Someone on another post of mine mentioned they hated Rimadyl because of the side effects.    What has been so bad about it? I have had 2 dogs in the past on it long term with no side effects but great results, and my 5mt old lab is on it for 3 days for his Kennel cough and seems fine.
What are your experiences, good or bad

Miracle Cure Can Be Deadly    The best-selling drug known as Rimadyl, which has enjoyed remarkable success as an anti-inflammatory medicine for pets, has been found to be deadly for some dogs, as witnessed by the FDA receiving more than 6,000 bad reaction reports about the drug manufactured by Pfizer. As a result, the FDA requested that Pfizer advise consumers in their advertising that death was a possible side effect. Pfizer refused and pulled their advertising, however they have included "death" as a possible side effect on the drug label. Plans call for a "Dear Doctor" letter to be issued to veterinarians and a safety sheet will be attached to pill packages.

Pfizer acknowledges a problem with some dog owners, especially the consumer group which mounted a campaign dubbed BARKS, for Be Aware of Rimadyl's Known Side-effects (including loss of appetite, wobbling, vomiting, seizures and severe liver malfunction). The drug company is reported to be contacting pet owners who have told their stories on the Internet, and is offering to pay medical and diagnostic expenses for some dogs who may have been harmed by Rimadyl.    Rimadyl sales continue to grow as does support from veterinarians.  While the drug has proved helpful to many dogs with arthritis, it has proven deadly to some dogs. Make sure if your veterinarian prescribes Rimadyl that you thoroughly discuss the possible side effects so you can carefully monitor your dog's health.

Taken from here

Out of curiosity
Why was your dog given this for kennel Cough as it appears to be for arthritis etc ?

My other two dogs were given it because of swelling in the throat causing restricted airway, due to an illness to complex and rare to go into on here.  The Rimadyl helped reduce the swelling while giving pain relief.
I presume this other vet thought any inflamation or soreness in the throat caused by the constant coughing would be reduced.  i did not question it as I had only had good from the drug before.  He is also on 5 days of antibiotics.

Bev

i had a bitch with kc very bad in 2002,her air was restricted and ucles in the mouth and a litter of 9 puppies that had kc 6 die at 4 weeks old,
she was on antboices and matclam  to help the inflamatio and soreness of the air wave,she was on the tablet for 4 weeks.

I was the person on the other thread who said they did not like Rimadyl. There have been so many cases where dogs have developed a reaction to it that I view  its use with suspicion. Tempering this slightly, I must say it CAN be a wonderful drug for helping dogs who are REALLY ill, and by that I mean dogs who are possibly approaching the end. It is a drug which can help control severe pain. In life of death situations I would not hesitate to use it on the grounds that I have nothing to loose and everything to gain but used as a common or garden painkiller, I'd rather not thanks.

Best wishes, John

I don't let buster have Rimadyl as it gives him severe diareah so he has metacam if needed so bengi doesn't have it too as mistakes can happen at the vets so if both aren't allowed then they can't make that mistake with my two. Most dogs do really well on it but you will get the odd one with side affects and i mostly get that :( 

John, what would you use on a younf arthritic dog, Obi has elbow dysplasia, and whilst he is doing brilliantly sice his op we have been told to expect flare ups of the osteoarthritis, he had Rimadyl post op, which he was fine with, but I would like to keep our options open

Hayley

Hi Hayley.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to throw the baby out with the bath water and if it is really needed then it's needed and that's that!

Saying that, we need to be aware of the possible problems one of which it in the actual act of pain suppression! This is often seen in older footballers. They are given pain suppressants in order that they can continue to play and the outcome of this is yet more damage, often to the extent that in later life they are crippled. Same thing with our dogs. Without the pain limiting the exertion it is so easy for them to over do it. I'm not saying we should let our dogs suffer but maybe we should be the limiting factor?

Metacam is a very similar drug from a different firm and often is perfectly ok in cases where a dog suffers reaction to Rimadyl. Although similar we seem to get less reactions to it as a search of past threads will show.

Best wishes, John

Thanks John, maybe I need to start looking towards homeopathic remedies and the like for when the problems do arise.  We just have to do the best we can, Obi is on a good diet, good, safe as possible exercise incl. swimming, synoquin, and a big bundle of love, with all that I'm sure he will have a reasonable life span.....

