# Experience with Adequan



## gdgnyc (May 4, 2009)

I would be interested in hearing about any experience with Adequan. My 12 year old springer spaniel's legs have been weakened due to arthritis in his hips. I went to the vet today and started Adequan therapy in addition to trammadol and an NSAID. I am hoping to reduce his pain and get him to exercise some more. Of course, he's retired---I just want to give him more comfort.

I would be interested in hearing any comments about this type of therapy.


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## pupaloo (Jan 6, 2006)

I have used it for a few years for a dog who has horrible knees (my avatar). She had surgery on both, but as she has aged she has fairly severe arthritis. Without the Adequan, you can hear her knees "tick" when she walks, and she is very stiff. With it, there is no noise and she is evidently more mobile and comfortable-running, jumping and playing. It doesn't work for everything, but if it helps your dog you should be able to stop the pain meds and only use NSAIDS if the dog has a more active day than normal and gets a little sore. You might need to use it more often than the standard treatment recommendation for most comfort for your dog. Mine gets it once a week. Oral supplements helped a little, but not enough as time went on. See how it goes, and good luck!


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

I love it and have used it for 18 years.

Angie


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## Scott Jinks (Feb 21, 2006)

Worked great for one with bad hips. Tried it recently with my old guy with back problems without noticeable results. Only tried the one a week for three weeks then a month later. Been told it either helps or don't. Will try it on the next one when needed


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## 2tall (Oct 11, 2006)

Have used it for a little over 18 months with my young chessie. He was xrayed, showed a bad hip, and we have used it as a supplement to keep problems from forming. So far, so good. This is the longest he has ever been sound.


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## jeff t. (Jul 24, 2003)

Scott Jinks said:


> Worked great for one with bad hips. Tried it recently with my old guy with back problems without noticeable results. Only tried the one a week for three weeks then a month later. Been told it either helps or don't. Will try it on the next one when needed


That sounds like too low of a loading dosage. My understanding is the loading dose is supposed to be twice per week for 4 weeks.


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## wheelhorse (Nov 13, 2005)

Love, love, love it!! It has extended many old dogs lives with good quality of life too.

The loading dose is twice weekly for a month.


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## hotel4dogs (Aug 2, 2010)

also love it, use it on 2 senior goldens and an old cat.
The loading dose is twice a week for a month, and then various vets recommend various ramp down doses, but we've found that with the older dogs, you really need to continue at once a week to see the full effects. Anything less than that doesn't seem to help as much, at least for mine.
No matter what the vets tell you, it's easy as heck to give the shots yourself at home. It doesn't have to be given intramuscularly, subcutaneous is 95% as effective and much easier to do. I buy a 50 ml bottle (the equine version, which is the exact same thing) from smarkpak equine or petmedsnmore (you do need a prescription), which will run about $375 or so, get a bunch of syringes from the vet, and off we go. Having the vet do the shots is very expensive. I store the bottle in the fridge, although the manufacturer told me that it's not really necessary.


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## hotel4dogs (Aug 2, 2010)

oh, one more comment, the "generic" is NOT chemically equivalent and didn't work for my guys.


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## sara c (Dec 8, 2010)

I have a 13 year old that has been on Rimadyl and tramadol for several years. I think I'm at the point where I need to try it. About how much per month is the cost? Limited income is a worry. Sara


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## awolfe (Mar 2, 2011)

Only tried the one a week for three weeks then a month later. Been told it either helps or don't. Will try it on the next one when needed[/QUOTE said:


> Certainly not to judge in any way, but here's the label. "The recommended dose of Adequan® Canine is 2 mg/lb body weight (.02 mL/lb, or 1 mL per 50 lb), by intramuscular injection only, twice weekly for up to 4 weeks (maximum of 8 injections). Do not exceed the recommended dose or therapeutic regimen. Do not mix Adequan®Canine with other drugs or solvents."
> 
> I'm sure different vets have different suggestions with good reason and clinical experience, but I'd question starting off with less than half the recommended protocol. As far as that being a cost savings, don't see how the medication could be blamed if an effect isn't noticeable. Guess maybe it depends on severity of symptoms?
> 
> Andrea Wolfe


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## fishdogs (Sep 14, 2009)

Went through the reccomended injections BEFORE resorting to TPLO without much result. CCL was torn, not ruptured after a fall, and we did eventually do the TPLO. Now, 5 years later, she is showing some signs of arthritis (as expected). 

About 6 months ago I got a sample of ChondroPaw. It is an all natural supplement that is given orally. It is a canine version of a product that has been used on horses for many years.

