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Treating Canine Arthritis Pain With Tramadol for Dogs

also see Arthritis Dog Treatment 

also see Canine Joint Disease 

also see Cosequin Cat 

also see Arthritis Medicine 

also see Arthritis Dogs Symptoms 

also see Cat Ailments

also see Cats Joint

Symptoms of canine arthritis can be controlled and treated using Tramadol for Dogs, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. This medicine reduces inflammation, thus relieving pain and fighting disease progression.

Canine Arthritis

Canine arthritis, or osteoarthritis, kills cells that manufacture cartilage. It also kills the cartilage itself. This results in extreme joint pain, as the bones grind against each other without the cushion and tension relief provided by cartilage. The disease is progressive and usually develops as a result of infection, trauma or nutritional disorders.

Large dogs are more at risk for canine arthritis because of the constant, heavy pressure on their joints. Older dogs are more prone to osteoarthritis as the body cannot recover as quickly from the stress on its joints and as cell function simply slows down.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

Early treatment will delay progression.

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol is an anti-inflammatory that is widely used to fight canine arthritis. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that keeps enzymes from helping inflammatory biochemicals produce. The agent targets the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase, which facilitates production of inflammatory agents. By inhibiting this enzyme, tramadol reduces inflammation and concurrently relieves pain.

Tramadol is prescribed to fight canine arthritis, but it can also be used in conjunction with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in order to prevent side effects such as liver or kidney problems. Tramadol is also used by itself to fight canine arthritis on all levels. Nursing mothers can be given tramadol, since it is not passed on through the milk.

Administering Tramadol

Tramadol is usually prescribed as immediate release tablets and administered as needed every four to six hours. The tablet can be taken with or without food. Extended release tablets are also available and are given daily instead of as needed. They are also administered as a whole tablet and not ground or chewed.

Tramadol Side Effects

While tramadol keeps inflammatory biochemicals from producing, it also keeps helpful biochemicals from forming.

This could result in some unpleasant side effects such as:

Some more serious side effects include:

These typically result from overdose. Reduce the tramadol dosage if your dog develops abnormal behavior.

Dogs that are taking selective serotonin inhibitors, such as Prozac, while taking tramadol may suffer from seizures or serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal. Interaction with other drugs such as tranquilizers, narcotics or anesthetics can greatly handicap the central nervous and respiratory systems.

Tramadol is a recognized canine arthritis treatment that generally does not cause harmful side effects. The medicine can help your dog cope with the pain of osteoarthritis and also keep the disease from spreading.

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