Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog's dislocated hip hurts, Rimadyl isn't working. What can I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 20 lbs

So we recently discovered that our dog has a dislocated hip but that since she’s young it can heal on its own. They prescribed him Rimadyl 25mg but he’s still in a lot of pain and I don’t think the medicine is working. He also just wants to sit on the floor all day instead of going on a bed. Is there anything else I can give him for pain? Or make him a bit more comfy? He barley slept due to the pain and his vet is closed for the day. What do you suggest?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on January 4th, 2018

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am sorry to hear Syo appears to be in some discomfort from his hip issue. If the Rimadyl does not appear to be doing the trick, there are other medications you can obtain from your veterinarian that may help in better pain relief. As far as at home ways to help reduce pain, I would recommend a heating blanket or heating pad to the effected area for 15-20 mins a few times daily. Be sure the heating pad is between a blanket when placed over the area to prevent burning.

I hope this helps and I would recommend seeing Syo's veterinarian soon when they open so you can discuss other paid medications that may work better for Syo.

Thanks again for posting and best of luck to you both!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM
Veterinarian
Oh my. Poor guy. I would have to disagree here. Dislocated hips don’t usually heal on their own. I wonder if the terminology that you are using to describe the hip isn’t quite accurate? However the pain you describe indicates that he likely does have subluxation of his hip, which means that the hip bone is out of the socket. This requires it to be put back into the socket while your pet is under a mild sedative. This needs to be corrected quickly because the longer it is out the harder it is to get the hip bone (femur head) back into the joint space. Some pets will even require surgical correction. Here is more information on hip dislocation in pets and information on the procedures mentioned above. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2210
Also to help with his pain I would highly recommend having the pet prescribe an opiate (like Tramadol) and also Gabapentin can be useful to help manage his pain while you sort through which procedure you wish to move forward with to correct his hip. I would not recommend any over the counter pain medicine because they can be very toxic to pets. Provide him some soft comfy thick bedding and help him move around by placing a towel underneath his belly like a sling. He should take it easy from now until his hip is completely healed. I hope that Syo is able to get this corrected soon. Best wishes and take care.
0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why is my dog's hip still painful after Rimadyl, itchy, and bony?

If the vet didn't do x-rays at her last appointment, that may be the next logical step. She may also need pain medications to be used in conjunction with the Rimadyl if there is soft tissue pain. You can try applying an ice pack or frozen bag of peas wrapped in a thin towel for 15 minutes several times a day. Itching is probably not related to her pain, and can be caused by fleas, mange, lice, infections (bacterial or yeast), ringworm, allergies, among others. I would recommend that you discuss this with your vet at Avery's next appointment so that she can be appropriately treated for it. More prominent skeletal structures can be caused by dehydration, weight loss, or muscle loss. This is also something that should be discussed with your vet, since there can be so many things that could lead to any of these possible causes.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has hip pain and can't walk. Vet closed, what can I do?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. In the meantime you can go to Petco and use the Well and Good Buffered Aspirin to provide some pain relief. I do not recommend using this product long term but for short term use over the weekend, this should be absolutely fine. This could also be an injury further down the leg such as the stifle joint (ACL injury). Your vet will know what to do based on the physical examination. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a slipped disc. How to relieve pain and aid healing?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, intervertebral disk disease is the bane of all long backed dogs. The key to recovery is pain medication either in the form of a steroid like prednisone, or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as rimadyl, carprofen, metacam, etc. & STRICK rest. Ace must not jump, run, or be at all active while trying to heal. It can take 3 weeks for the disk to heal. You can apply alternating treatments of heat & cold by warming a sock with rice in the microwave ( make sure it is warm & not hot ), using it on Ace for 10 minutes, then apply a bag of frozen peas for 10 minutes. You can do this twice a day, but make sure there is a towel between the heat & cold, & move the application frequently to prevent hot or too cold spots. If Ace remains painful, you can ask your vet for an appropriate additive to Ace's medication. A muscle relaxant might be appropriate, or additional pain medications in the form of tramadol or gabapentin. These things take time. Hopefully, he will feel better by tomorrow. Take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog on Rimadyl for knee, still falling and not peeing. Why?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is concerning as the Rimadyl is supposed to be helping but things continue to be about the same. This could be due to a neurological issue for example. I would encourage you to check in again with your veterinarian to have Lex reevaluated as she has not improved much. They could consider another medication such as gabapentin or more advanced diagnostics to try to diagnose the matter. Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's hip might be dislocated. How to help her pain at home?

Poor Penny! Do not give her aspirin, it causes GI ulcers and bleeding in dogs. You can try a heat pack to see if that helps. You need to get her into the vet asap, I'm concerned that if she hasn't had a bowel movement, it could be due to nerves being damaged if she has dislocated her hip.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog with hip dysplasia has new pain. When should I see a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Trick is uncomfortable. If his stifle is swollen or tender we would be concerned about an ACL injury, a sprain or muscle pull, or another ligament injury. If his hip is uncomfortable he could also have aggravated a congenital dysplasia issue, or pulled a muscle or ligament. If it does not improve or worsens after 24-48hours of rest, I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his discomfort. I would touch base with your regular veterinarian before altering his medications. Good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My Chihuahua has hip pain. What are safe options for pain relief?

Hi there. Thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry to hear that Cocoa is having this issue. She sure is adorable! Unfortunately, we cannot recommend that you give any over the counter medications to Cocoa. We are not allowed to do that by law since we haven't examined her in-person. Dogs are actually very sensitive to over the counter medications and if she has any conditions underlying (like kidney disease for example) those medications can make it worse. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam. It is not common for small breed dogs to have hip problems so it would be best to get her examined to figure out what is causing the problem. Then you can discuss the options for treatment with your vet. In the meantime all I can recommend is that you use a natural joint supplement like the Missing Link Plus but you are not likely to see an immediate effect. http://www.allivet.com/p-1647-missing-link-vet-canine-plus.aspx Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share