What's best for my dog's arthritis: Previcox, Meloxicam, or Galliprant?

Metacam is similar to ibuprofen or naproxen and has both anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties. In general I feel like drugs in this class work better for arthritis than medications that only treat pain like tramadol. Each dog is different, and some dogs need multiple medications to relieve the pain associated with arthritis.

This is a tough question and I can understand why you are confused on what to do. If you are concerned your dog is in pain and that the Galliprant is not helping then it may be time to switch pain medications or add in another medication to see if your dog gets some added relief. I have found that some NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) work better in certain dogs than in others. I usually encourage my clients to switch NSAIDs if they don’t feel like one is working particularly well for their dog. It is very similar in humans, some prefer Alieve while others prefer Advil. All drugs have potential side effects to be aware of and it is up to your veterinarian to decide which of those would be safest for your dog based on your dog’s previous medical history. It sounds as if your dog is otherwise happy and healthy so he could be a good candidate to try Deramaxx. If you were my client, I would probably recommend adding in an additional pain controlling drug before switching to another NSAID since Jackie is doing well on the Galliprant. I will add though that I have prescribed Deramaxx several times over the years and do not feel like I see more reactions with it than with any other drug. I hope this helps, I know it’s a lot of information. There is really no right or wrong answer. In the end you should do what you feel most comfortable with. Let us know if you have any other questions. Best of luck!

I assume you mean 1/2 of a 7.5 meloxicam tablet. NO. It is an NSAID, as is Galliprant. To give both at the same time would likely result in a gastric ulcer and would put him at risk for kidney failure. For additional pain relief, you could ask your vet if he/she has or can refer you to someone who has a therapeutic laser or the ability to do acupuncture. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Metacam is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug which is a powerful pain killer. Gabapentin is also a very good pain killer, but it takes time for it to work and it sedates the dog initially. I suggest you call your vet tomorrow and ask him which one he recommends this time, as depending on the type of pain one or the other can be better.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bella. So Gabapentin has many uses including pain relief, and when used with Galliprant, it provides even better pain control from arthritis. Using them in combination is likely why you are seeing her act more energetic than being on the Galliprant alone. Gabapentin is an unusual pain medication in that it is rarely used by itself. On its own, gabapentin is not particularly effective in preventing pain, which is why it's frequently used in combination with other drugs. I honestly can't answer why Galliprant is so much more expensive, but if this combination works, I would stick with it. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Chloe is suffering from arthritis. Medically, in addition to an anti-Inflammatory like previcox there are additional pain medications she could be started on. Adjunctively to medications, laser treatments, hydrotherapy (underwater treadmill), and acupuncture are all options you could look into to help her as well. Good luck!

Hello. There are many wonderful medication availably to make Sassy much more comfortable in her older years. You can start with a good glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate supplement ( I like Dasuquin by Nutramax ). Then, you can visit with your vet about some of the amazing medications we have to keep our elderly pets so much more comfortable, like NSAIDS ( Previcox, Rimadyl, Deramax, Meloxicam, Galliprant ) to which we can add additional medications such as Gabapentin, if necessary. In addition, adding Adequan injections may actually lower the amount of medications that Sassy might need to keep her comfortable. We have so many safe medications available, but they do need some monitoring. I hope you can talk to your vet soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.