Dog Hip Joint Medication - Vet’s Advice On Dog Hip Joint Medication

What is the best dog hip joint medication?

Dog hip joint medications recommendations will vary depending on the severity of the problem. Older dogs that may be in the early stages of arthritis, or dogs with mild hip dysplasia may benefit from nutraceuticals such as glucosamine and chondroitin as the dog hip joint medication of choice. Glucosamine and chondroitin help provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. There are several veterinary formulations of glucosamine and chondroitin including Cosequin® (Nutramax), CosequinDS® (Nutramax), Restor-A-Flex® (Fort Dodge) and various generic preparations. Human formulations can be used off label for dogs and are supplied by numerous drug companies with a variety of trade names and various generic preparations.

Dogs with more pain in the hips may benefit from additioal dog hip medications.

For example, glucosamine in addition to a non-steroidal antiflammatory medication (commonly referred to as NSAID medications) might be used. Common NSAID's include Rimadyl®, Metacam®, Deramaxx®, Ectogesic® or others. For more information on hip dysplasia, click here.