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Non prescription pain relief?

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for pain relief options for Kryten. As winter approaches I can tell that he is once again likely to have issues with pain. Increased activity and higher winds both cause problems. I would like to avoid pharmaceuticals if possible.
 

musicdeb

Well-Known Member
Baby aspirin. I give Titan 4 tablets per day but based on his weight he can have 8-10 every 12 hours. It helps Titan a lot to where he no longer limps. :)

The only serious side effect is internal bleeding which is rare. I give Titan his aspirin crushed up in his scrambled eggs every morning with his glucosamine.
 

Lisa P

Well-Known Member
I have used baby aspirin as well,they all seemed to like the orange flavored ones.give with food like musicdeb said
 

scorning

Well-Known Member
I did acupuncture with my Wobblers dane, it really helped him a lot. I also made Tendon soup for him, he really enjoyed it and it seems to help him get around more easily. Other members in our support group used Lubrisyn and they said if it works for your dog, you can tell pretty quickly. I didn't seem to help Dex. Other people used Turmeric and found it helpful as well.
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
I second giving acupuncture a try. That's what I would consider with my own dogs, especially if you're wanting to avoid meds.
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for pain relief options for Kryten. As winter approaches I can tell that he is once again likely to have issues with pain. Increased activity and higher winds both cause problems. I would like to avoid pharmaceuticals if possible.

It was your boy that had surgery for his elbow dysplasia/fragmented coronoid process, right?
 

QY10

Well-Known Member
Turmeric and Green-Lipped Mussels. The green-lipped mussels contain (among other things) glucosamine and a type of omega 3 fatty-acid that acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Green lipped mussels have been used for humans with degenerative joint disease and arthritis and have reported less pain and stiffness and improved mobility. You can get capsules/pills for dogs.
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
Turmeric and Green-Lipped Mussels. The green-lipped mussels contain (among other things) glucosamine and a type of omega 3 fatty-acid that acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Green lipped mussels have been used for humans with degenerative joint disease and arthritis and have reported less pain and stiffness and improved mobility. You can get capsules/pills for dogs.

x2
For some reason I just assumed he was already on glucosamine/chondroitin and omega 3 supplements (I guess because it seems like everyone on this forum does, lol).
 

Dreadz

Well-Known Member
Glucosamine and chondroitin can be beneficial for joint health. You can either buy a ready made supplement or if you'd prefer to do it through diet, shellfish provide a good source of glucosamine and shark or bovine cartilage will provide chondroitin. I use the supplement myself and for my dogs.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
Our ol' boy who had arthritis did well on buffered aspirin and Glucosamine/Chondrotin/MSM supplements.
I've since heard that Tramadol has fewer long-term side effects than aspirin. And, having a grandma who died when ulcers in her stomach bled out (due to long-term aspirin use and ill-advised blood thinners given in the hospital post-stroke), I might opt to keep aspirin use to a minimum.

I'd go with more home made bone broth + green-lipped mussel (GLM)

I have a GLM powder that both dog and cat adore - it has a very fresh ocean smell to it. It's also one of the few supplements the cat will eat and not puke back up. ;)

I'll triple the vote for Turmeric, too. Very strong anti-inflammatory properties.
If he's not already on mega doses of fish pills or another source of omega-3's, you could up the dose and/or find a different source (for variety) - like sardines or mackerel (low-sodium tins or frozen).

I've heard wonders about massage therapy, too... so give that boy some love! :)
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
Not sure how vets will handle prescribing tramadol since the new FDA regulations re: narcotics was effective with 10/6/14. Tramadol is included in the new regulations.

Rules - 2014 - Placement of Tramadol Into Schedule IV

FDA Law Blog: DEA Controls Tramadol as a Schedule IV Controlled Substance, Effective August 18, 2014

Increasing it to a Schedule IV really just now requires that the vet log and report all the tramadol they dispense, as well as keeping it locked up with the other controlled drugs. Most vets I know were already treating it as a controlled substance since it's not uncommon to have tramadol seekers come in, now there's just a lot more paperwork involved. Those that don't want to deal with the headache of making these adjustments can still write a script for it and send you to a human pharmacy. It's a useful drug, so I think a lot of vets will still continue using it. This all, of course, depends on the specific state regulations. And I have absolutely no clue about in Canada!
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately Tramadol is not an option anymore. He was on it before and after his surgery and he had aggression as a side effect when even on a very low dosage (below the minimum when he was around 50 lbs lighter).
I had to sign for the high dose pills (150 mg) but not for the low dose (50 mg) ones.
 

cinnamon roll

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
So far it has been a god send, he walks so much better, he isn't showing signs of pain while getting up etc. He has been on it for about 2 months now.
 

Jakesmum

Well-Known Member
My sister in law started giving her sheltie elk antler velvet a couple of years ago when he started having problems with the stairs and stiffness. Within a few doses he was able to go up and down the stairs again and was playing like a puppy. There is a local farm here in Alberta that you can buy it online. The stuff she gets is called Qeva.