Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Bird Dogs => Topic started by: gadwall on November 14, 2012, 03:14:38 PM

Title: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: gadwall on November 14, 2012, 03:14:38 PM: I have an old lab that still loves to hunt. She has some stiffness and pain in her hips and shoulders, so I would like to start giving her something OTC every day. We used to give our dogs Bufferin years ago and a buddy gives his old lab two 81 mg childrens chewable aspirin each day. Any advice?

Thanks,

Gadwall
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: 270Flat on November 14, 2012, 03:53:07 PM: My lab was hit by a car three years ago as a puppy. She hunts whenever I can get out. She gets real sore. So I roll an aspirin up in a piece of lunch meat. Works great! She'll be ready in the am for a hunt!
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Special T on November 14, 2012, 04:02:32 PM: Talk to the vet and get some Rimadel... I have a buddy that is a vet, he says that many of the medics for people wreck havock on your dog. Its really not that expensive and you can get the stuff from online retailers... You dog is worth getting the correct stuff. :twocents:
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: KFhunter on November 14, 2012, 04:07:48 PM: +1

It's cheap and chewable, and you can break them in half for smaller weight dogs but your lab would probably take a whole one.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Special T on November 14, 2012, 04:12:52 PM: http://www.1800petmeds.com/Rimadyl-prod10261.html (http://www.1800petmeds.com/Rimadyl-prod10261.html)
less than 20c a pill for Remidl or about 14c a pill for the generic brand... TRUST ME its worth it...
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Stilly bay on November 14, 2012, 04:32:38 PM: :yeah:

PLUS! its an anti inflammatory so you are limiting flare ups instead of just masking pain and allowing the dog to do more damage to himself while he works. its good stuff but there are side effects that you will want to discuss with your vet.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: gadwall on November 14, 2012, 10:31:39 PM: Thanks for the input. I'll talk to our vet.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Happy Gilmore on November 15, 2012, 09:28:54 AM: Quote from: Stilly bay on November 14, 2012, 04:32:38 PM
:yeah:

PLUS! its an anti inflammatory so you are limiting flare ups instead of just masking pain and allowing the dog to do more damage to himself while he works. its good stuff but there are side effects that you will want to discuss with your vet.

I'd use it to make an old dog more comfortable. One that might have 2 maybe three years of life left. It's hard on their systems. Not sure I'd go that route with a dog who's been injured young. If you really enjoy the dog you might want to keep him as a pet with a lower activity level so the dog leads a longer life. Or, take him on shorter hunts with longer breaks in between hunts to recover.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Shed Stud on November 15, 2012, 09:46:08 AM: x2 on the remidl, helps our old girl way more than the little asprins
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Special T on November 15, 2012, 01:46:00 PM: BTW any pain meds with naproxen is hard on YOUR liver/kidneys just like Remidl. :twocents: everything has a cost...
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Stilly bay on November 15, 2012, 02:05:33 PM: like grand pappy used to say "just because it kills your liver, don't mean it ain't medicine."
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: rosscrazyelk on November 15, 2012, 07:02:13 PM: I give my dog joint pills every day then everyday he works hard I give him a childrens tylenol. Seems to work
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: wildweeds on November 15, 2012, 07:05:53 PM: Reading betweenst the lines tells me your gran pappy and mine were from the same school, two fingers worth in a glass everynight, two of em on a bad day.

Quote from: Stilly bay on November 15, 2012, 02:05:33 PM
like grand pappy used to say "just because it kills your liver, don't mean it ain't medicine."
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Stilly bay on November 15, 2012, 07:43:33 PM: Quote from: wildweeds on November 15, 2012, 07:05:53 PM
Reading betweenst the lines tells me your gran pappy and mine were from the same school, two fingers worth in a glass everynight, two of em on a bad day.

Quote from: Stilly bay on November 15, 2012, 02:05:33 PM
like grand pappy used to say "just because it kills your liver, don't mean it ain't medicine."
lol pretty much. my gran pappy had a lot of bad days.

Quote from: Happy Gilmore on November 15, 2012, 09:28:54 AM

I'd use it to make an old dog more comfortable. One that might have 2 maybe three years of life left. It's hard on their systems. Not sure I'd go that route with a dog who's been injured young. If you really enjoy the dog you might want to keep him as a pet with a lower activity level so the dog leads a longer life. Or, take him on shorter hunts with longer breaks in between hunts to recover.
a recent conversation with my vet let me to believe that Rimadyl isn't as hard on dogs as it used to be.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Happy Gilmore on November 16, 2012, 09:07:27 AM: I'm not against Rimadyl in any way. Just saying that the #1 side effect and most common problem with it is that long term use causes renal failure. The drug is intended for use as to treat osteoarthritis and post operative pain in soft tissue.

More vets have been using it as a general pain killer for effectiveness. In the past I don't believe that the smaller 25mg maintenance doses were readily available or prescribed. It definately improves the life of an older dog who's has arthritis. I wouldn't give it to a young dog unless it was coming off surgery.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: andersonjk4 on November 16, 2012, 01:31:00 PM: Quote from: rosscrazyelk on November 15, 2012, 07:02:13 PM
I give my dog joint pills every day then everyday he works hard I give him a childrens tylenol. Seems to work

:yeah:

I give my shorthair (7.5) who is starting to get stiff after long hunts the canine joint health vitamins from GNC for senior dogs daily. And then I picked up some Sport Dog brand joint pain relief pills that I give him the days before and after hunt days. They are supposedly all natural. This has seemd to do better with this combination, but it not the miracle cure either. I'll have to talk to my vet about the Rimadyl for big hunt days.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: ducksdogsdownriggers on November 16, 2012, 01:57:17 PM: My vet just changed my 14 yr old FBL from Rimidyl to Meloxicam. It actually seems to work a little better and since it is licensed for use in humans as well, you can get it at the local Fred Meyer. Cost: $4.28 incl tax for a 60 day supply, barely 7 cents a day!!!
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: Bucks2Ducks on November 23, 2012, 07:49:21 PM: Barleans makes a pet flax oil. It's full of Omegas that are natural and really good for joints. Just put a tablespoon on there food and it will help prevent soreness and injury.
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: wildweeds on November 23, 2012, 10:14:19 PM: If your looking for omegas.............................. sardines in a can with olive oil,got more than one dog here that LOVES em
Title: Re: What over the counter med do you use?
Post by: PointNLab on November 30, 2012, 07:35:55 PM: We always use glucosmine / chongrotain / MSM supplements. Well worth it