Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of drugs commonly used to treat dogs and cats with osteoarthritis. Examples of these drugs include Rimadyl, Onsior, Previcox, and Metacam. Osteoarthritis is defined as an inflammation of a joint and can lead to the progressive deterioration of the joint’s cartilage, termed as degenerative joint disease. NSAID drugs have an immense benefit in improving your pet’s quality of life by reducing the pain and inflammation caused by this debilitating condition.
The advantages of using chronic NSAIDs generally outweigh the disadvantages, however it is advisable to test your pet’s liver and kidney function as the breakdown and elimination of these drugs may be affected by liver and/or kidney disease. This in turn may affect the drug dosage/usage. It is therefore recommended to test your pet’s liver and kidney function by routine blood tests every 6 months so as to be able to carefully monitor the treatment protocol.
The inclusive cost for these blood tests is R625.
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