Anti Inflammatory For Dogs
Welcome to anti inflammatory for dogs. My dogs are like family to me, and to see them in pain or suffering from reduced mobility really gets to me.
If your dog has been impacted by arthritis or joint stiffness and swelling, then the articles and reviews contained in this site will be of great interest to you.
I have researched as many dog arthritis and dog joint supplements as I could find. There are some good ones out there, as well as a fair amount of useless products.
My criteria focused on the solutions being safe, having low/no side effects, natural ingredients and of course effective. It needs to be a safe, and where possible, all natural anti inflammatory for dogs.
The Need For An Anti inflammatory For Dogs
With dogs being fed a premium diet and kept healthy by caring owners, they are living longer than they would in the wild. A part of getting older may be joint stiffness and pain caused by injury or just plain old wear and tear. Is your dog limping or displaying any of the following symptoms, there may be a need for an anti inflammatory for dogs:
- Licking affected joints
- Falls behind on walks
- Reduction in muscle tone/bulk
- Unable /unwilling to jump on your lap
- Mild swelling/heat in the joints
- Slight Stiffness on rising/lying down
- Somewhat reluctant to climb stairs
Analgesics Versus Anti Inflammatory Drugs
An inflammation is a localized area of swelling, redness and pain that acts as a protective response at the point of an injury. An anti-inflammatory drug is one that reduces the symptoms associated with an inflammation. By contrast, an analgesic specifically targets pain without reducing inflammation or the associated rise in body temperature.
Are Human Anti-Inflammatory Medications Safe For Dogs?
Certain drugs formulated for humans, such as buffered aspirin, are generally safe when it comes to pain medication for 
dogs. Some formulations, like enteric-coated aspirin, are less effective for dogs than for humans because of the differences that exist in human and canine physiology.
It is always best to use canine formulations of similar drugs for dog pain relief, particularly in the case of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Please avoid trying to diagnose your dogs condition and administering drugs without talking to a vet.
The Cost Differences
Due to the greater availability of human-formulated OTC anti-inflammatory drugs, they are typically less expensive than corresponding canine formulations. Humans consume far greater volumes of pharmaceutical drugs and therefore the competition and production costs affect the pricing. I caution you to not use price differences as the only factor in choosing medications for your pet.
Unsafe Human Over-the-Counter Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, human-formulated NSAIDs “are the most common causes of pet poisoning in small animals, and can cause serious problems even in minimal doses.” Examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ketoprofen (Orudis), which in high doses, can cause permanent liver damage in dogs.
Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), is a popular pain reliever and fever reducer. While it is a relatively safe medication for humans, ibuprofen is not appropriate as an anti inflammatory for dogs.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ibuprofen is the No. 1 cause of accidental poisoning in cats and dogs.
When given to a dog, ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, kidney failure and even death.
Signs To Watch For
Even very low doses of ibuprofen when selecting painkillers for dogs can cause stomach ulcers in dogs. A dog should never ingest more than 50 mg of ibuprofen per pound of body weight.If you are administering ibuprofen to your dog beware of the following symptoms:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stumbling (staggers)
- lethargy
- abdominal pain
See your veterinarian immediately should your pet display any of the above symptoms. For more information on dog joint pain read this related article. The video below is a brief summary of some of the actions you can take if you have an older dog with arthritis.
Whenever contemplating using an anti inflammatory for dogs make sure you consult your vet first.
Note: Australian visitors please go to http://www.flexicose.com.au for Flexicose glucosamine products.
