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.