Scooter's creatinine levels up after one month on Deramaxx

[bc4ever]

Talked to vet today and she said she was concerned because his creatinine levels were up from 1.3 when he started the Deramaxx a month ago to 1.7 yesterday. Wants him off the Deramaxx. Suggested using the PhyCox chews supplements and Utram/Tramadol for pain if needed, then retest in about three weeks. He's been doing so well on these meds--no limping, full of energy. The Utram seems to make him a little dopey at first, then he gets really hyper and wild eyed. Are these levels considered high and would that necessarily mean he should be taken off them? I certainly don't want to damage his kidneys, but he's had no visible signs of a problem. Just wondering.

[bcnewe2]

How bout just treating him when he's sympotmatic? That's what I do with Mick. We use tramadol for flair-ups that need more than the occasional dermaxx. I'm courious, did you vet mention keeping him on Dermaxx because it works best if built up in his system? One vet told me that about Deramaxx and I had never heard that before. I use it, with approval from my vet on an as needed basis.

[bc4ever]

How bout just treating him when he's sympotmatic? That's what I do with Mick. We use tramadol for flair-ups that need more than the occasional dermaxx. I'm courious, did you vet mention keeping him on Dermaxx because it works best if built up in his system? One vet told me that about Deramaxx and I had never heard that before. I use it, with approval from my vet on an as needed basis.

The vet that I talked to wasn't his regular vet, she was one of the other vets in the practice. No one ever mentioned that it needed to build up in his system, although I think when the Deramaxx was first prescribed, she thought it would have to be a life long thing, unless we did surgery for the HD. I had wondered about giving it every other day. As needed would probably be okay too since it seemed to work so quickly for him. Will have to run it by his vet when she gets back in town. She takes a totally different approach than the vet I talked to today. We were just so encouraged because he was his old self. I hate to see him hurting and limping again, but as I said before, I don't want to damage his kidneys either.

[bcnewe2]

Just hold on and you will get there. Mick isn't limping or unhappy hardly at all. He does have his bad days and on those days he gets meds. But generally he is a happy, ok feeling dog. I won't say he feels great all the time but niether do I...I chalk mine off to old age and hard use.

But I know you'll get this figured out. You want it bad enough that I see you won't quit till you do. I remember feeling that I'd never get a handle on Micks health issues and he was doomed to be PTS cause he was gonna suffer the rest of his life. Wish I had more technical knowledge to help with but...all I can see is keep looking for what you think is gonna be right, it's out there. I hate the fact that the more vets I take him to the more idea or choices they give, which one, which one....

Scooter is one lucky boy!

[juliepoudrier]

I am more familiar with kidney issues in cats, but generally by the time BUN and creatinine rise detectably, there is already a problem with kidney function, although the animal may show NO obvious symptoms. BUN usually rises and falls more quickly, whereas creatinine takes longer to rise, doesn't rise as dramatically (in other words, tenths of a point changes can be significant when we're talking creatinine), and takes longer to fall. I think it would be wise to take him off the Deramaxx for now and retest after the meds have had time to be cleared from his system, just to see if his kidneys can right themselves. Of course there could be some other underlying cause for the altered kidney values, but I would certainly err on the side of caution and take him off for now. I assume his liver enzymes were normal?

 

FWIW, if one of the other meds is changing his personality/behavior, I'd talk to the vet about taking him off that as well. There are other NSAIDs and other meds out there you can try, so I don't see a need to stick with something that is affecting him adversely.

 

J.

[2 Devils]

I would talk to the vet about making sure to get a first morning urine to test to make sure your dog is concentrating his urine properly. I have 2 dogs that periodically have high creatinine and the vets always end up wanting a first morning urine to make sure the urine is doing what it should be doing. They do this in hopes of ruling out kidney problems. They think for whatever reason my 2 dogs could be slightly dehydrated at the time of the bloodwork which raises the creatinine level. My dogs have free access to water so who knows. It could be feeding a higher protein kibble or who knows.

[BCkris]

Have you tried GlycoFlex III its a daily supplement that helps with joint issues and has a little bit of anti-inflammatory in it. Phycox from what i hear works wonders for most dogs so that may be a good start. As for the creatinine level i would switch medications because even though there are no signs of illness blood work tells you what will happen before its too late. usually when you see symptoms of kidney problems a majority of the kidney something like 75% or so is already damaged. so by doing the blood work you can detect problems before its too late.

[bc4ever]

I assume his liver enzymes were normal?

 

FWIW, if one of the other meds is changing his personality/behavior, I'd talk to the vet about taking him off that as well. There are other NSAIDs and other meds out there you can try, so I don't see a need to stick with something that is affecting him adversely.

J.

Yes, liver enzymes were good. No more Deramaxx for now and I'll talk to the vet about his strange reaction to the Ultram. He sure makes her job interesting.