Hayley

Strange thing is I have had a couple of dogs that found relieve with Rimadyl but Metacam had no effect at all. Another did not respond to either drug and he had to have PTL. Suppose it is dependent on how the dog reacts to the drug more than the drug its self. I know I would rather risk shortening my dog's life by giving a pain-relieving drug than have it live longer in pain.

Used after orthopaedic operations I understand it is important to reduce the swelling as soon as possible (usually with bandaging for 48 hours) and then with a suitable drug, in the case of post operative use it is not usually given for long periods. Guess each case should be talked over with the vet and the pros and cons considered but it is often the case that we are so relieved that our pet has come through the operation and looks as if it is heading for a better life, or that the vet can help with the pain, that we sometimes forget to ask the sort of questions we should.

I fully agree with you John, personally I believe it to be unethical to compete with dogs in agility etc if they can only do so on Metacam or similar; i have the same view about bute and horses.  Pain is there for a reason.

Hi my 13 year old has just been prescribed this because she has had 2 seizures and is a little arthritic it hasnt seemed to have helped and she has some of the symptoms loss of appetite, wobbling and a bit of vomiting. I didnt realise that these were some of the symptoms untill reading this thread I just thought she it was due to old age as the vet never said a word about any side effects (will ring on Monday and speak to usual vet as I think it was a locum), her losing her appetite has really worried us over the past 5 days but I didnt even connect it to the drugs,  I'll not give her todays dose and ring them tommorrow.

Nikki

Hi Nikki, think you should ring the vet before just stopping any medication, they will be available on the phone and you can talk it through now.

my boy  has had this medicine for lameness when he was growing.but he was only on it for 10 days max,he had no side effects on it.and by day 2 walking ok again,i didn't know it can be a dangerous medication for dogs,but wasn't offered any think else by the vet.if it happens again i will ask them if they have an alternative drug, the last thing they need is side effects to drugs when they have pain/ill to start with.

I had a very large dog that had OCD rimadyl didnt help him one bit. But metacam worked well, there are others products pending what is causing lameness that may work chondroitin. vitapet R8, green lipped mussle extract

i take it you have a leo like me? his lameness was put down to growth rate because he has had his hips/elbows scored and looked at with nothing wrong or showing on the plates.he hasn't had it since 11 months just younger,but i will ask if it happens again.(touch wood it won't) but you can't say it happens so fast without reason with him.

Hi Marie yes these large breeds are prone to pano (growing pains) Here you did well today Well done

All drugs have some degree of side effects. Like you, when you get a sore head, vets will reach for the NSAIDS [non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs] to alleviate pain. Dogs have a choice of metacam, rimadly or zubrin. You have a choice of aspirin, paracetemol or ibuprofin. As a human you will, through trial and error, pick the one with the greatest pain relief  and least side-effects. As a vet I have to marry the dog to the medicine and I would quite happily give any dog any of the above because I do not know which drug will be the best for each patient. Rimadyl is handed out in its millions of tablets every year across the world. It is the best seller because vets and pet owners like it. If, like any drug, it caused serious side-effects on a regular basis then the immediate effect would be  that vets would bin it. Firstly on ethical grounds [we do not want to add to our patients ills]and secondly on business grounds['that vet killed my dog I wouldn't go there if I were you']. In short it is nonsense.

Sorry internetvet. To compare drugs such as metacam and rimadly with aspirin is complete nonsense as you well know! You might happily give these to any dog but my dogs belong to me and at the end of the day I will decide whether MY dogs get them or not!

John

leomad
thanks im still in shock but it was all adding to experience but fun too.

Internetvet, by what qualifications do you call yourself by that name?

Any good vet (in real life, not the internet) will tell you that aspirin is a safe NSAID (1 tab per day for a labrador-sized dog) for dogs in conditions such as arthritis.

Wonder if anyone here has experience of wobbliness after taking Rimadyl?

My Damson , end of last year, stole and ate half a packet of Palatable Rimadyl tablets which were up very high (but she's a cunning so-and-so).   We were using it to help Birdie with a severe problem.  

