4 out of 10 dogs suffer from arthritis and most of those dogs will be older dogs. The pain is often caused by excess weight, hip dysplasia and any other physical conditions, making it impossible for them to move properly and ultimately affecting their life quality. In this situation, you might be considering getting your dog an arthritis injection.
In this article we will be looking at the various injections for dogs with joint pain.
Dog Arthritis Injection: The Various Types with Their Pros/Cons
Note: Availability of injections may vary depending on your location – so please check with your vet.
Here are 5 common dog arthritis treatment injections recommended by vets.
#1. Adequan Injections for Dogs
Adequan Canine Injection is one of the most highly recommended for treating osteoarthritis disease. However, adequan for dogs is only actively administered when a vet starts noticing the first clinical symptoms of the disease.
Adequan in dogs doesn’t become effective after the cartilage is damaged.
Dog Adequan Injection contains polysulfated glucosaminoglycan, an active ingredient capable of providing fast relief to the body. The Adequan injection site for dogs is mostly the joints so that the fluid can travel to the synovial joints and begin to restore damaged or inflamed tissues. However, when administering adequan for dogs, the specific action mechanism is unknown, but the fluid should have reached the joints within two hours.
Adequan shot is only administered twice weekly for a period of four weeks, after which it is discontinued. That means there are only 8 injections. Also, the approved Adequan loading dose for dogs is 2 mg/lb body weight (1 mL/50lb or 0.02 mL/lb). You should check Adequan shots for dogs cost before opting for the treatment.
That being said, for Adequan shots for dogs, there are certain do’s and don’t’s.
- First, the Adequan injectable for dogs is only administered as an intramuscular (IM) injection.
- Second, the Adequan dose dogs shouldn’t be more than the required amount.
- Thirdly, Adequan shots dogs must never be mixed with other drugs or solvents.
- Lastly, the Adequan injection dose dogs should only be used within 28 days of the first puncture. And in total, the number of punctures should be 10.
You should see improvements with Adequan canine injectable for dogs within one month. Overall, your dog’s mobility would be extended over a lifetime with Adequan arthritis treatment.
#2. Cartrophen Injections for Dogs
Apart from Adequan for arthritis in dogs, Cartrophen Vet Injection is another administered treatment for joint pain. This injection is formulated to contain Pentosan polysulfate, which is an active ingredient in treating osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia. There is also Cartrophen injection for humans designed for the same purpose of joint pain alleviation and arthritis.
Even though this treatment is administered either as Cartrophen Injections or Cartrophen tablets for dogs, it seems the best way to restore a dog’s health. Most vets recommend dog arthritis injection Cartrophen because it is fast, effective, and less time-consuming. As a matter of fact, Cartrophen dogs are likely to get better in the second week of treatment, just like Cartrophen humans. The only con is that it often comes with side effects such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy.
Cartrophen shots for dogs are administered depending on your dog’s weight. However, the treatment runs a full course for four weeks – one injection per week.
You might also enjoy reading: Understanding Cartrophen Injections For Dogs: The Comprehensive Guide
#3. Cortisone for Dogs Arthritis
Cortisone is a hormone in dogs released in response to body injuries, diseases, and illnesses. However, this hormone can also be administered as a medication – Cartisone injection for dogs arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and hot spots.
Cartisone is one of the safest treatments for joint pains and is effective only short term. The dosage is recommended by a vet and is often calculated based on the dog’s state/medical history, size, and the severity of the illness. Cartisone shots for dogs with arthritis take between one to two hours to act but can be within your dog’s body for 8 to 12 weeks.
Cortisone injections for dogs with arthritis are administered into the joints – ankle, elbow, hip, knee, shoulder, but there are side effects such as reduced energy, appetite loss, frequent thirst and urination, weight gain, nausea, and panting.
#4. Zydax
On Pentosan injection for dogs, Zydax is another interesting choice that slows osteoarthritis disease. It is a new dog arthritis injection with long-term effects. This injection is often recommended if dogs don’t show the early stages of arthritis and hip or joint pains. Likewise, Zydax injection for dogs helps prevent your pet from developing the disease as they grow older.
As a new arthritis injection for dogs, it has received wide acceptance because it works in different ways:
- First, this arthritis dog injection stimulates cartilage producing cells to produce new healthy ones.
- The dog joint injection attacks destructive enzymes to reduce cartilage damage.
- It also improves the flow of blood and ensures adequate nutrition to the joints.
- Furthermore, it is one of the arthritis treatment of dogs injections capable of reducing swelling and blocking inflammation.
- Zydax, being one of the safest cartilage injections for dogs, is administered weekly for a period of 4 weeks (1 month). Restoration of life quality should start being visible by the second injection.
Zydax injection dogs should experience relief between 3 to 6 months until a veterinarian approves the dog fit or recommends another series of arthritis shots for dogs.
The interesting things about this new injection for arthritis in dogs are that there are no long-term or short-term side effects and can be used safely with other medications.
#5. Steroid Injections for Dogs With Arthritis
Steroid treatment is not a new injection for dogs with arthritis, but it has been redeveloped to serve certain purposes. One of them is Triamcinolone, one of the common treatments recommended to humans and even animals. As one of the steroid injections for dogs arthritis, its repeated or long-term use is detrimental to the body, especially the cartilage.
Sterioid shots for dogs with arthritis should only be administered as a last resort, i.e. when there are no cartilages left. Furthermore, this dog osteoarthritis injection can help reduce inflammation and joint pain. Interestingly, this injection for dogs for arthritis can be combined with other drugs or solvents capable of pain alleviation and joint restoration.
The steroid shot for dog arthritis is administered once, and after that, improvements can be seen for up to 12 weeks. It can be recommended as a monthly injection for arthritis in dogs further if the vet thinks it is necessary.
Nonetheless, this steroid injection dog arthritis often gives your pet a chance at living healthy.
Conclusion
There are different Canine arthritis injections with their benefits, pros, and cons. Thus, choosing injections for dogs hips or joints pain can be difficult, but you need to focus on what benefits your dog the most and your budget.
