Bad medicine

[Belle96]

MY dog took a popular medicine for arthritis last week for the first time. On the 3rd day he began vomiting blood(dark brown with small blood clots) It was the weelend so I called a vet out of town I knew and he said yes this was a side effect. I fed him pedialite through a syringe and pepto bismol. Saturday he threw up 20 times. Sunday only 3 times. By Monday he was still weak but not vomiting and was able to keep down small amounts of rice and ground chicken. He barked to go out this morning and seemed more active. I did not give the pepto because I did not want him constipated but did feed another small amount of rice and chicken. about 4 hours later he threw up the rice and this time it was a dark green bile. My vet out of state said the medicine might cause liver and kidney damage as well as the stomach ulcers. No need to take him to the local vet since they cannot do anything for him other than what I am doing at home. I gave him more pepto until I can get to the store for Pepcid. What can I do to make him comfortable if he is not going to rally?

[Belle96]

I agree with you on allergies but the rice, even when cooked to mush would not stay down. I will be moving to a town soon where there is a tractor supply and will try that try food you mentioned. Max still has an occasional day where he refuses food except for cheese. Since it does not bind him up I give him what he wants till his stomach stops growling. I do worry about long term effects of the medication. Thank goodness I will soon be back in my hometown and have access to a vet I worked for and trust with Max's long term care. He's happy and not in pain and that is important to me.

[Jerry_NJ]

Sounds like the vet change was a good move.

Good for you for giving your dogs such careful loving care, I'm sure that helps them emotionally too.

As for the egg noodles, I question, many dogs a have allergies (from digestive to skin problems) caused by grains..that's why many kibbles are available in "grain free".... I'm not a fan of Science Diet.  On the moderate price side I like Tractor Supply 4 Health foods, both the Kibble (grain free first choice) and canned.  

Good luck.

[Belle96]

The medicine is Previcox and at the same time my Boston/boxer mix ( he is 7 years old and weighs 85 pounds) was fighting to survive, another dog from the same vet, also prescribed this arthritis medication, was undergoing surgery for a hole eaten in her stomach by the medicine. Max has made a complete recovery after I spent 72 hrs giving him pepto and pedialite with a basting syringe, There is no way to tell if he will not have other problems farther down the road since the pills also cause pancreas and liver damage. Max is now on Pepcid ac with each meal and is eating no treats except for dog biscuits and his food is a small amount of science diet dry and boiled chicken mixed with egg noodles. The other dog also survived but the vet expenses for this poor lady were through the roof and she also will have to have regular tests for liver disease as will Max. I still take max to the vet but will now only see the older vet, not the younger more apparently progressive vet who not only x-rayed the wrong leg when I had max in the office, but swore by the previcox.

[Jerry_NJ]

I read the medicine (pain med) is worse than the pain, and more dangerous.

I'd surely not give any more pain med, I thrown them out or keep them to sue the company.  

Can you limit the activity that causes you dog the most pain?  What is its age, and breed?

I know there are pain meds that don't have the "side effects" if that's what "they" call them, your dog is suffering.  Ask you vet.

Good luck and let us know more about the dangerous drug you have used so we can ask questions if we have a vet prescribing the same stuff.