Dog limping on right front leg - has trouble getting up after lying down

First, get this dog on milk thistle NOW.  Five the adult human dose at least 2-3 times a day.  Both tramadol and Previcox are VERY hard on the liver (and that can make the stomach upset).

 However, both CAN also be very very hard ON the stomach itself.  In lieu of the vet giving you something like Sucrylfate (carafate) to protect the stomach, I would be using slippery elm (I make up about a huge rounded teaspoonful of the ground herb with the contents of one bag of chammomile tea bag herbs with 1/2 c. of boiling water.  Stir til smooth and add about 1 tablespoon to the food every time you give either med.

If you don't want to use herbs ask your vet for "silimarin" (denosyl is a pharmaceutical version of milk thistle) and carafate to help protect the stomach.

Any NSAID causes stomach bleeding -- and you can wind up with an ulcer easily (and then the dog can't tolerate the meds).

Rather than tramadol (which is a pain med purely and simply) I'd tell you that you might want to try a relaxant.  If there IS inflammation a relaxant can help a whole lot more than an nsaid without one.  (when you hurt you tense up -- and then bone rubs on bone harder because the muscles are more tense and hard so relaxing the muscles makes it hurt 'less' and lets the nsaid do its job more efficiently).

 However -- you have to evaluate if this is really "doing" anything -- and frankly you may need to go to the next level in testing.  Given that you aren't getting anywhere either I'd tell you to try a different kind of vet -- don't leave your vet -- but ADD a vet that does acupuncture.  It may turn the trick for you.

Or try going to your state's vet school -- it's typically not as expensive as you might think but they can often find things BETTER than a regular vet simply because they have more equipment and diagnosis is their specialty. 

I'm not a huge proponent of big vet specialty clinics -- often I think they are very expensive and usually I think the vet school is a better 'bet'.  But if you've given it a month and you aren't successfully treating it, I'd make a change if it were me.

 Thank  you, Callie. Do you recommend a certain muscle relaxer? I live in Orlando, FL. Would you happen to know of someone who does accupuncture?

rileygirl

 Thank  you, Callie. Do you recommend a certain muscle relaxer? I live in Orlando, FL. Would you happen to know of someone who does accupuncture?

*laughing* YEAH I sure would!!!  Dr. Connie DiNatale - Veterinary Acupuncture and Complimentary Therapy (or the other vet who is in with her -- she's VERY good as well Dr. Dineen Faisano).  I'll email their number to you. 

I'm in Altamonte -- Billy and Kee have appts Tuesday!  She is THE best.  If you go to the Chi Institute website http://www.tcvm.com that I post all the time and go to 'Faculty' you'll see Dr. D's picture.  She's one of their instructors (she goes to China with Dr. Xie usually once a year to help him teach there!)

If you want an herbal you can use valerian root or Oat Seed tincture.  But if Dr. D thinks they need something stronger she's going to tell you.  There are Chinese herbs that are muscle relaxers as well.  All depends on what she thinks the situation warrants.

Gosh I didn't know we were so close!! 

 Thank you, Callie. I'll look forward to your email!

You should have gotten it -- I sent it the same time I posted last night.  Get it?

 Got it. Thank you. Sent you an email back.