Dr. Mike Talks About NSAID’s

Blog post written for an international veterinary stem cell therapy company

If you happened to catch Dr. Mike’s radio show on May 22, Animal General, on Pittsburgh’s KDKA Newsradio 1020, you probably heard the story about Tigger, a five-year-old Boxer. Tigger tore his ACL ligament, which is an athletic injury that is not uncommon in dogs. Tigger’s veterinarian conducted surgery on the leg, which is a common and effective way of treating the condition. After surgery, the vet prescribed Deramex, an anti-inflammatory painkiller. This is a commonly prescribed painkiller and often works very well.

However, about a month later, Tigger started experiencing some abdominal discomfort and would not eat. When his owner took him to the veterinarian, they checked him out, did some blood work, and determined that his kidneys and other organs were functioning fine. He was sent home. Later, his owner brought him back to an emergency vet because she was becoming increasingly concerned. The emergency vet found that the Deramex had caused a perforation in the stomach, which then caused the stomach’s contents seep out into the body. Tigger fought valiantly for a few days, but the problem was too severe and he did pass away.

The point of this story is not to bash Deramex, or any other medications for that matter. These medications help many animals all the time. The point is to educate yourself about the possible side effects of the drug. Ask your veterinarian any questions you have about the medication, including dosage, whether it should be taken with food, if it has any adverse reactions to other drugs. Learn to recognize the signs that something may be amiss and don’t hesitate to visit the vet if you are concerned.