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| Ball lover |
Jake our Heart Dog, now blinded by cataracts, hearing really bad, still steps when we step, sits when we sit, plays ball any time someone will throw it.
He can no longer hear the garage door go up or a knock on the front door. If asleep he startles when we touch him, his senses do not warn him know we are near. He breaks our heart when he flinches if we make a sudden move.
He is a clown, a lover, funny, loving, so full of energy he wore us out. Boxer personality.
His age has slowed him to chase the ball twice and stop, struggles to get on sofa, has to take a flying leap because he can't climb, has to be lifted in the truck.
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| cigar smoker |
The conundrum is this... I would like to know what you pet lovers would do, in the comments please.
The drug the vet gave us to try for a week, Norvox Carprofen is so far working like a charm, Jake ran circles around the pool while Daddy swam, he gets up and down and climbs on sofa. It has only been 2 days and no side effects yet.... he became his boxer puppy.
The drug is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory NSAID used to reduce pain and inflammation, soreness due to osteoarthritis.
, like other drugs of its class, is not free from adverse reactions. It may take 2 to 4 weeks to find out about the reactions.
Adverse reactions may include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark or tarry stools, increased water consumption, increased urination, pale gums due to anemia, yellowing of gums, skin or white of the eye due to jaundice, lethargy, incoordination, seizure, or behavioral changes.
19 comments:
I recently finished taking a drug that has a large chance or tearing a tendon, and other bad things. I am O.K. All these side effects, but are they worse than what he is dealing with right now? Think about it. I would continue the drug. If bad side effects happen, then you can stop it. But it gives him back his life again, and that is no small thing. We have to think about quality of life. And what are the chances or percentages of getting any of these side effects? Most are low. Like people, each dog is different. I am going to have the nerves in my knee killed, lots of bad side effects like blood clots. BUT I would rather try this than continue with so much pain and can hardly walk. Let me know what you decide, it is hard, I know.
Hi Sandra, I believe I would continue the drug and let him enjoy life, unless some of the side effects become bad.
My cousin's wife was taking medications with horrible side effects. She said you have to weigh the difference. Which is worse, the side effects or the condition the medication is treating.
I would say if the drugs are helping him, go with them. It's possible he won't develop any side effects or even if he does they may be less severe than what he was dealing with before the drug.
Hari OM
Okay. Let me start by saying that the improvement in QOL being so marked, I agree that continuation seems worthwhile.
Now my medic hat is on (as well as being a life-long arthritic who has had to deal with all sorts from such medicines and ended up following the homoeopathic route due to the adverse effects of orthodox medicine...) There is much to recommend NSAIDS and the Norvox preparation does seem to be the least offensive of the range available currently. If you have been told that it can take a few weeks for any adverse effects to show, then it suggests the drug does not eliminate from the system particularly well and is a build-up situation. This, in turn, would have me considering the dosing. Vets and doctors will only prescribe according to the drug company's instructions... and long experience tells me that mostly that is far more than is actually necessary to effect therapeutic benefit. For example, as an asthmatic, in recent times I had to accept the need for the use of corticosteroids to prevent; the Rx was to take two puffs twice daily. I did that for two days and became a bag of nerves, shaking like a leaf. The homoeopathic head hit in and I dropped back to one puff every three to four days. Asthma is totally under control on that minimal dosing of the toxic drug.
For Jake, whilst that initial puppyhood return would be exciting, is it necessary to go 'that far back'. Would dropping the dosing provide the same benefit but have the added bonus of being less damaging to the system? Doesn't have to be as dramatic a drop as I gave myself - I'd begin with just halving it. If he still does okay, then maybe a quarter dose of that Rx. You will know if that is a drop too far and can then raise it again. QOL is the primary aim and I think there is a balance which can be achieved here.
Looking forward to hearing your decision and how Jake goes along. POTP... (plus some hugs and wags for your J-dog)... YAM xx
Its so hard when its our furbabies butt, my (non professional) advice would be to try Jake on the drug and see how he gets on. You'll know if its doing him any good and if the side effects are manageable. I finks its a test it and see. In the mean time I am sending POTP and healing licky kisses to Jake to help he feel lots better
Loves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
I would continue the med since he is feeling so much better and would take Yamini's thoughts on reducing dosage into consideration if negative sides affects begin to develop.
