Our 8 year old dog - a suspected doberman/labrador mix - has recently been diagnosed with arthritis in his back and rear legs. Our veterinarian has prescribed Rimadyl, which has seemed to help his movement some when we give it to him. However, he has had gastrointestinal problems (ongoing gurgling, diarrhea, etc.) when taking the drug. Furthermore, researching Rimadyl has us concerned about long term, irreversible effects to his GI system or liver, especially since he doesn't seem to tolerate the drug well.
A friend suggested Rehmannia, an herbal remedy that she said is safe and effective for treating canine arthritis. My friend referred me to a website to learn more about it, but the website discusses stuff like Qi, and balancing Yin & Yang; stuff I don't put much stock into. My own search attempts have turned up some reviews (mostly positive, but some negative ... and some irrelevant to our situation (i.e. treating other conditions)) of the product, but no clinical studies.
So, is Rehmannia safe for dogs? Does it effectively treat arthritis?