Rimadyl is one of the most widely prescribed non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for dogs, being prescribed for either short term pain/inflammation relief, and in some cases long term pain and inflammation. It is most commonly prescribed for musculoskeletal joint (arthritis) or back problems, but is commonly prescribed to dogs for post operative pain, especially as pain relief is being increasingly recognized and accepted as a standard of care in veterinary medicine.
| The typical dose of Rimadyl is 1 mg per pound twice daily but it can also be given as a single dose of 2 mg per pound once daily. It is not for use in cats. It is often important to have blood work and/or urine done before using this drug, especially in older pets to make sure there are no pre-existing liver, kidney or blood disorders that may contraindicate its use. |  |
When dogs are prescribed it long term, it is also important to monitor blood and urine every 3-6 months. While rare side effects of liver failure have been reported and got much overdone press several years back, most dogs tolerate Rimadyl fairly well, and I find that giving it with food tends to cut down on any upset stomachs.
Occasional side effects include:
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- vomiting with digestive tract bleeding
- rare liver/kidney side effects
It should not be given with aspirin or related products such as other non-steroidal anti inflammatory prescription drugs like Metacam or Previcox. However, it is safe to use with certain other pain medications such as the recently increasing use of the safe mild opioid derivatives Tramadol.
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One Comment
What I do to prevent exposing my pets to danger, I administer drugs under proper precautionary measures. So that even if the animal does not get cured, it will also not get harmed.
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Dr. Michael Dym, VMD veterinarian Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Thanks for sharing. Always important to use medicines under direct supervision
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