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Jun 14, 2023

Shepherd has arthritis, tummy troubles

Dear Dr. John, Our German Shepherd is 13 years old and was diagnosed last year

Dear Dr. John,

Our German Shepherd is 13 years old and was diagnosed last year as being anemic, found to have a mass on her spleen, had it removed, and luckily it was benign. Arthritis has set in, and our vet gave us Rimadyl which seems to work well but it is costly! I understand there is a generic version which costs less but is it equally effective? She has had intermittent diarrhea and an upset stomach with some regularity. Tests have shown no parasites. She does have a propensity to get into various things that she ingests outdoors such as feces from wildlife and even garbage. Can I give her Tums to settle her stomach? Most of the time, the diarrhea resolves. Sometimes there is also some vomiting. What do you suggest? I am almost too embarrassed to contact my vet about the same issue again and again. W.M.

Dear W.M.,

Let me start by saying that I am happy for you that the splenic mass proved to be benign since so many are malignant hemangiosarcomas that often lead to a very shortened life. The NSAID drug, Rimadyl, is my favorite drug of choice when such a medication is called for. As with most drugs, generic options are available, and you can surely ask your veterinarian to order or prescribe it for your dog. It's worth a try to see if the efficacy is the same. If not, you can always go back to what you are using now.

As for the gastrointestinal issues, the first thing is that you need to be vigilant in watching what she ingests. I suspect that, given the history, a lot of what you see is due to her eating things that she shouldn't. Tums is not something you should give your dog! It has an ingredient known as xylitol which is highly toxic to dogs. If your dog has an upset stomach, giving Pepcid or Prilosec could be used safely but do not do so without consulting with your veterinarian first. It is not uncommon that pet owners reach for over-the-counter human medications for common ailments but, while some may be safe to give, dosing can be much different or inappropriate all together. The good news is that it seems your old dog's GI issues often resolve spontaneously. Never hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

Dr. John de Jong owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic.He can be reached at 781-899-9994.

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