Dog owners cringe in pain as they watch their old dogs suffering from dog arthritis limp and whimper in pain. Rimadyl, also known as Carprofen, is a popular drug for dog arthritis since it was manufactured in 1997 by Pfizer Animal Health. Rimadyl belongs to the new class of NSAIDs, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are safer for treating dog arthritis and is made in various forms for easy drug administration. For example, liver flavored Rimadyl chewables and Rimadyl caplets can be easily given to dogs for pain relief. Rimadyl Injectable is mostly used for canine osteoarthritis and arthritis pain control management. Deramaxx Chewable Tablets is also another popular FDA approved, prescription required, arthritis joint pain relief medication for dogs. You can buy these Rimadyl medications from online stores at cheap discounted prices compared to those charged by traditional vets.

Degenerative joint disease such as canine arthritis and hip dysphasia affects around 13% of the estimated 60 million number of dogs in America. These can be caused by external joint injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, and the most common reason, aging. Prior to the development of Rimadyl, the side effects of older NSAIDs include common stomach ulceration, kidney damage, platelet deactivation and unstoppable bleeding. A major complication in using Rimadyl or any NSIADs is that arthritis often show up in aging dogs with weaker constitutions and may not be able to withstand medication.

If you suspect the onset of degenerative joint diseases on your beloved pet, such as noticing your dog has become a lot more sleepy, kept to itself in a corner, loss of appetite, constant whining etc, the first thing to do is to quickly bring your canine to the veterinarians for detailed diagnosis and treatment. Rimadyl is an effective pain relief drug for dog arthritis, along with Zubrin, Novox, Etogesic etc. It is important that the use of any pet meds may cause potential serious side effects and that is why it is important the treatment progress must be carefully monitored. You must bring your dog to the vet clinic recommends that canines must go for blood and bile acids testing regularly in order to assess the functioning of the liver. Common Rimadyl side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite and more severe conditions such as excessive bleeding, stomach ulcers, and kidney and liver problems.

Rimadyl and other NSAIDs must not be used concurrently or in conjunction with corticosteroid hormones like dexamethasone because the probability of health complications is known to increase. A rest period of around 7 days is recommended when switching from Rimadyl to other NSAIDs such as Zubrin and Novox. Be careful with using aspirins and Rimadly because both drugs have very strong platelet deactivating properties so at least 14 days of medication free rest days are necessary when switching to Rimadly.

Besides using Rimadyl for treating dog arthritis, some dog owners prefer to use alternative supplements such as glucosamine which are supposed to be safer but slower acting. These are used in the form of dietary glucosamine supplements like Synflex Liquid Glucosamine for Pets where the anti-inflammatory drugs glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are used to repair damaged cartilage materials in dog joints. Glucosamine and other joint health supplements are recommended for long term preventive supplements, since they build and maintain healthier cartilage in joints, but may not be able to provide instant dog arthritis like Rimadly and other safe NSAIDs. For example the Glycoflex joint supplements are often available at low discount prices and these are all natural supplements made from New Zealand perna canaliculus (green lipped mussel) and other herbal ingredients to help promote healthy dog joints without side effects.

These are usually non-prescription products and are more easily bought from online pharmacies, but you should do more research online regarding the pros and cons of using Rimadly or Glucosamine as well as the personal experiences of dog owners who have relieve their dogs from arthritis pains.