shitzu puppy

Question
I have a 6 1/2 month old shitzu pup.He was limping  so i took him to the vet.The vet thinks he has a broken bone in his foot so he put him on previcox 57 mg he is to take one half pill daily.I have read about this drug killing puppies and dogs.IS this drug safe to give to my puppy?I am afraid to give it to him after reading about this.

Answer
Your puppy is old enough to take Previcox safely. However, as an extra precaution you may wish to have blood work done prior to starting it to check kidney function tests. Shitzus are one of the breeds that we see Renal Dysplasia in which can certainly make them more at risk when taking any NSAID.(Previcox is in this drug category.)

Did your vet also splint the foot? Sometimes immobilization goes a long way in helping control the discomfort. With that in mind, your pup may not need any pain medication at all!

Dr. Gifford