Damson was straight into the vets for a wash-out, and blood work, and apparently fine when returned home.    However, in the beginning of the year she started showing neurological symptoms (ears, vestibular problems) , and is getting increasingly wobbly, controlled a little by prednisolone, (which I hate, but...) and thyroxine which we have just started giving her.

Can't help thinking it's linked to the Rimadyl - she had eaten about 30 tablets.

Any comments?

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

BVM&S MRCVS
You missed the point. You say aspirin is safe but so are peanuts if you're not allergic to them. All nsaids are of the same family of drugs and are all equally likely to cause a reaction. Try typing 'aspirin deaths' in google and you'll see my point.
Hope this helps

If what you say is true, that all nsaids are the same family of drugs, why are there certain ones that can be taken in combination, and others that can't? Ask any GP - aspirin and paracetamol, for example, will not combine to overdose if taken at the same time (in humans). Because they are from different drug 'families'. Ignoring possible allergic reactions, aspirin is safe for dogs in the way that paracetamol is not.

You are still not making me feel safe internetvet. This is part of the Wall Street Journal report Which is on the net for all to read.

<<As the complaints poured in, the FDA told Pfizer it would have to revisit the label issue. Pfizer had referred to "fatal outcomes" on the label as a possible effect of the drug class to which Rimadyl belonged, but not 
specifically of this drug. Now the agency asked that Pfizer cite "death" prominently as a possible side effect of the drug. Describing the back and forth with Pfizer, the FDA's Dr. Keller says, "They did it. They weren't 
enthusiastic about it, but they have always been cooperative. And that's part of the nature of the game we play with industry."

But the FDA also wanted the word "death" in the audio of commercials. Pfizer indicated this "would be devastating to the product," FDA minutes of a February 1999 meeting show. A company spokesman says that "putting 'death' on a 30-second commercial and in proper context was something we didn't think 
was possible." Rather than do so, it eventually pulled the commercials. >>

I was given Rimadyl for one of my Labradors. I was given no info on the drug whatsoever. just an envlope with the pills in and a lable on the front with the dose printed on. No warnings were given even though Labradors seem affected more than most. Needless to say I did NOT give them and I now tell my vet I dont want this drug.

Regards, John

Internetvet    ......do  you have any statistics of the actual incidence of side effects, including death from rimadyl? I would be interested to see the incidence in say per 1000 dogs prescribed it. Then it would be possible to sensibly guage the level of risk involved. For example, if it had the same risk rate as aspirin, I would be happy, but if it were the same as say cyclophosphamide, I would think twice.

Type it into Rimadyl into a search engine such as Google Pinklilies. This will give you a feel for it. But of course, you have to remember that the sucessful cases don't get a mention. The thing is, there are more than enough cases of reaction to make me concerned. There is even an article from the Wall Street Journal which states how the drug, approved for human use but not marketed that way was, after 10 years repackaged for dogs. It makes interesting reading!

Best wishes, John

HI Jackie

I didnt give her Sundays dose and rang first thing this morning and the vet is getting back in touch with us, I stopped the meds because we were prescribed it mainly for her arthritis (which is only slight) and the vet said it may help with her seizures (she has had 2 since being on the medication) and she has improved because she has stopped wobbling. She has only missed one dose on Sunday and they may prescribe another drug today so she will be ok only missing one day and as I said she has improved a lot, when should the appetite return do you think? I will be asking the vet why she didnt warn us of possible side effects as I thought this would have been standard practice to warn you.

Nikki

Rimadyl is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkiller/anti-arthritic type drug.  The same precautions should be taken as for humans taking aspirin/brufen type drugs as the side effects are the same.  Sudden death can occur if the tablet irritates the stomach enough to cause ulceration and ultimately bleeding.  Having an older (completely nutty)hyperactive dog, at least twice a year Sally manages to pull a muscle, or gets herself nipped by another dog and the first drug to be considered has usually been Rimadyl or a similar anti-inflammatory.  I give them with the same consideration that I give to handing out medicines to patients. Try to ensure the dose is always given after a meal to protect the stomach, and keep a close eye on your dog's motions for any colour change. These drugs are sometimes a necessary evil, but it would help to have more information available for the owners.

My elderly labrador was prescribed Rimadyl for lameness after only 2 tablets she vomited for 4 days I agree with John , I will not be usiing this drug again on my Labs.....Sheila.

