Rimadyl.....yay!!!

[Bigyummydog]

Is anyone else using Rimadyl. Would you agree that it is
too wonderful for words? I'd like to hear comments to any answer...please...

[Glacier]

I don't use it currently, but I have in the past. Muskwa took it last fall for a couple weeks after he got kicked by a horse. It did wonders for him.

Goldie takes Meloxicam every day. It's similar in many ways to Rimadyl. It's been a miracle for her.

[captain]

I use it for Captain.

Sometimes he overdoes it, and hurts his hip - so Mum gives him sympathy and Rimadyl.!!!

[Summer Magic]

Please be careful if you have decided to use this stuff........

I found this article while researching Rimadyl.

Rimadyl Being Blamed In Some Dogs' Deaths
Drug Used For Arthritis In Canines

POSTED: 7:31 pm EST February 16, 2005
UPDATED: 7:38 pm EST February 16, 2005

Rimadyl may be one of the most popular prescription drugs ever for dogs.

If you have a dog, there is a chance your pet could be taking it some day. But some dog owners claim the side effects of Rimadyl can be deadly.

Jezebel is a happy, healthy dog today. But Janice Nollar says her black lab was nearly killed by the very medicine meant to keep her alive.

"She trusted us and we thought we were doing the right thing for her," Nollar said.

Nollar said the culprit for her dog's health problems was Rimadyl.

Millions of dogs with arthritis and other painful conditions take the drug with excellent results. But a small percentage of dog owners say the effects can be devastating.

"She was vomiting, really lethargic, wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat anything," Nollar said.

Nollar suspected a bad drug reaction.

"I was just surfing the Internet. I found the side effects and I was floored," Nollar said.

Jezebel lingered near death for eight days.

"I gave the veterinarian side effects and he looked into it and called Pfizer and came to the conclusion that the medication probably was causing her liver to stop functioning," Nollar said.

Nollar is one of hundreds of pet owners who joined a class action suit claiming Rimadyl killed or harmed their pets.

The case settled out of court last year. But the company does not admit Rimadyl as the cause of illness or death.

Questions about Rimadyl were being raised at least a year before the civil suit was filed in 1999.

The Food and Drug Administration says the drug was behind 39 percent of all adverse drug reactions reported for dogs in 1998.

More than 3,600 cases were reported, and according to the FDA, 13 percent involved the death of the dog.

There is no doubt that the drug will continue to be prescribed. There is also no doubt that it will continue to help certain animals and that certain animals will continue to die from taking it.

Pfizer has said it is doing "everything possible to educate consumers"

Proponents, like veterinary surgeon Alan Schulman, say Rimadyl is keeping many dogs alive and is well worth the risk.

"The benefits, if used intelligently, really far outweigh the potential disadvantages if the animals are monitored and diagnosed appropriately," Schulman said.

But those who say they have experienced the other side of Rimadyl remain unconvinced.

"They keep seeing this in dogs and yet it's still out there for sale. Personally, I think it should be pulled," Nollar said.

Pfizer said that dogs should be tested for pre-existing liver conditions before taking Rimadyl and they should be taken off the drug immediately if side effects such as vomiting or loss of appetite occur. If you suspect your dog is having a bad reaction, call your veterinarian.

[dragondawg]

Rimadyl may provide the best pain relief of the NSAID drugs for dogs. It can also cause irreversible liver damage as early as the first dose, or at any time there after. Some dogs may get excellent pain relief and never have any problems with it. Yet others may die of liver failure within months of receiving it.

The question we dog owners must ask is if the pain relief provided by Rimadyl is worth the risk? I've concluded it is not. Other NSAIDs such as EtoGestic, Deramaxx, or Metacam can be effective in relieving pain. Deramaxx can also be hard on the liver, but it does not result in permanent liver damage such as might occur with Rimadyl.

It is obvious that if your dog is on one of these drugs, at a minimum you need a liver profile run every 3-4 weeks to check for elevated liver enzymes. Also they can cause digestive problems including ulcers. So you should consider giving acid blockers with any of these drugs.

[dukedogsmom]

I was aware of possible liver damage but I didn't know it was that bad. He had Rimadyl for years but never had any damage. Duke is now on Metacam. It's so much better than Rimadyl but unfortunately also a lot more expensive. The results are phenomenal in his attitude and enjoyment of life so it's worth it.

