Re: [pyrnet] mel's injury

["Tracy Bassett" <espinay@bigpond.com>]

<<It annoys me to no end that Rimadyl is prescribed in such a cavalier
manner, when severe side effects are known.>> Barb Bowes


I am with you on this one Barb.  Particularly when there are perfectly
suitable alternatives available!

I recently had a discussion with my vet about the long term management of
the arthritis (trauma induced) in one of my dogs front legs.  Being in a
position where glucosamine will have a minimal/no effect (it is not on a
joint) we need to seek other means of management for a condition we expect
to deteriorate over time.  When discussing options for various levels of
treatment, we looked at a number of anti-inflammatories that we could use.
Rimadyl was not one of them as my vet is aware of my aversion to that
particular drug (I will admit I have never heard him recommend it anyway).
As it is, any serious anti-inflammatory  etc is for use further down the
track.  At the moment we are managing the situation with milder means (I am
using a herbal/homeopathic approach at present) until stronger methods
become absolutely necessary.  This go slowly method was in fact suggested by
my (allopathic) vet.

Now, my vet is not perfect though.  I was in there the other day to get my
new kitten checked over (little going feral birman cross rescued by one of
my clients - can you say sucker?) Her eyes were very gunky so he gave me a
tube of ointment for them. Got home and read the label which had printed on
it in big capital letters "THIS PRODUCT SHOULD ONLY BE USED WHEN THERE IS NO
SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE".  Huh! Tube went in cupboard and I washed the kittens
eyes with a german chamomile hydrosol instead.  Gunky eyes gone in two days.
Seems there WAS an alternative.

Tracy Bassett
Murrumbateman, Australia
espinay@bigpond.com