NSAID side-effects. These are taken from the small animal formulary [a vet's bible] produced by BSAVA. I advise you all buy one [£25?]
ASPIRIN-gi irritation and ulceration, renal failure, blood dyscrasias, hepatotoxicity, metabolic acidosis, siezures and coma.
PARACETAMOL- hepatotoxicity
METACAM- gi irritation and ulceration, renal failure, cardiac failure, siezures and coma.
RIMADYL-gi irritation, hepatocellular necrosis.

ALL DRUGS HAVE SIDE-EFFECTS.

I think, to be strictly accurate, it should be said that all drugs have possible side-effects. (You may think me picky, but I like to be correct and not give a false impression.) I had a dog who reacted very badly to penicillin-based ABs, but I would never say that such drugs were dangerous. The reaction was the fault of the makeup of the dog, not the drug ...
:)

>> ...... but I would never say that such drugs were dangerous. The reaction was the fault of the makeup of the dog, not the drug ... <<

That is what I was trying to say further up the thread, any drug can have side affects if the dog susceptible to something in that drug. A particular wormer affected one of the many dogs I have owned all the others were ok. Nothing wrong with the wormer it was the dog/wormer combination.

Think the important thing, whether the medication is for animals or humans, is to know the possible side effects and to watch for them, which means I suppose reading the leaflet that is enclosed with the tables, trouble with the vets, unlike doctors or chemists these 'users information leaflets' are not included unless you are prescribed a complete container, so it is important to ask the vet for the information.

To some extent we must take responsibility to make sure we know what we are giving our dogs and why, also to make sure we understand what the vet is telling us, not just as far as medication is concerned but also post op care, and diagnostic information. It is surprising how many people ask questions on here that the vet should have made clear to them and in some cases I am sure they have been told but have forgotten.  

Me thinks man doth protest too much!

As a side affect I guess death could possibly fall into this category!

Do you by any chance have a vested interest internetvet?

Yes John you are correct the normal outcome of heart, kidney or liver failure is death. As for a vested interest that's is just offensive. I am an everyday vet working in a small animall practice in Kent. I am just trying to balance the argument. Your scaremongering is confusing everday dog owners who may well be stopping their dog's perfectly good pain relief because of your unqualified ramblings. Apart from anything else you are commiting libel for which Pfizer would be within their rights to persue in the courts if they so wished.

Thank you internetvet for those comments. You appear to completely disregard any information on the internet or from people who post on here and just call it scaremongering. Some of us have been around for a devil of a long time and the hard won experience we pass on has no vested interest. We call it as we see it. You may feel this drug is wonderful, I dont.

John

Please do not shout me down, I have been reading this thread with quiet interest. I have never and will never use Rimadyl. I was sent through the mail an information sheet from America, advising me of the problems with Rimadyl, I duly binned it thinking it was 'junk mail'. Since then I have heard repeated mention of this drug.  About the 'junk mail' I do remember it stating that many deaths had occurred after owners had started using the drug on their dogs, (dogs not pets). It also stated that there are now court cases pending as the owners as a collective in the US. are sueing the manufacturers of Rimadyl. As I said, please dont shout me down, I only wish I had kept the information sheet.

Kay

The Pfizer site -
http://www.rimadyl.com/display.asp?country=US&lang=EN&drug=RC&species=CN&sec=000

Taken from the Pfizer site - "It's important that you have the complete information about any medication that you give your dog. You'll find that comprehensive Dog Owner Information, U.S. Prescribing Information, and Contact Information are just a click away."

That says -

"Signs of Rimadyl intolerance may include appetite loss, vomiting and diarrhea, which could indicate rare but serious side effects involving the digestive tract, liver or kidneys. Serious adverse reactions associated with this drug class can occur without warning and in rare situations result in death. If these signs occur, discontinue Rimadyl therapy and contact your veterinarian. For additional product details, including drug interaction information, click on Dog Owner Information."

Please click on "Dog Owner Information" so that if your dog is offered this drug in the future, you will know what questions to ask and what information to give your Vet, just as the drug manufacturer suggests.  Most owners are given this drug for their dog without any of this information being given.

