Should my dog be on stomach protection with long-term NSAIDs for joint pain?

Long-term NSAID use and GI protection is a legitimate concern — NSAIDs carry a risk of gastric ulceration in dogs when used for extended periods, and vets increasingly add gastroprotective medication (typically omeprazole or sucralfate) alongside chronic NSAID therapy. Has the vet discussed GI protection at all, or is this something you've come to through your own research?

Both questions are worth raising directly with the vet. On the GI side: asking for omeprazole or a similar gastroprotective agent for a dog on 6 months of meloxicam is a completely reasonable clinical conversation and most vets will support it. On the supplement question: yes — adding 4Cyte Canine alongside the meloxicam directly supports the cartilage in a way the NSAID doesn't, and some dogs on combined NSAID-plus-supplement management do allow NSAID dose reduction over time as the joint inflammation stabilises. That's a vet-supervised conversation, not something to manage unilaterally — but the case for raising it is sound.