About Rimadyl for Dogs
Veterinarians often prescribe Rimadyl (carprofen) for dogs in pain. Whether your pet is experiencing discomfort after surgery or has arthritis, Rimadyl has been the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) drug of choice among animal care professionals since its creation in 1997. The medication was originally developed for human use, but after ten years of development, the medicine found its way into the pet industry instead.
-
Uses
-
Pfizer Animal Health recommends use of their drug for dogs experiencing pain associated with soft tissue surgery (such as neutering and spaying), inflammation from arthritis or orthopedic pain. The medication relieves stress on the dog's joints, in turn increasing the dog's mobility.
Benefits
-
When a dog's pain is reduced and inflammation is controlled, he exercises more. This leads to maintenance of a healthy weight, according to Pfizer Animal Health. Freedom to run and move as expected increases the dog's quality of life. Reduction of inflammation reduces the long-term effects of arthritis on the dog's joints as well.
-
Forms
-
Given once every 24 hours, Rimadyl is convenient to administer. The pain medication is available in chewable tablets, as injections or as a caplet. The most popular form of Rimadyl is the liver-flavored, chewable tablet. Injections of Rimadyl are common during presurgical procedures so the pet doesn't feel pain during surgery and after surgery. A veterinarian may also administer an injection for pets with severe lethargy caused by arthritic pain. Caplets are administered to pets who don't mind swallowing whole pills.
Warnings
-
Pets may experience vomiting; diarrhea; loss of appetite; and damage to the liver, kidneys and digestive tract, according to Pfizer Animal Health, the makers of Rimadyl. In rare situations, according to Pfizer Animal Health, Rimadyl may cause the death of a pet. According to their website, updated in 2010, 10 million dogs worldwide have safely used Rimadyl for pain control.
Statistics
-
"Rimadyl will cause liver damage in some dogs," according to veterinarian Mike Richards on the VetInfo web site. He says the predominant breed plagued with severe side effects is the Labrador retriever; however, any dog breed can experience side effects.
Staff reporter Chris Adams of "The Wall Street Journal" examined the use of Rimadyl in a March 2000 article titled "Most Arthritic Dogs Do Very Well On This Pill, Except Ones That Die." In his research, Adams discovered the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of 1,000 dogs that died or were euthanized after taking Rimadyl between 1997 and 2000. Another 7,000 pet owners reported "bad reactions."
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit dog image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com