From the other side of the fence please read - http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/rimadylfr.html

I had a nearly 6 year old bitch with a sting on her chin.  She'd never been ill or been to the Vet in her life.  She was given a Rimadyl injection after I was told by my Vet that Rimadyl was used for many years for every dog on the operating table.  She was given 2 half tablets the following day and died of liver failure 3 days later.  It was reported to Pfizer by my Vet.

I would still be prepared to use the drug for an old dog in pain to improve failing quality of life - then and only then, would I be prepared to take the chance again.

It's always difficult with "nice little earners" but eventually, like unnecessary booster vaccinations, when enough noise is made, the truth will come out.  It's just a shame about all the casualties that occur in the meantime.

Hi

I dont know if the internetvet was reffering to me when he said that people may stop giving their animals rimadyl as pain relief after reading Johns comment because I did stop giving her rimadyl after reading other peoples experiences and realising she was suffering with those side effect symptoms of the drug. Unfortunatley she suffered a massive stroke on Monday night and we said farewell to her yesterday but at least the last 3 days of her life were more comfortable than the previous week as she had stopped vomiting and she could walk better because I had stopped her dosage.

When I questioned the vet as to why she had not told us of the side effects she replied that because it is ok 90% of the time she didnt feel it was neccessary, when I pointed out that my dog was one of the 10% her reply was "Well it was a full bottle you could have read the leaflet." I didnt see any leaflet in the bottle but my husband gave her the first dose and says he doesnt think there was one (he is a bit forgetfull so dont really know). When we took her to the vets on the 22nd July she was fine only slightly arthritic and had had a seizure, like another poster I cannot help but think that her adverse reaction to the drug hastened her decline and it definately made the last 12 days of her life uncomfortable. Needless to say I am in the process of changing vets and in my opinion the medical proffesion (human and animal) have a duty of care to give you all the information both good and bad about what is being prescribed, well we have learnt our lesson the hard way and we will trust the vet so completely again.

Nikki

So, so sorry to read your news Nikki.  I also changed my Vet of 16 years after my experience.  I found out the information about Rimadyl too late.  Of course it is used successfully in the majority of cases, but I do think that owners should be made aware of the possibilities before it is administered.
My new Vet is completely different in attitude.  He has even changed his brand of vaccine because of the number of side effects that he was getting with his long established brand!  He does fill in his yellow form if he thinks that there is a reaction to anything he has used, because he is open minded with everything he does, instead of just doing what he's always been taught to do.  My old Vet told me that he had never completed a yellow form in 25 years!!

I'm sorry Nikki. In this country we almost never get the same warnings which the drug houses have to give with human medication. It seems the norm for practises to buy the drugs in bulk and dispense from a big bottle. As I said, I was given Rimadyl, as in fact I was given Drontal just last week, in an envelope which just stated the dose but gave no information on what possible side effects to watch for.

It is not difficult in this day and age for medication to be pre packed complete with information. It happens without fail for humans. I understand that dosage differs according to size of dog so maybe the medication would still have to be supplied in bulk but boxes and leaflets could be supplied by the drug houses to be filled as required by the vets. Something certainly needs to be done! Let's face it, we pay the bill so we have a right to know.

Regards, John

Thanks John and Val. I totally agree that we need to know all the information and that is what I am most upset about the lack of information about side effects, I understand that in most cases it works ok and that is what I have said in the letter to the vets that I have wrote that I am not questioning the giving of it just lack of info. We did find the leaflet that came with the drug (after turning house upside down) and my OH and me think we are quite intelligent people but we couldn't understand a word it said under the Contra-indications and warnings section of the leaflet it was all stated in medical language so I have included the leaflet with the letter to the vets so they can see it aswell, so maybe next time she won't give the excuse of you could have always read the leaflet.

I do feel a little sorry for the next vet we have decided to use as a customer from hell is on the way.LOL.

Thank god there are sites like this that give knowledge with personal experiences.

Nikki

I have a friend in Devon whose GSD died from the side affects of this drug My firend was never told about the side affects-something she bitterly regrets as she would never given her dog the drug had she known about them

I've just been prescribed some new drugs & my specilizt & I have spent 30 minutes discussing the side affects & benefits of me taking them & we are going down the trial route-unlike the case about were my frined was at the vets for a total of 10 minutes & that included paying the bill

First I'd like to say that I hope neither John nor Internetvet pack up and leave the forum. I have often read their posts and find them informative and would hate to see anyone with expertise in this field be lost due to a disagreement.

