells, DVM.

http://www.doringcourtstables.com/html/Vet.htm

Michaela


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

OOOOHHH, thank you! Just bookmarked it!


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