# Rimadyl or Adequan for hip problems?



## littledaisies (Mar 6, 2009)

I have an 8 yo German Shepherd that had hip replacement surgery 4 years ago for her hip dysplasia. At the time we only had the surgery on her right hip because it was much worse then the left. The vet said that most likely the left hip will cause her problems as she gets older and we might need to have the surgery on the left. 

Well we have noticed she's been limping a lot on the left foot and we're trying to decide what the best option is. If it was financially possible I would get another surgery but that's not possible now. We're trying to help with the pain with medication. I've heard good and bad things about Rimadyl. I've tried Adequan with her and it's helped somewhat but not as much as I would like it to. 

Does anyone use Rimadyl on a daily basis for their pet? Do you see any negative effects? If you have a pet with hip problems, what are you using for it? Any advice would really be appreciated. Thanks!!


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## Xie (Feb 5, 2009)

It really depends on the dog what pain medication is best.

It's important to understand that Adequan is not a pain med. It helps to lubricate the joints but won't help stop any pain. It works on some cases and not on others.

In my own experience we have a 1 and a half year old mix (maybe hound and chow) that has horrible joints. By 6 months she had had double FHO surgeries (the removal of the femoral head so that it can't rub against the socket), at a year she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, now she's on deramaxx because of stifle issues that there is no surgery to correct.

She was on rimadyl for about two months but started to show signs of liver issues. We switched her from that to deramaxx and so far so good, even though both drugs are NSAIDs. If she starts having trouble with that we will switch her over to tramadol which is an opiate based pain reliever (like morphine, but milder). Tramadol has much fewer side effects but it also has no anti-inflammatory properties. 

Basically all this to say that there are tons of options and the best thing to do is to sit down with your vet and discuss various medications. You should also ask about starting a glucosamine/chondrotin supplementation. It probably won't be a miracle if the Adequan isn't helping that much but it certainly can't hurt.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

Adequan injections worked for my dog with OCD, left shoulder. We started with weekly, gradually increasing the time span between treatment. That was 6 yrs. ago. All he gets now is Cosequin DS. Rimadyl almost killed him.


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## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

We've used Rimadyl in almost all of our pets at some point or another, and have had seniors take it daily (as needed) for arthritis. In giving any NSAID long term, especially Rimadyl, you need to have pre-med bloodwork run and then check liver & kidney values at least every 6 months (per the manufacturer). We've never had any problems with it. 

Any drug can have side effects, even serious side effects. With Rimadyl, you'll usually you'll see a bad reaction within the first 48 hours and you should discontinue use if you do. Just talk to your doctor about the side effects (which you should do for any drug they prescribe) and give it a try. It's a pretty safe NSAID.


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## Wimble Woof (Jan 16, 2007)

I had a Rottie mix with severe HD and arthritis, the last year we had him we had put him on Rimadyl but on vets advice we also had him on Milk thistle to help with the liver damage.
Apple Cider Vinegar ( unpasturized) is also great for a dog with HD. google acv for dogs and read up on it. It also helps repair the liver. I add ACV to every water dish in the house, it's a great all around "tonic" for man and beast.
Depending on the severity of the HD, a good Glusamine, MSM, and Condroitin suppliment "can" help as well.


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