Then if reduction showed positive results with Jake being content and comfortable you and Bob would become the same.
Hello, it seems like the drug really helps Jake, I would continue. Yam does have good advice about decreasing the dosage if side effects are nasty.
Sending prayers and good wishes for Jake. Have a happy day!
Thus is really a tough decision, Sandra, and one that I would also have sought input. After reading the previous comments, it seems that most people favor keeping Jake on the meds and seeing hiw he does. The side effects I have seen cited for human drugs are scary too. And, it makes me wonder if the proposed cure is worse than the affliction, but none of us want to see our loved ones, humans or pets be hurting. Hope that Jake continues to feel better.
Aw sweet baby, I understand, age seems to slow us all down. It the meds help him then keep giving them to him. So long as he is comfy and doing well.
Sad to hear about the dog. All medicine for animals or humans there is side effects. But no other chance we have to take medicine to get well. Same way let he also take his medicines till nothing happens in the background:)
MS I'm a firm believer in quality of life. Goodness me this has surely given Jake an new lease on life and the ability to do what he loves. It must make your heart sing to see him enjoying life. Surely Bob has seen how good it is for him. Fingers crossed you can continue the meds.
Hugs Madi and Mom
What a lift y'all must have felt seeing Jake-boy trotting around! That said, I wholeheartedly agree what others have said about continuing the meds. Yamini sure had a good point about cutting them down.
Those commercials citing "possible side effects" are enough to scare a grown man! As they did in Tom's case. I'm not 100% certain, but I told him even if ONE patient has an adverse reaction, drug companies are mandated to disclose it. I cling to the key word, "possible."
I can't say one way or another that choice has to be YOU & BOB
I don't have dogs or pets except my "Granddogger"
The advice that Yamini has given sounds like the best.
Like us humans...each one is made just a bit differently. If we took everything that is advertised on tv and listened to all the side effects I think we would curl up in a corner someplace.
Keep an eye on Jake and enjoy your Boxer pup just as long as you can.
Well,I would continue it. If he continues to get better - feel good - and the side affects are minimum you will know - so if things change and bad things start happening then you will know what to do in that way. A hard decision, but I think that is what I would do. Hugs, sandie
I agree with the majority on the QOL improvement...that being said, I also agree with Yamini, maybe try cutting back the dosage and see if he does just as well with a smaller dose.
We have use that drug with all of our dogs when they were elderly. Only one of them, our black dog, has had any trouble with it. In his case, we saw no symptoms. However, the routine bloodwork that our vet requires if you're using that drug showed that his liver enzymes were elevated about a month after he started taking it regularly. We stopped it, and his liver enzymes went back to normal. So, my feeling is that it's OK to use it as long as you watch your dog very closely, and do the blood tests that are recommended for a dog who is taking it regularly. Especially for Jake's stage of life, it seems worth the risk to give him some puppy like days, as long as you are keeping close tabs on him. I know how tough these decisions are so I am sending you hugs as you navigate this decision.
I think the decision depends on the side effects he may get. If he doesn't have any then I would keep him on it. Sounds like it is making him feel better which is a beautiful thing. I myself hate to be on drugs but I have to. Skye has to be on Advantage II for fleas. I hate having to put chemicals on her. I was going to stop and use a natural spray and ended up at the vet with her today. See, she is allergic to flea bites. She has to have the product on her all the time. She has been miserable for a few weeks. The most important thing is for Mark to spray the yard every four weeks. He has been very last about that and she has gotten an invasion of bites. So she was given some meds to help her through this attack.
I know I would continue it, but I immediately thought reduce the amount if possible. BUT, keep in mind that they have to list the side effect if say it is one in a thousand that had it. Or maybe one in ten thousand. That is what my brother always says when I talk about the side effects being worse than the problem in some drugs and he always comes back that it is usually just one or two in a very big number.
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