My pet is hurting. What are Antirobe, Apoquel, Rimadyl, Cephalexin?

Hello. I would suspect that your vet wanted to start Jake on Clavamox which is a combination of Amoxicillin & Clavulanic acid. This is a very good combination & very broad acting on many types of bacterial infections. Any time we switch a pet from one anti-inflammatory to another, we do want a short wash out period so we do not cause any problems, especially stomach ulcers. I do not know why your vet is switching Jake off the Rimadyl, but there are many other drugs in this class that work very well, too. I wonder if Jake may have some slightly elevated liver values, so switching to Galliprant is often done. This medication is easier on the liver than all other pain meds. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Sorry to hear about Clive. The mainstay treatments for orthopedic injuries are pain killers and anti inflammatories (NSAIDs). Since there may be a spinal / neural component to this, neuropathic medications and muscle relaxants may also come in very helpful especially during times of additional breakthrough discomfort. The type of medication to be dispensed will ultimately be a discussion with your primary vet, but NSAIDs that are common include carprofen (Rimadyl), deracoxib (Deramaxx), and meloxicam (Metacam). Other medications are things like opioids including tramadol and hydrocodone. In terms of the back, I would consider medications like gabapentin and methocarbamol to address this. There is another medication that I use in patients with refractory pain called amantadine, but I find it only effective when used in conjunction with NSAIDs. The periodic or daily use of many of these medications should be coupled with blood work at least twice yearly to be sure liver and kidney values are not elevating. Hope you get Clive all straightened out!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Reggie. I do not recommend giving him the cephalexin as you do not know for sure why his toe is sore. While he could have an infection, he could also have a wound, broken toe nail, a fracture or foreign object in the paw. Antibiotics are needed in some of these circumstances, but not all. He will need to see his veterinarian to determine the source of the lameness and the best treatment option for him. I hope this information helps!

Fighting secondary skin infections and allergies is tough. Drugs like prednisone and Apoquel are used to control inflammation. In some cases, we add a drug in an effort to taper prednisone if long term immunosuppression is needed. Ideally, long term immunosuppressives should be avoided but in some cases are needed. You should consider discussing referral to a veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing.

Dogs can experience pain from a variety of health conditions, including [osteoarthritis](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/arthritis-1/),[ dental disease](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/dental-disease/), [urinary tract infections](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/utis-in-dogs/) or traumatic injuries, among many others. While it is extremely difficult to see our four-legged friends in pain, there are no safe and effective over-the-counter medications for managing pain in dogs (or cats). Over the counter pain relievers for humans, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and naproxen (Aleve) are all toxic to animals. Aspirin should also not be given to dogs because it causes significant irritation and potential ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract, and it inhibits a dog’s ability to clot blood. If you think that your dog is in pain, your best bet is to take him to your veterinarian. After performing a [physical exam](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-does-your-veterinarian-look-for-during-a-physical-exam/), your veterinarian will be able to prescribe safe and effective medication. Only give pain medication to the pet for which it was prescribed due to risks with drug interactions, improper doses or contraindications with certain medical conditions. ### Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Galliprant is a registered trademark of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.

There are no adverse concerns of taking trazodone, apoquel, and rimadyl together. However, the dose of Rimadyl you have listed as 75 mg. That is a pretty high dose for a 41 pound dog. I would typically give 1/2 of a 75 mg tablet twice a day. You can also give 1 full tablet but just once every 24 hours. I think the twice daily dosing is more effective. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

The Cephalexin bottle should have an expiration date on it. Also it is not recommended to give antibiotics if you cannot give them continuously for at least 7-10 days duration. So if you don't have enough or if they are expired, then I would not proceed with giving Nike the Cephalexin. Also it is good to get Nike re-evaluated because he may not even have an infection if there is no pus or bumps on the skin. The antibiotics in this case would be unnecessary and would not help with his itching. Instead he needs allergy medications +/- topical medicated shampoo's sprays available through your vet. Until you can get Nike in to the vet, you can try over the counter pet formulated fish oils, which helps to provide a natural anti-inflammatory property to the skin. You can also try an oatmeal based or aloe based shampoo topically if you want to try an over the counter approach. Just keep in mind however that most pets with true allergies require stronger meds at the vet. I would also recommend ensuring that Nike is on a high quality flea preventative such as Nexgard, Comforitis, Trifexis (flea and heartworm prevention), Bravecto, Seresto collar or Simparica. This may be a flea allergy that he is having. I hope that you get his itching resolved soon. Best wishes and take care.