Pain Relief

[Eric Wettschreck]

My dog is getting pretty well up there in years and has a noticeable limp in his front left leg. He's had it for a few years but it's getting quite a bit worse. Before I go any further I need to get this in the open......I'm not investing any more money in him at the vet. He's had a wonderful life and all I want to do is make him a little more comfortable.

I know it's a bad no-no to give a dog asprin. Are there over the counter pain relievers a guy can give a dog from time to time? He's half GSP and the other half really big mixed everything breed farm dog. Weighs in at right around 120 lbs.

[Bryce]

Buffered aspirin is just fine for dogs.

[pushbutton]

There is a over the counter pain reliever, do not know offhand the name, whats in it, if it works....but it is sold in the pet box stores and wally world.

[leechlake]

I bought the pet aspirin a few years ago that is meant for dogs. 1 tablet per 25 pounds. I give my older lab these and can't believe how less gimpy she is. Give it to her with her food and have had no issues, I wish the stuff worked as well on me as her.

[jentz]

Out of your medicine cabinet asprin is the best in low dosage.If you go to a vet they will mostlikly prescribe Rimadyl,both antiinflamorities.80MG asprin or childrens asprin,or 50MG rimadyl from a vet.Either one.just 1 in a 24 hour period.Coated asprin is best for the stomach lining,they release in the intestions and wont harm the stomach lining.

[rundrave]

I have an 8 yr old GSP that has really slowed down. I try to run and condition my dogs together but its getting hard. I have a 6yr old GSP that could go and go and go some more and it was always easy to condition them together when they both were like that.

Now my older one either gets bored or just doesn't want to do it. Problem is when we are in the field hunting he doesn't skip a beat but trying to keep him conditioned is hard. He definitely has some stiffness to him and I was also wondering what I could give to him.

When do you guys give your dogs these pain relievers. For example I am leaving later this week and will have 4 straight days of hard hunting. I wont be feeding the dogs on the mornings we hunt but they will get extra food the day before and a extra each evening after we hunt.

[Bobby Bass]

My old vet who also hunted told me about VIT C I have been giving my dogs a 500mg pill for years every morning and also in the evening if they hunt. According to the vet the Vit C works in reducing aches and pains in the joints and I agree. My two older dogs are 13.5 years old and don't act their age.

[leechlake]

If I'm pheasant hunting in SoDak I feed them at 6 or 7 and then give them the aspirin (10 or 12 shooting time). My directions say to give them at minimum 1/3 their daily ration with the food. I'd give them a little food with it, I understand the concern with stomach twist.

[blindluck]

Buffered aspirin here. Usually just one a day. There is also something you can get from the vet to spray into their water that is supposed to help with their limbs and joints. Probably has some glucosamine in it. I forget what it is called.

[DaSwede]

If you think it's a joint issue, Dasuquin for dogs. My old lab was on it for his last two years. It helped a lot with his joints.

[caseymcq]

... I know it's a bad no-no to give a dog asprin. ...

I have been told by a couple vets it is all the other pain relievers that are no-no's. I was also told the low dose aspirin (like the stuff people take for their tickers) is the way to go.

A glucosamine supplement may also help if it's a joint issue.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ya know fellas, I'm kind of a big dummy. I work for a big pharm company in the animal health division. We have vets working here. DUH!!!!!

The other day I asked them. They told me tylenol and ibuprophen are the big no-no's. Asprin is fine in the correct dosage. They said start at 5mg per 10 pound of dog and go from there. If it works, great but never exceed 10mg per 10 pound of dog. Always give asprin with food or shortly after eating. That makes sense as it's a NSAID.

Jeffrey (He's my big moose of a dog) really likes the grape flavored St. Joseph kids chewable asprin. I've seen a huge improvement in him. He's back to being the machine he once was.

[bearberg]

I have used Rimadyl, prescribed by vet, for my 3 previous Springers as they started to age, and I feel it always helped. Thought of taking it myself, ha!

[jparrucci]

Rimadyl or the generic version has helped my 9 year old Brittany a ton. He would be retired without it.

[rundrave]

I just started a generic rimadyl called carprofen. hunted a lot today will see how my dog is doing in the morning.