[Logan]

Long term use of Rimadyl is known to have risks. But I must say for those periodic episodes of pain, it has worked beautifully for our Murphy and Honey. I voted "no", though, because no one is taking it right now. Thank goodness!

[aly]

I was under the impression that Deramaxx was much more dangerous than Rimadyl. Rimadyl is one of our most popular prescriptions at work, and these are doctors who are extremely cautious about EVERYTHING. They only prescribe Deramaxx unless just absolutely necessary. I'm going to talk to them about the Rimadyl because I'm very curious now.

[dragondawg]

the irreversibility of liver damage caused by Rimadyl vs the reversable liver damage caused by Deramaxx and the other NSAIDs. On the other side of the coin Rimadyl has the best response for pain relief. It's understandable that a Vet might prescribe Rimadyl if confronted with an owner who is suggesting that if the dog's arthritic pain can not be relieved, then euthanasia might have to be performed. Especially when they have seen dramatic pain relief results with the drug in the past. But that still doesn't change the fact that Rimadyl which was first to market tends to be a very dangerous drug in its class.

FDA warnings in 1999

Frankly given that there are other NSAID drugs on the market for dogs, it's amazing Rimadyl continues to be the main stay drug for treatment of arthritic pain. One has to question why it's still on the market.

More bad publicity for Rimadyl

[LuckiLab03]

We used it with Brooke, almost everyday I think, because of her knee. She had a torn ACL so she limped. We think since she was on it for a while, it contributed to the perpheration of her intestines.. which led to her death.

We don't know this for sure, but I'd still be wary about giving Rimadyl for a prolonged amount of time. Everytime I hear the word I want to say something but since I don't know the facts about what happened with Brooke, I'll just say be careful with it.

[anna_66]

I wasn't too hip on giving it to Angus when he was having arthritis problems because of the risk of liver damage.
But what I did use was K9 Liquid Health. It really worked wonders for him and was all natural. I just put a little in his food (mixed in some wet food) every morning and I could tell a difference in just a few days. It was a wonder drug for us!
I would definately suggest it before Rimadyl (no side effects).

[Albea]

I tried to avoid using Rimadyl for Carina and we tried everything else without any good results. Her arthritis, in the hips and spine, is so bad that she has a very hard time getting up. Finally I had to accept the fact that Rimadyl works better than all the other new drugs. She has liver enzyme tests often and so far is doing well.
She's also taking glucosamine/MSN and organic flaxseed oil to lubricate her joints.

[clara4457]

I'm glad someone brought this up. My vet (whom I have been taking my animals to for 15 years) swears by Rimadyl. He prescribed it for my RB dog Buster when he had bone cancer, and I swear that it helped him survive his last six months in relative comfort.

He has also prescribed it for Barney for his arthritis. I am more concerned with liver damage with him, due to the fact that arthritis is not a life threatening illness. I kept Barney on it for about 2 months, but for the last month, I have been treating his arthritis holistically with supplements (Glousamine and Chondrotin Sulfates, Flaxseed oil, Omega 3 Fatty Acids) and good quality food with similar ingredients.

Lately, however, he seems to be having a little more trouble moving. I am seriously considering putting him back on it. A friend also suggested I put him on Milk Thistle (which is a liver detoxifier) which would help with the adverse affect Rimadyl has on the liver.

I hate to see Barney in pain, especially since he has had such a miserable life before he came here - but I'm not sure it is worth the risk. If I do decide to put him back on it, I will definitely take him in for liver tests on a regular basis.

[abbersmom]

We did use it this Spring when Abby was suffering from kidney stones. OMG...the 1st one she had...she puked up brown slime for hours on end. We ended up having to cut down & just give her 1/4 of a Rimadyl at a time so it didn't upset her...darn thing was, she was too scared to try & pee if she didn't take it...what a scary time we had with her. I spent one entire night sitting outside with her when she was uncomfortable & pacing. Glad that episode is behind us...

[Bonny]

My dog Bob has been on Rimadyl over a year now. He will be 14 years old July 4th. We just recently did a vet visit & the vet was amazed at how well he is doing. Herding dogs generally don't live to be that old. There are many side affects it is either the Rimadyl or put him to sleep. You have to use common sense & watch for the side affects. Without the Rimadyl he is in pain. He gets lots of exercise which I think is important. We give him a half pill in the morning & half a pill in the evening.