Hello doc, my name is Jim. I have a 12-year-old
yellow Lab named Buster. My vet is giving him
Zubrin to help ease is pain. Is there anything
else we can do?

Jim
West Palm Beach Florida

Zubrin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). I touched upon these drugs in a recent post.

NSAIDs are commonly prescribed for pain from surgery or arthritis. Since Buster is a 12-year-old yellow Labrador, I am guessing that he has arthritis. Sadly, most 12-year-old Labs do.

In most cases, NSAIDs are the most powerful treatments for arthritis. But there are many other steps you can take to help reduce Buster’s pain and improve his quality of life.

First, manage his weight. Excessive weight causes severe stress on arthritic joints. If Buster is overweight, getting a few pounds off of him may significantly improve his situation.

Also, I recommend physical therapy. The simplest form of physical therapy is mild exercise. Leashed walks are enjoyable for both the dog and the person walking the dog, and they help to keep joints limber and flexible. They also help to keep weight down. Do not engage in any physical activities that cause Buster to be sore or in pain the next day. But do allow him to enjoy activities that are fun and that don’t cause follow-up repercussions.

Another form of physical therapy you can perform at home is passive range of motion exercises. With Buster at rest, gently take each joint in each of his legs trough its normal range of motion. If he shows any sign of discomfort, be more gentle. This helps to maintain flexibility. It should be done several times each day.

As well, consider a nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Many clients report that their pets’ (and their own) symptoms of arthritis are less pronounced when these supplements are offered. As well, omega-3 supplements may help to ease arthritis pain. There is still some debate among experts about the efficacy of oral administration of both of these supplements, but neither is likely to cause any harm.

Finally, you can talk to your vet about advanced physical therapy (such as underwater treadmill walking), or injectable forms of glucosamine. These therapies are more involved and more expensive, but are often remarkably effective.

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In the last week I have received several questions about the safety of Rimadyl. Since it seems to be a hot topic, I will devote this post to issues surrounding Rimadyl and related medicines.

Rimadyl is a pain killer and anti-inflammatory medication. It is a class of medicines called prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (prescription NSAIDs). Other commonly used medicines in this class include Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam and EtoGesic.

In veterinary medicine, prescription NSAIDs commonly are used to treat pain and inflammation from arthritis, trauma, surgery, strains, sprains and pulled muscles. Prescription NSAIDs are used frequently in dogs. They are used less often in cats.

All of the prescription NSAIDs have similar side effects (gastrointestinal upset is most common). All of the prescription NSAIDs are metabolized by the liver and excreted by the kidneys. This means that all of them have the potential to damage the liver, and all of them must be used cautiously in animals that have impaired liver or kidney function.

Extreme reactions to prescription NSAIDs occur very rarely. However, when they occur they can be fatal. If you google any of the medicines that I listed above, you will find web pages in which people have written about their bad experiences with each of them. These cases are very sad. However, they are the exception, not the rule.

Rimadyl, in particular, has received some bad press for being linked to liver failure in some Labrador retrievers. However, in my experience adverse reactions to prescription NSAIDs are unpredicable, and Rimadyl does not seem to cause more adverse reactions than the others. One dog may react badly to Rimadyl and tolerate Deramaxx. For another dog, it could be the other way around.

I have said many times on this blog that in veterinary medicine one must weigh the benefits of a treatment against its risks. Prescription NSAIDs may cause side effects or, very rarely, severe adverse reactions. However, they are potent pain killers, and they give some arthritic dogs new leases on life. For most dogs, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Long-term use of prescription NSAIDs is safe for most dogs. However, regardless of which one you use, your vet should check your pet’s liver and kidney function periodically to make sure that no damage has occurred.

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