There was a noticible improvement after 5 days, and I do believe it helped for the rest of the month until the sample ran out. But I failed to re-order until this post reminded me...

http://chondropaw.com/

This doesn't mean the Adequan doesn't work...it just wasn't the right treatment for a torn CCL in my dog.


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

Scott Jinks said:


> Worked eqgreat for one with bad hips. Tried it recently with my old guy with back problems without noticeable results. Only tried the one a week for three weeks then a month later. Been told it either helps or don't. Will try it on the next one when needed


Adequan is a chondroprotective agent and benefits joint but not spinal disease.

I have tried various loading dose regimens and find that most dogs respond to 1 mg/lb im every 5-7 days for 6 injections, then to effect, owners can tell when the next dose is generally needed and may vary from 1 to 4 week intervals.


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## susanb (Aug 15, 2008)

I LOVE Adequan! It has been a Godsend for my girl who has arthritis due to previous tick disease. 

I did a loading dose of 2 shots per week for a month, and now she gets shots pretty close to monthly. When I see her getting stiff and sore I go ahead and give her another dose - she usually makes it about 3 1/2 weeks between injections. 

I do the injections myself, sub-q, and order my Adequan from Drs. Foster and Smith (with a prescription from my vet). This is a very cost effective therapy if you do the shots yourself. My cost is approximately $11.00 per shot.


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## hotel4dogs (Aug 2, 2010)

If you do the shots yourself, you're looking at a 50 ml bottle costing about $375, you should get *about* 40 shots from that bottle, depending on the size of your dog. Add in the syringe, and it's about $10 per shot. At first, that will run you $20 a week, after that, probably $10 a week. 
If the vet does it, typically they will charge you in the neighborhood of $50 per shot!




sara c said:


> I have a 13 year old that has been on Rimadyl and tramadol for several years. I think I'm at the point where I need to try it. About how much per month is the cost? Limited income is a worry. Sara


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## Thomas D (Jan 27, 2003)

About 18 mo ago my ortho surgeon indicated that it could be given sub-q, but would be off label. Cartrophen (they say is same as Adaquan) is sold in Canada and Europe. Cartrophen is given sub-q rather than IM.


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## hotel4dogs (Aug 2, 2010)

Giving the equine version to dogs is off label, too, but according to the manufacturer it's the identical formulation. They also said they're going to release larger bottles for dogs soon, right now all they have is 5 ml bottles.



Thomas D said:


> About 18 mo ago my ortho surgeon indicated that it could be given sub-q, but would be off label. Cartrophen (they say is same as Adaquan) is sold in Canada and Europe. Cartrophen is given sub-q rather than IM.


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## Scott Jinks (Feb 21, 2006)

Might have been twice a week for the loading dose. Been a couple of years ago. Again had great results for the old girls hips.


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## pupaloo (Jan 6, 2006)

I do sub-q injections. Works fine, and the dog is happier than a once a week IM injection. To label the drug for sub-q they have to do many of the same studies again and get approval for that type of injection from the FDA.


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## SueLab (Jul 27, 2003)

We've used it for 2-3 years with the benefits gradually becoming non existant and the injections being given more often. The retriever has a unilateral bad hip and elbow. When first starting it, there was a noticable difference, it was great. I ordered equine because I could a larger bottle and the cost was much lower than the smaller canine bottles. Check the on line suppliers and check equine dosage with you orth vet...

Currently, we are treating pain with rimydal (sp) and hoping that the dog can just be kept as comfortable as possible - his active days are over.

Good luck with you...


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## gdgnyc (May 4, 2009)

I want to thank you all for your responses. I am hoping for the best.


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## gdluck (May 27, 2005)

so can someone in the know tell me how it works? I have a dog, bilateral FCP. one elbow has chips floating around that they "missed" during the $3K surgery to remove the chips. 

Anyway this has been progressing for the worse. Even when the chips are outside the joint he suffer from the arthritis. we are down to 1 maybe 2 walks round the block. Deramaxx is no longer working. Is this stuff an option at this point? I don't want to think about the other option we are approaching.


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## hotel4dogs (Aug 2, 2010)

I would absolutely give it a try. If you do the shots yourself at home, you're looking at about $10 per shot, twice a week. It beats the alternative, and as far as they know has no side effects at all.
http://www.adequancanine.us/vet/en/about/vet_faq.shtml



gdluck said:


> so can someone in the know tell me how it works? I have a dog, bilateral FCP. one elbow has chips floating around that they "missed" during the $3K surgery to remove the chips.
> 
> Anyway this has been progressing for the worse. Even when the chips are outside the joint he suffer from the arthritis. we are down to 1 maybe 2 walks round the block. Deramaxx is no longer working. Is this stuff an option at this point? I don't want to think about the other option we are approaching.


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