Dr. Shawn’s Blog

How to Use NSAIDS Safely

November 21, 2011 on 6:16 pm | In General Posts | No Comments

NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications) are commonly used (I would say overused) in people and pets with various inflammatory conditions, especially osteoarthritis. It has been conservatively estimated at approximately 20,000 people die from NSAID related deaths each year, and this only includes those patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis for whom NSAID therapy has been prescribed (it does not include over-the-counter usage or usage for any other problems.) Similar figures are not available for veterinary patients, but clinical experience has convinced me that NSAIDs do contribute to a variety of medical problems in our older patients. Therefore, it’s vitally important that if and when NSAID therapy is necessary for our arthritic pets, they be used as safely as possible to minimize side effects, decrease costs, and reduce the number of preventable deaths due to this potent class of medication.

In my practice, most older arthritic dogs and cats rarely require regular NSAID therapy. Instead, a number of natural therapies are used to minimize pain, decrease inflammation, and help damaged joints heal. These natural therapies can include but are not limited to high-dose fish oil, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory herbs and homeopathics, cold level laser therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture. Nonsteroidals are only given by the owner when the pet experiences a particularly painful day. On that day, owners are instructed to use an initial dose of no more than 50% of the label or typically prescribed dosage. This lower dosing regimen is usually adequate to make the pet comfortable and yet not experience any side effects.

Using nonsteroidals in this way (low dosage, as needed basis) is the safest way to control pain and inflammation.