Skin lumps, hip dysplasia, joint pain, kennel cough, and even seizures are a few of the many symptoms that dogs can suddenly manifest. Beginning treatment early at the first signs of distress can definitely help bring your pet some relief. In the rapidly growing world of pet pharmaceuticals, many drugs are available to improve the quality of your dog’s life. Access to information regarding symptoms and drug relief for these conditions is now easily available to all pet owners.
What are some of the ways that drugs can help my dog? Dogs occasionally grow small or large lumps on their skin, and with so many types and causes a biopsy is a good diagnostic tool. After draining or surgical removal, antibiotics can treat any infection present, while a stronger drug regimen will help stop cancerous growths.
We have all witnessed dogs who suffer from stiffness in their hips and joints. Canine arthritis can begin to set in as early as four of five years in the larger breeds, and at age seven or eight years for the smaller and medium dogs. Drugs such as Metacam to relieve pain from arthritis are now on the market, as well as supplements like MSM, Chondrotin, or Glucosamine to offer support for chronic inflammation if your dog is sore.
Epilepsy or seizures, are among the most common canine disorders, and currently Primidone is the anticonvulsant approved for use on dogs. A study at North Carolina State College is under way to help develop more drugs to combat this disorder.
Kennel cough, also known as canine tracheobronchitis or bordetella, has several different causes and can usually be traced to recent exposure to other dogs. Symptoms can be a dry hacking cough or retching, sometimes accompanied by a watery, runny nose. A couple of treatment options are administering cough suppressants, and antibiotics in more severe cases.
Both Petplace.com and Peteducation.com have an excellent drug library with an alphabetical list of common drugs veterinarians prescribe for dogs, including links to articles with more information about their use. Sites like VetRxDirect, Allivet, or 1800PetMeds offer a plethora of new canine drugs with names ranging from Dextrmethorphan to Rimadyl for symptoms of anxiety, parasites, obesity and motion sickness, as well as for the more serious afflictions mentioned earlier. Do your dog a favor if he has symptoms or is suffering with pain–help him with a diagnosis and prescription. There really are drugs to help our dogs get some relief.