Anti-Inflamatory/Pain Relief Pills?

Question

My Great Dane had 2 knee surgerys and I need to get him on some anti-inflamtory/painreliever like Rimadyl that don't cost me a fortune every month with bad side effects. I only want pills also because my other dog got into the Rimadyl chewables on day and almost killed herself. He is very stiff and lacks muscle in that leg so he doesn't always bear weight. I have him on 21st century pet health "Healthy Joints and Hip" with Glucosamine Hydrochloride. The ingredients are Glucosamine Hyrodchlorie, Vitamin C, Zinc, Manganese, Coppr, Cellulose, Geltain, Liver meal, Magnesium Sillicate, Magnesium Stearat and Stearic Acid. They don't seem to be helping. He's cost me over $3k this year so i'm very low on funds, so something thats not gonna cost me over $30 a month woul be nice. He had his second surgery about 4 months ago.

Answer 1

This will probably run you a little more than $30 a month, but Deramaxx has been great for my 13 year old arthritic dog. He had problems with Rimadyl but since he started on Deramaxx, his mobility and activity have improved tremendously without side effects. I pay around $45 a month for it giving him one pill a day.

Answer 2

Actually, what may help your Dane most is a combination of two things that don't require medication: massage therapy and swimming. He's stiff because of arthritis and the knee surgery have made it painful for him to move. The less he moves, the more painful it is. Simple massage can alleviate a lot of the pain associated with arthritis, plus will help his knee heal faster.
Swim therapy will stretch his muscle and get him moving without causing undue stress on his healing joints. Something as simple as getting him into a pool or pond in shallow areas - say, up to his chest - and walking with him will help loosen up the muscles and joints, replace synovial fluid in the joints that has stagnated due to lack of use, and hopefully strengthen him.
Both of these are things you can do yourself, without medication! You can also add fish oil to his diet, which is a natural anti-inflammatory... up to 1000mg per 20 lbs. of body weight (but work up to that dosage slowly, starting at 1000mg and adding another 1000mg each week.)
Personally, I would stay far far away from the Rimadyl and Deramaxx, both of which have bad side effects.
If pain relievers are a must, try Tramadol. It is inexpensive and not toxic like the other two.

Answer 3

I don't like Rimadyl, especially for Danes..it has way to many serious side effects. We no longer sell it at the hospital where I work because of it.

Ask your vet about Previcox or Metacam.

Answer 4

Well- with a dog that size, the meds are going to cost a lot becasue of the dose he needs. Ask your vet about going through vetcentric

Answer 5

try going through petmeds or something like that, they can get a prescription thru your vet for cheaper!