My senior dog has leg pain & kidney issues. What pain relief?

Hello. I agree, surgery at this age would not be ideal given her age. You do not indicate what meds she is already on, but she should be receiving an NSAID such as meloxicam, carprofen, or any one of several excellent drugs in this classification. I would also have her on gabapentin, possibly tramadol, & maybe even Adequan injections, just in case some of her joints are painful. An alternative for the NSAIDs would be steroids as they are very good at reducing inflammation, but that does put her at some risk for side effects. Hopefully, these can keep him comfortable for some time to come. 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!

Poor Trick. He may have been drinking more water because he was uncomfortable. If his gums are still moist and not sticky then he is likely drinking enough water to support the metacam and prevent any kidney or liver damage. If he has to stay on Metacam long term, I highly recommend bloodwork once a year to check on how his body is tolerating the anti-inflammatory. Also, I definitely agree that it is important to keep him comfortable. I would consider getting him on a good joint supplement like cosequin, dasuquin, or duralactin every day to help support his joints. Finally, if he is starting to feel better then you may try to decrease his dose to 1/2 and see if you are still able to keep him comfortable. I hope this helps!

Hi Annette! Managing arthritis can be tricky since Joe's kidneys did not seem to tolerate some of the more traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like Metacam. I'm glad to hear that Joe is taking a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement, like YuMOVE, as this can protect his joint cartilage against further damage. Make sure that you are keeping him at a healthy body weight, as overweight dogs have more stress placed on their joints. Other strategies for managing arthritis include talking to your vet about a trial with Adequan injections for further cartilage protection or new classes of NSAIDs (such as Galliprant) that are much more sparing of the liver and kidneys. Acupuncture and water therapy can also be beneficial for some dogs with arthritis. I hope this helps!

You can talk to your vet about therapy laser treatments if it is available in your area as these can help with pain and inflammation. You can also see about starting Adequan injections to help with the joints or further pain medication such as gabapentin or Tylenol 3 or 4 in extreme cases.

This could be due to a bulging intervertebral disc which can cause rear leg weakness or paralysis. She may be in pain since she was able to get up a little after a tramadol. I would continue with the diagnostic tests until you get to the cause of the problem. Then she can receive the appropriate treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sweetie.

It really depends on the cause of the swelling, but usually pain medication the route you would have to go. Generally for issues like this that are not treated surgically, we manage the pain and inflammation with long-term medication at the lowest effective dose. While there are some potential side effects, most dogs can be treated rather effectively this way. It will be worthwhile to have a blood screen done to make sure the liver and kidneys are functioning well prior to starting the medication and it may be necessary to take blood periodically to ensure they are not causing any damage. Your veterinarian should be able to help you out with all of this. I hope that helps and Oscar feels better soon.