Doxie's Back

[P3tm0m]

Doxie's back has been going out lately. He gets real stiff in the morning and acts like he's in pain. Usually the vet gives him a cortisone shot and it lasts for a few months. I know his age (14+) and his body shape, he like a basset hound have a lot to do with it. My mom said to give him a low dose aspirin every morning to help with the pain. The vet also puts him on prednizone for 10 days, but they always give him gas and he has a vorasious (spelling?) appetite with it. I wonder if there's anything else to help alleviate the pain?

[Deidre]

I would definitely give GLUCOSAMINE a shot first and foremost. Cortisone has serious side effects and if possible I would steer clear of it. Anti-inflammatories are also known to cause kidney and liver problems. I know that once a dog gets to a certain age arthritis sets in and we try and do the best possible to make their life as comfortable as we can. I would opt for a natural alternative like GLUCOSAMINE and fish oil....fish oil acts as a natural anti-inflammatory without all the side effects. It does take some time for the benefits of GLUCOSAMINE to set in (up to 2 weeks) so patience is the key....I have found this product to be invaluable both for people and animals. Aspirin is considerably safe in low doses but when used in the long term can cause stomach ulcers; you could try it once every 2nd day until the glucosamine sets in - hopefully this is all that Doxie will require. All the very best of luck!

[Deidre]

Forgot to mention that prednisone is great for controlling pain due to arthritis but unfortunately has a number of dangerous side effects and a large number of dogs have been known to succumb to kidney failure amongst other things.

Here is a link explaining the dangers:


http://www.natural-pet-care.com/natu...ne-in-canines/

[shadowfacedanes]

I absolutely 10000 percent recommend Flexicose and Dog Gone Pain (DGP). Both are non-steroidal, natural supplements and I can tell you from first hand experience both are awesome and can be used in conjunction with one another.