This question showed up on the Pelvic Fractures post today:
> My precious Schnauzer/Yorky mix was hit by a car & broke her hip 7 years ago. She has healed and walks on her leg from time to time but I have noticed great sensitivity when I touch her leg lately.(nerve damage?)She goes under the bed a lot which tells me she is in pain.I would love to find a natural alternative to help her with pain and possible arthiritis. I did have her on Previcox at one time but it seemed to upset her already sensitive stomach.Somebody recommended a joint pill by Drs foster& Smith.i would love to get your input on this. Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.Hello, Celeste,
With the history you have given, I would be very much surprised if your dog did NOT have arthritis. Arthritis is defined as inflammation of a joint. Pain is included in the definition of inflammation. Any dog may experience wear and tear on the joint with age, but when there has been an injury, it will almost certainly be worse.
The injury usually produces an irregular joint surface or an imperfect mating of the two bones in the joint. This will cause more wear and cause it sooner than one would expect in a normal joint. Irregularity and loss of the flexible,smooth cartilage coating will lead to bone-on-bone contact and this is painful.
Previcox is one of a large group of drugs referred to as NSAIDs, short for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In other words, they are drugs to relieve pain and inflammation that are not some form of cortisone. Cortisone is a great anti-inflammatory drug, but has many other side-effects in the body.
The NSAIDs have fewer side-effects than the cortisone, but they still have side-effects. Most common are GI problems, ranging from loose stools, to blood in the stool, to vomiting, to bleeding ulcers. If a big overdose is given, they can damage the kidneys. As with any drug, you can also have idiosyncratic reactions, meaning that some individuals just cannot tolerate the medicine, even though most do fine with it.
Over the counter NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve). You really should consult your veterinarian before giving ANY of these to any pet. There have been reports of a bleeding ulcer after a dog receiving a single dose of ibuprofen.
As with people, sometimes an individual has poor tolerance for one NSAID, but does well with another. If your dog did poorly with Previcox, Rimadyl might work fine. You just have to try it and see. It is important to do this in cooperation with your veterinarian. Do NOT combine the drugs, as you can cause serious, even fatal, side effects by doing so.
In summary, to answer your question, I would recommend starting some type of glucosamine supplement. I think Adequan would be definitely worth trying. I would also consider trying Rimadyl or Metacam to see if your dog does better with those than with Previcox.
Non-medical alternatives include physical therapy, acupuncture, therapeutic laser, massage, and veterinary chiropractic. It is often difficult to find access to a veterinarian with expertise in these areas, though. My friend, Dr. Ava Frick is one of the best.
Good luck.

