I love working with pet owners on a worldwide basis to promote a better state of health regardless of where cats or dogs in need may reside. Fortunately, i Love Dogs supplements facilitates this process through their Ask A Vet webpage where I answer client questions. This post originally appeared on i Love Dogs as: Is It Safe to Mix Supplements with Pain Meds for My Arthritic Dog?
My 13-year-old Black Lab mix is on 75 mg of Rimadyl twice daily for hisarthritis and torn ACL. I am wondering if I can give himGlucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi along with his Rimadyl? He does fine on the Rimadyl for pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory, but I would love to give him the extra boost of the other nutrients as well.
–Carla
Hi Carla,
Thank you for your question.
I’m sorry to hear of your Labrador Retriever’s issues with arthritis and joint trauma (his torn cranial [anterior] cruciate ligament). Unfortunately, enduringchronic pain is a common occurrence for geriatric pets. (Dogs, especially those that are larger in body size like your Labrador, that are greater than 7 years of age are considered geriatric.) Especially for older canine companions, we should strive to promote joint health as a means of reducing reliance on pain medications that can potentially have side effects.
Have you pursued diagnostics, like X-rays, to determine which joints (often more than one) are affected by the arthritis, and the degree of change that has occurred in his torn cranial cruciate ligament? Has he had surgery on the torn cranial cruciate ligament?
If X-rays have not been performed, I’d suggest that you have his spine and all affected joints imaged by your veterinarian. Ideally, this should be done under mild sedation so that your pooch is not uncomfortable or stressed by positioning and the clearest images can be achieved.
To reduce inflammation and promote comfort, most dogs take anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like Rimadyl, Metacam or Previcox), pain-relieving drugs (Tramadol, Gabapentin, etc.) or some combination of the two. The goal in any pain management strategy should be reducing a pet’s reliance on these medications, which inherently have mild to severe side effects, by making the body healthier.
If you are not currently giving your dog a supplement to support his joint health, please consider i Love Dogs Glucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi. It’s a unique product made with human grade standards that utilizes Chinese medicine principles by incorporating Reishi mushroom, which modulates the immune system, and decaffeinated green tea, which helps reduce inflammation. I give this product to my own dog, Cardiff, to support his joint and immune health as a means of managing his immune-mediated hemolytic anemia(IMHA), which is now in remission.
The Glucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi supplements can safely be given in addition to any pain-relieving medications your veterinarian prescribes, like Rimadyl.
Some other tips to help promote your dog’s ongoing comfort and reduce trauma in the home include modifying your shared environment to enhance traction on slippery floors, blocking off stairs with a gate and, if you allow your dog on furniture, positioning ramps or “pet steps” in front of beds and couches to facilitate safer movement on and off of elevated surfaces.
Depending on your dog’s overall comfort and ability to get up and walk, you may also want to consider using a sling or other comparable device to lend support while walking.
Complementary treatments like acupuncture, massage, chiropractic and physical rehabilitation should also be considered. The goal here is to promote the best quality of life for your dog, while safely improving his comfort and mobility.
Good luck,
Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA
Ask a Vet is intended for informational purposes only. If your dog requires veterinary attention, you should take him to your vet or animal emergency clinic for an examination. Click here to find a veterinarian near you.
Have a question concerning your dog’s health? Send it to Ask a Vet.
PHOTO: KitAy
Thank you for reading this article. Your questions and comments are completely welcome (I’ll respond).
Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook.
Copyright of this article (2013) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.
My 13-year-old Black Lab mix is on 75 mg of Rimadyl twice daily for hisarthritis and torn ACL. I am wondering if I can give himGlucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi along with his Rimadyl? He does fine on the Rimadyl for pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory, but I would love to give him the extra boost of the other nutrients as well.
–Carla
Hi Carla,
Thank you for your question.
I’m sorry to hear of your Labrador Retriever’s issues with arthritis and joint trauma (his torn cranial [anterior] cruciate ligament). Unfortunately, enduringchronic pain is a common occurrence for geriatric pets. (Dogs, especially those that are larger in body size like your Labrador, that are greater than 7 years of age are considered geriatric.) Especially for older canine companions, we should strive to promote joint health as a means of reducing reliance on pain medications that can potentially have side effects.
Have you pursued diagnostics, like X-rays, to determine which joints (often more than one) are affected by the arthritis, and the degree of change that has occurred in his torn cranial cruciate ligament? Has he had surgery on the torn cranial cruciate ligament?
If X-rays have not been performed, I’d suggest that you have his spine and all affected joints imaged by your veterinarian. Ideally, this should be done under mild sedation so that your pooch is not uncomfortable or stressed by positioning and the clearest images can be achieved.
To reduce inflammation and promote comfort, most dogs take anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like Rimadyl, Metacam or Previcox), pain-relieving drugs (Tramadol, Gabapentin, etc.) or some combination of the two. The goal in any pain management strategy should be reducing a pet’s reliance on these medications, which inherently have mild to severe side effects, by making the body healthier.
If you are not currently giving your dog a supplement to support his joint health, please consider i Love Dogs Glucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi. It’s a unique product made with human grade standards that utilizes Chinese medicine principles by incorporating Reishi mushroom, which modulates the immune system, and decaffeinated green tea, which helps reduce inflammation. I give this product to my own dog, Cardiff, to support his joint and immune health as a means of managing his immune-mediated hemolytic anemia(IMHA), which is now in remission.
The Glucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi supplements can safely be given in addition to any pain-relieving medications your veterinarian prescribes, like Rimadyl.
Some other tips to help promote your dog’s ongoing comfort and reduce trauma in the home include modifying your shared environment to enhance traction on slippery floors, blocking off stairs with a gate and, if you allow your dog on furniture, positioning ramps or “pet steps” in front of beds and couches to facilitate safer movement on and off of elevated surfaces.
Depending on your dog’s overall comfort and ability to get up and walk, you may also want to consider using a sling or other comparable device to lend support while walking.
Complementary treatments like acupuncture, massage, chiropractic and physical rehabilitation should also be considered. The goal here is to promote the best quality of life for your dog, while safely improving his comfort and mobility.
Good luck,
Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA
Ask a Vet is intended for informational purposes only. If your dog requires veterinary attention, you should take him to your vet or animal emergency clinic for an examination. Click here to find a veterinarian near you.
Have a question concerning your dog’s health? Send it to Ask a Vet.
PHOTO: KitAy
Thank you for reading this article. Your questions and comments are completely welcome (I’ll respond).
Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook.
Copyright of this article (2013) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.