Dogs, like humans, suffer from various pain-related illnesses from time to time. The pain may be acute or chronic. It could also be nociceptive or neuropathic.
When your pooch is visibly in pain, your first instinct will be to rush to the nearest veterinary clinic and procure the best analgesic medications you can find.
Carprofen is one of the most commonly prescribed pain medications for dogs. Most vets laud this drug for its incredible efficacy and relatively lower risks of adverse effects.
But how effective is Carprofen? Does this drug live up to the hype?
Read below as we unpack the top five reasons to administer Carprofen to your dog.
What Is Carprofen?
Carprofen has become a go-to pain relief medication for dogs. There are several reasons to consider administering this drug to your pooch.
But before we delve deeper into the benefits of Carprofen for dogs, it’s only fair that we start by introducing this drug.
Carprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that belongs in the carbazole and propionic acid group. The drug was originally available for pharmacological use in both humans and animals. However, it’s now prescribed almost exclusively for animal use.
Carprofen has proven effective at improving several medical conditions in dogs. However, it has been more extensively studied for its analgesic properties.
Does Carprofen Go By Other Names?
Carprofen is also known by the brand name Rimadyl. The drug goes by many other brand names around the world, including;
- Canidryl
- Rovera
- Carprox
- Novox
- Quellin
- Carprodul
- Rycarfa
- Norocarp
- Carprieve
- Vetprofen
- Rimifin
- Levafen
- Carprodyl
Reasons to Use Carprofen for Relieving Dog Pain
- Carprofen Is a Powerful Analgesic
The primary reason to administer Carprofen to your dog is that this medication is incredibly potent. The drug relieves pain by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) activity.
Cyclooxygenase activity involves the two cyclooxygenase isoenzymes – COX-1 and COX-2. These isoenzymes exert their analgesic effects by stimulating the production of prostaglandins, levuloglandins, and thromboxane.
Of the three chemicals, prostaglandins play the biggest role in pain management. The compound is involved in several physiological and pathological functions through its reversible effects on G-protein coupled membrane receptors, resulting in pain relief.
By targeting the very mechanism of pain transmission across the body, Carprofen plays a direct role in pain management.
- Carprofen Can be Effective Against Different Types of Pain
As already hinted, pain falls into diverse categories. Common ones include nociceptive and neuropathic pain.
Nociceptive pain is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against harmful actions or substances. This type of pain is usually acute in nature. Noteworthy causes include sharp objects and physical accidents.
On the other hand, neuropathic pain is due to continued damage to the nervous system. This form of pain typically results from chronic medical conditions.
Carprofen can treat both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. The drug is effective against chronic canine illnesses like osteoarthritis just as it is against causes of acute pain in dogs, such as postoperative pain.
- Carprofen May Treat Inflammation Too
Inflammation and pain typically go hand in hand. The two conditions may either exist concurrently or have a cause-effect relationship.
So, it’s unsurprising that many analgesic medications also tend to possess anti-inflammatory properties.
Carprofen is one of the numerous medications that can treat canine pain and inflammation. The drug’s anti-inflammatory properties also have much to do with its inhibitory effects on the cyclooxygenase isoenzymes COX-1 and COX-2.
Canine osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and cancerous tumors are some of the inflammatory conditions in dogs that you can treat using Carprofen. While the drug may not necessarily reverse these conditions, it can improve the associated symptoms like stiffness and immobility.
- Carprofen Can Be Administered In Various Ways
One of the major challenges dog owners often have to deal with is choosing the best drug delivery method for their canine friends. This is especially a problem for pet parents raising skittish dogs or those living with mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Fortunately, it’s reassuring to know that Carprofen comes in different formulations, making it remarkably easy to administer to dogs. You can find the drug in caplets, chewables, and injectables. Caplets and chewable tablets work best for nervous dogs who may put up a fuss at the sight of a needle. These delivery methods also provide long-lasting benefits. However, the effects can take considerably longer to kick in.
Injectables are a faster method to deliver Carprofen to your dog’s bloodstream. The only drawback is that this method is ideal for nervous canines.
- Carprofen Is Relatively Safe
Not only is Carprofen effective at managing pain in dogs. The drug is also relatively safer than most canine analgesic medications. That explains why it has since been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, as with any drug, Carprofen can produce certain adverse effects.
According to Drugs.com, the most commonly reported side effects are gastrointestinal complications like nausea, inappetence, vomiting, diarrhea, and tarry stools. You may also observe increased water consumption followed by increased urination.
In severe cases, Carprofen may trigger gastrointestinal ulceration, pale gums, hypersensitive skin reactions, urinary problems, and liver damage.
