What you need to know about Dog Galliprant

Does your dog have osteoarthritis? This is quite common in dogs, especially large breeds and seniors. It is a continuously worsening joint inflammation caused by cartilage deterioration. The cartilage of a healthy joint serves as a cushion which allows the joint to make all the motion within its design. When osteoarthritis sets in, this cartilage begins to wear due to several factors that could include injury, recurring stress, age or disease. You can read here for more.

The effect of the absence of the cartilage eventually leads to inflammation, pains, bone spurs development, reduced motion and movements. The lower spine and limbs are the most susceptible to osteoarthritis, but any other joint can also develop the condition. Being able to identify the problem on time could be helpful in managing it so that your pet can maintain its activity and quality of living. There are many treatments you can use such as UPN Juve Flex which will help to keep their joints supple, or there are other medications that can be prescribed.

Galliprant for Your Dog

Galliprant, whose active component is Grapiprant, is a tiny molecule drug of the piprant group used in veterinary medicine. This anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug for dogs is used for the treatment of mild and moderate inflammation that is caused by osteoarthritis, which we have already seen is a condition that causes joint pains and swellings.

Galliprant is only available by a vet’s prescription, and it is only available in tablet form. Your dog is to receive it at least an hour before it can have its next meal. For your dog’s dose to be determined, its weight has to be factored in. Also, its response to treatment will determine how long it would need to be on the medication. If your dog’s condition is such that the ailment comes and goes, then its treatment will equally follow the same pattern. In such a case, it is not necessary to permanently place it on drugs.

How It Works

EP4 receptors are specifically targeted by Grapiprant and blocked. It is from these receptors that the natural substances known as prostaglandins operate, a situation that yields the pain experienced in osteoarthritis. Grapiprant, which is the active component of Galliprant, is a non-cyclooxygenase inhibiting and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. This NSAID, which is of the piprant group, works differently from the rest of the NSAIDs that function by blocking certain cyclo-oxygenase enzymes. Grapiprant’s blocking of EP4 results in relieving one major symptom of the ailment. You can check these out here: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/veterinary/EPAR/galliprant.

There have been field studies conducted with regards to Grapiprant. These studies were mostly done with dogs that radiography confirmed suffered mild to moderate osteoarthritis in the joint of at least a limb. After 28 days from commencement of treatment, a total of 51% of the dogs, representing 120 out of 235 dogs, were confirmed to have been successfully treated using Galliprant. Dog owners and veterinarians assessed the success of the program by using a scoring formula that measured pain interference, pain severity and overall quality of life.

Precautions to Take

Like in the use of other medications, there are precautions that should be observed when dealing with Galliprant. These precautions include the following:

• Keep Galliprant away from animals that are breeding, pregnant or lactating.

• After handling the drug, hands should be properly washed.

• In the event that a person accidentally swallows the drug, professional medical help should immediately be sought. If this medicine is mistakenly swallowed by a child, look out for mild gastrointestinal signs that may also come with nausea. This will usually be reversible.

• Do not use NSAIDs meant for people on animals. Not being approved for animals, their safety and effectiveness on your pet is not guaranteed.

Side Effects

Combining Galliprant at the same time with another NSAID meant for dogs, like meloxicam or carprofen, increases the chances of having side effects. This also happens when you combine it with a steroid like prednisone. Avoid these sorts of combinations.

Vomiting is known to be the usual side effect that comes with using Galliprant. It is usually a mild and short-lived reaction that affects just about ten percent of animals. Beyond vomiting, these other side effects may also be experienced:

• Decreased activity

• Loss of appetite

• Mucus in stool

• Blood in stool

• Soft or watery stool

In Conclusion

Your pet can be placed on Galliprant for quite a long time because osteoarthritis is a chronic condition. It is therefore advisable that your dog be placed on the lowest dose that produces adequate pain relief. If there will be need to increase the dose, please do so only on the advice of your vet.

If you discover that there will be long-term use of this drug, remember to ask your vet about blood tests meant to ascertain the liver and kidney conditions before commencing treatment. Using Galliprant well, with professional guidance, your canine friend will be much better for it.