I have a 9 year old dog with arthritis. he has taken 1 and 1/2 Rimadyl (daily)for the past 4 years with no obvious problems. Without the drug he limps constantly and can't walk very far. The drug has improved his quality of life immeasurably. He hasn't been offered any other drug as he shows no side effects.
My 15 month old Dobe bitch managed to get to the pills earlier in the year and ate about 30 of the palatable ones. We were devastated and she was rushed to the vet, washed out and checked carefully. This was about 5 months ago and we have seen no negative effects ....so far....

I agree that we need to take care with medicines both for ourselves and our animals but as has been stated, not all dogs react in the same way.

Don't worry Annieeee, I aint goin nowhere!

As I said in my second post on this thread. "We must not throw the baby out with the bathwater." Rimadyl does have it's uses but it can also have dangerous side effects. The problem is that so often we get nothing with the drugs we receive from out vets to inform us of those side effects or to tell us what to look out for AND THIS IS WRONG! We need to be in a position to be able to recognise any harmful side effects before too much damage is done.

Best wishes, John

i agree john, you take it that the drug given is the best for the problem.at the end of the day the vet should tell you what and why a drug is needed for your case.but this thread has made me understand i am guilty of taking it for granted that the vet knows best.i won't be so hasty to accept med's in the future without getting a full explanation from the vet.all said and done as the owner and vet should agree and do what is best for the dog concerned.like you have said there is side effect to all drugs and each one is different but we have never been given the info as signs to look for as owners.like humans if there is any of the side effects you would stop the drug and find some thing different,but at the end of it all how do you know as a owner if this drug affects your dog unless it has been tried.maybe the drugs should go on your pets records and listed if the pet has had any problems for future reference.
no one owner or vet would want a dog/pet get worse because of in correct treatment.

Must agree annieeee, always read John's posts and have learned so much from him and others who have special understand of dogs outside my experience. Must say this is the first time I have seen Intervets posts but will be happy to learn from them too in future. Everyone has something to offer and we can't expect to agree that is why we discuss and then the reader can choose what advice and knowledge to take on board.

As i started this and have read all your posts with great interest, I must now reply with my personal experiences of several years with different dogs using the drug.
I believe it is honestly just the same as a human being perscibed something like penicillian.  It either works really well or can cause serious problems even death.
For me personally I have had two dogs who have had serious rare complaints causing throat problems and airway problems due to swelling.
Rimadyl gave my first dog  ayear of relief with absolutly no side effects at all, before I decided to let him go because the disease had a real hold and was spreading.
My six year old dog has it now and Rimadyl is given on and off although mainly for her back pain problem.    This has been for 2 years and I cannot praise the drug highly enough, for the pain relief and speed it reduces inflamation.
As with all drugs if perscribed this you must ask to know all known side effects and watch for them in your animal very closely.  Every drug can be potentially lethal in any animal and I don't for one minute belive vets would hand them out and try and kill your dog if they thought your dog could be at risk.
My dog who is on them now and on and off long term is very sensitive to many antibiotics and other drugs but has been only helped by Rimadyl without any side effects.
My Lab pup who I mentioned in my first post i gave it for 2 days only and he was ok and his kennel cough was gone within 5 days, I know not because of the rimadyl but it done him no harm either.
It is a wonderful drug and if perscribed it I would reccomend it as it works well, but as I said before as with ANY other drug watch for any side effects however slight and speak to your vet immeadiatly if worried

Bev

Do you not agree Bev that just as human medication has to have full info on possible side effects that canine medication should also have this info given to the dog owner at the time of being issued with the medication? If we are responsible enough to be give the infor for our own medication then there is no possible justification for not having that same info for medication given to our dogs. How many people have been given Rimadyl (And other medication) like myself with no guide to what to watch out for? Without that info we may well not consult our vet in time if the side effects start to show.

I'm glad to hear your dogs are fine on Rimadyl, but its a fact that not all dogs are and for the people who's dogs have become very ill or have died it is just not good enough that they were deigned the very info which could have saved their dogs life.

It is high time this info was given out EVERY TIME we are given ANY medication.

Regards, John