Cartrophen Vet: More Options for osteoarthritis in pets!

Cartrophen Vet is a revolutionary advance in the treatment for arthritis in dogs. In fact millions of dogs enjoy the benefits of this superior and tested technology with it continuing to treat millions of dogs after 20 years of use in the treatment of arthritis in dogs.

​Cartrophen Vet (100mg/mL pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a prescription only, injectable, sulphated sugar of plant origin.
It has many sites of action within the underlying processes of the arthritis disease which helps maintain joint health, including preserving joint cartilage. It is therefore classified as a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD).
The treatmentCartrophen Vet is an injection given by your vet in a similar way to a vaccine with four weekly doses. This is a convenient way to ensure that your pet receives the appropriate dosage without daily regimen. It is essential that your dog complete all 4 injections to ensure optimal benefit and modification of the disease process.
80% of pets respond quickly to the initial course with a reduction in lameness and pain and a subsequent increase in activity and well-being.
The frequency of treatment varies from once a year for mild cases and up to three times a year for severe cases.
Your veterinarian may vary this regimen to obtain the optimum reduction of arthritic symptoms.
How does Cartrophen Vet work?Cartrophen Vet works to modify the underlying arthritic processes to relieve pain and lameness. Improvements from Cartrophen Vet result in long-term effects lasting beyond the treatment period of 4 weeks up to one year in some cases.
Cartrophen Vet has been shown to exhibit the following modes of action

• 1. Stopping the destructive enzymes that break down cartilage, which is the body’s natural shock absorber
• 2. Stimulate the body’s production of cartilage
• 3. Stimulate the body’s production of joint lubricant
• 4. Clear the blockages in blood vessels to deliver nutrition to the joint and bone
• 5. Stimulate the production of anti-oxidants that block damaging free 
radicals

Your dog has arthritis?
​Here are some tips for you to follow during treatment and also as a part of good care for your arthritic dog:

1. Allow your dog to rest and allow the healing and recovery process to progress.
2. Gentle exercise is advisable during treatment and for a week or two following. While your dog may feel better very shortly following treatment, vigorous exercise could aggravate the disease and arthritis process before the healing process is sufficiently progressed.
3. It is essential that you complete the full course of four injections. While good results may occur early in the treatment process, in order to get the full benefits of healing and repair and have long-term healthy joints the best outcomes are achieved when all four injections are administered as per the product registration.
4. Keep your dog in a warm and comfortable place
5. Keep your dog as dry as possible and out of draughty areas
6. Obesity is detrimental as the joints are made to carry extra weight. For the well being of your pet, check with your veterinarian about any recommended weight loss.

What are the signs of arthritis?Some of the most common signs of arthritis are:
Stiffness, chewing or licking particular joints, difficulties walking up or down the stairs, walking in general, eating slowly, behavioural changes
Doesn’t arthritis only affect older dogs?While arthritis is more common with age, unfortunately any dog of any age may become afflicted. It is estimated that 20% of dogs over 1 year of age are affected by the disease, so it is more common than many people expect. An assessment calculator can help with assessing the signs of arthritis in your dog.
Does my dog have arthritis?
How is Cartrophen Vet administered?Cartrophen Vet is an injection given by your veterinarian in a similar way to a vaccine with four weekly doses. This is a convenient way to ensure that your pet receives the appropriate dosage without daily regimen. It is essential that your dog complete all 4 injections to ensure optimal benefit and modification of the disease process.
The frequency of treatment varies from once a year for mild cases and up to three times a year for severe cases.
Your veterinarian may vary this regimen to obtain the optimum reduction of arthritic symptoms.
How long will it take to see results?The timing for results varies from dog to dog and the severity of arthritis. In some cases they will receive relief in a few days following the first injection to those that see improvement at the end of the fourth injection. If you are not seeing any results, consult your vet.
How safe is Cartrophen Vet?Cartrophen Vet has a history of safe use in dogs of over 30 years. There are some very rare cases of side effects but these tend to be mild and short lived. More details on safety are set out in – Safety&Efficacy
Are there any side effects?In very rare cases, 5-15 minutes after the first injection a dog might vomit or be a little quieter than usual for up to 24 or maybe 48 hours. These transitory effects are rare and are only seen in some dogs. Overall the safety of Cartrophen Vet is well respected and understood after 30 years of use in dogs.
Should your pet experience these or any other changes, consult your veterinarian immediately.
How is Cartrophen Vet manufactured from animal products?Cartrophen Vet is not manufactured from animal products. It is of plant origin being derived from beechwood.
Can Cartrophen Vet be used in cats?Cartrophen Vet is not approved for use in cats but vets around the world use if off-label (cascade system) in cats for the treatment of arthritis following owner consent.
Where can I buy Cartrophen Vet?Cartrophen Vet is a prescribed veterinary medicine which is provided by your vet. Discuss Cartrophen Vet directly with your veterinarian.

Safety
Cartrophen Vet has a history of over 20 years of safe use in the dog. Cartrophen Vet has a low incidence of side effects and of those they are mild and transitory. Based on commercial history, the number of adverse events reported on a per course basis (per 4 weekly injections) was 0.058%.
Of total reported events, 50.9% were probably or possibly related to the administration of Cartrophen Vet. Hence the number of adverse effects reported that were possibly or probably related to a Cartrophen Vet treatment were 0.0296%. One adverse event reported per 3,300 courses (4 weekly injections).
Is Cartrophen Vet safe to use with other medications?NSAIDsIt is important to consult your veterinarian since there may be circumstances where they feel it is appropriate to use Cartrophen Vet and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) concurrently. However, it is generally recommended that NSAIDs not be used concurrently with Cartrophen Vet due to their conflicting modes. Additionally, the pain relief offered by NSAIDs can lead to greater activity earlier than should occur given the progression of the healing process. The premature resumption of vigorous exercise can aggravate the disease.
With pain responses between Cartrophen Vet and NSAIDs at one week following the commencement of treatment being similar, should immediate pain relief be required, a painkiller can be a better solution than the use of NSAIDs, which will not interfere with the healing process.

In a comparator study between Cartrophen Vet and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) carprofen, Cartrophen Vet was shown to have results equal or superior to that of carprofen in the relief of pain and lameness. This is the first time a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) has been proven to offer significant pain relief comparable to that afforded by NSAIDs. Cartrophen Vet has a slightly slower onset of ameliorating effects but longer persistence of these after the recommended four-week course of treatment.
EfficacyCartrophen Vet is subject to strict scrutiny for safety and efficacy by the regulatory authorities in every country it is sold.
During clinical studies Cartrophen Vet has shown to be effective in 80% of cases. In a recent Japanese open clinical study, according to the veterinarians’ impression, 96% of cases improved with Cartrophen Vet treatment (Data on file at Biopharm Australia Pty Ltd).
Cartrophen Vet has shown to be an effective arthritis treatment during over 20 years of commercial use and millions of administered doses.
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