Pain Medications for Dogs With Arthritis

Arthritis affects both humans and animals. Dogs suffering from the pain of arthritis whine and lay around a lot. While a human might take a pain reliever for the pain of arthritis, human medications, like ibuprofen, should not be given to a dog in pain without first consulting a veterinarian. Veterinarians are the only persons qualified to decide what medication to give to a dog suffering from arthritis.

  1. NSAIDs

    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to control the pain of arthritis in both humans and dogs. NSAIDs commonly prescribed to dogs include etodolac, carprofen, deracoxib, tepoxalin and others. The NSAIDs help to reduce inflammation, joint pain, swelling and stiffness from arthritis. Most NSAIDs are delivered in tablet form, but a few, like meloxicam, come as an oral drop or as an injectable liquid. NSAIDs have dangerous side effects in dogs so they should be used only as prescribed by a veterinarian.

    Robaxin

    • Methocarbamol, also known as Robaxin, is a muscle relaxer, not a pain medication. However, it helps lessen the severity of arthritis pain in dogs by acting on their nervous systems to relax their muscles and provide them some relief from arthritis pain. Methocarbamol is one of the safer drugs used for pain control in arthritic dogs.

    Dissociative Anesthetic Agents

    • Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic agent, has been found to relive pain in dogs when applied directly to the skin in the form of a paste or a cream. It has also been suggested that dogs could take Ketamine by mouth, but not enough studies have been conducted to confirm this theory. Ketamine is also considered an NMDA receptor antagonist, which helps ease the sensation of pain.

    Tramadol

    • Tramadol, also known as Ultram, is a derivative of codeine. It is an opiate-like drug but, because it is not actually an opiate, it is not considered a controlled substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It contains the same pain relieving effects as codeine but with fewer side effects than codeine. Unfortunately, tramadol has a bitter taste and is accepted more readily by dogs if mixed in food. It is generally given to the dog twice daily but can be given more frequently if needed and approved by a veterinarian.

    Nontraditional Pain Relievers

    • Just as humans have turned toward alternative therapies for pain, so have veterinarians. Many veterinarians are now prescribing omega-3 fatty acids and acupuncture as a means of helping alleviate arthritis pain. Because animals can't tell their doctors what works and what does not work, some skepticism remains about whether acupuncture or omega-3 fatty acids truly work in dogs to alleviate arthritis pain.