What's the difference between Dasuquin and Carprofen for dog hip pain?

Carprofen is an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). It can help relieve pain and also decrease inflammation. It is used in cases of painful joints such as arthritis or hip dysplasia, sometimes in combination with other drugs/treatments if it is not providing adequate pain control. You can read more about the drug at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951477

Carprofen is an nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication (NSAID) like aspirin or ibuprofen for humans. It's used daily for arthritis or other chronic pain, and short term for more acute/temporary pain. The half life is the amount of time it takes for half of the drug to leave the body (via the liver, kidneys/bladder, or gut). Carprofen can occasionally have side effects on the liver, so if he's going to be on it long term, it's usually recommended to check liver values after 2 weeks. That said, liver issues are rare. Intestinal upset (vomiting/diarrhea) are also possible side effects and if he had any of that you'd want to stop and figure out a different appropriate medication with his vet. With just 6 days of medication, no additional testing will be done. You can (and should, if that is how it was prescribed) give carporfen daily. Appropriate supplements could include fish oils and glucosamine and others, depending on what exactly is going on. I'd recommend asking about supplements for long term when you go for your recheck visit

Give them according to the instructions on the bottle. I would just give the Dasuquin as it is more comprehensive and better Quality Both preparations contain chondroitin and glucosamine, but Dasuquin has additional ingredients which enhance the bioavailability.

Tramadol is an opioid meant to alleviate moderate pain, however there are research papers now that determined it is not that effective. Carprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (like aspirin, but for dogs) which is given for certain types of pain such as arthritis. However Carprofen is excreted via the kidneys and if it is to be used, the dog receiving it needs to have a small blood test to verify that his kidneys are working properly. Also carprofen can cause stomach ulcers in some dogs. So unless your vet prescribes these medications for your dog, please do not give them. However, should your vet prescribe those medications for your other dog, you can tell him that you have them and then be informed of the proper dosage to give.

Great question! I really like Dasuquin and Cosequin as joint supplements for dogs. I have found that in senior dogs with arthritis, Dasuquin is a great option because it contains ASU, which stands for Avocado & Soybean Unsaphonifiables. ASU is seen as considerably more effective in regards to repairing stiff, sore, and injured joints. For Oscar, I'd recommend Dasuquin. I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about Coco. The Novox should help some with his arthritis as it is an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as us using ibuprofen. If it isn't providing adequate pain control there are other options we can try in addition to the NSAID. These would include Glucosamine Chondroitin joint supplements such as Dasuquin, fatty acid supplements which can decrease inflammation in the body, injections that can aid in joint health (Adequan), and additional medications such as gabapentin, tramadol, and amantadine. I would talk to your vet about these options to figure out what is best for Coco. You can read more about this at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

Unfortunately there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs, as the ones we use in humans can cause liver toxicity and stomach ulcers. I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian for a pain medication. The most popular are NSAIDs such as carprofen, meloxicam, and deracoxib. For long term/mild Arthritis pain a glucosamine chondroitin joint supplement like Dasuquin can help but must be taken daily for about a month before results are seen.