Answer

I'm sorry to hear about your dog. Being in cold weather certainly can be hard on a dog with arthritis. The question on what to give a dog to help with arthritis is not as simple a question as it is for people. Aspirin certainly has and can be used for dogs with arthritis. The correct dosage is 5-15mg per pound so given that she is a beagle, this probably calculates to close to a baby aspirin twice a day. However, aspirin has the same side effects as in people, such as GI upset and stomach ulcers. My preference for pain relievers are those designed to be given to dogs. There are a lot of them out there, but the 2 most common are Rimadyl and Deramaxx. Both of these drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin. However, their risk of the GI side effects is less than with aspirin. All NSAIDs are not good for dogs with liver or kidney problems, so blood testing of the liver and kidneys before starting and while giving these medications is highly recommended. In addition to the NSAIDs I usually like to have my patients with arthritis on a good joint suplement with glucosamine and chondroitin in it. This is more like a vitamin for the joints and contains the building blocks for healthy joint cartilage. The nice part about glucosamine is that it is not a drug and carries no known side effects. I hope this helps, please let me know if you need more info.

Expert:	osupetdoc
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	1/1/2009

Dog Veterinarian

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; No online consultation can ever replace a veterinary examination.