I saw mention on another thread about problems using Rimadyl. My vet perscribed this for Sabastian for his arthritis. She did tell me we would need to monitor his liver but that was all the warning I got. Currently he is on Rimadyl twice a day, Desaquin once a day, and Tramadol as needed for pain (typically he needs one a day for pain).

I have tried not giving him the Tramadol everyday but he limps if I don't -- I mean he will hold his back leg up and hop.

I just read a site about side effects of Rimadyl and realized that something I thought was Canine Cognitive Disorder might be a Rimadyl side effect -- how he will sleep so deep I have to carefully wake him and he'll wake all confused and disoriented.

I would welcome any ideas of other courses of action. Sabastian is 11 years old and I don't want him to be in pain. He likes to go for walks -- he can do 2 miles at a time twice a day on the above mentioned regimen of pills. I've equipped the bed with a step so he doesn't jump down because that makes him cry in pain.

Here's a picture of my boy:

[CorkyMax]

Try this-- Ask Dr. Shawn - Questions and Answers to left of page-click on ask Dr. Shawn--then on arthritis, glucosamine, supplements etc
I also put safe substitutions for Rimadyl for arthritis in dogs in my browser--will bring up some web results for you I'm a bit confused but hope you can find the 7 comments (by other people). I think it is in this selection-- http://blogs.dogster.com/vet There are pros and cons in these web results--I personally am not agreeing w/ the pros to use Rimadyl--no matter what is stated!! You can bet in the 7 comments by the people who have used it--they are not saying good things esp. after their dogs died and the thing leading up to before they died!! I will go back after posting this and 'hit' on whatever comes up in this post to see if gives you what I wanted you to see.

[CorkyMax]

Checked out those listed sites---!st one is okay but the one address for Dogster is not right. Try this instead: Vet Blog: Information and Advice from Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM then pick 1st web result(1st on my browser anyway) Should be titled Vet blog:Information and Advice from Dr. Eric Barchas DVM then when you get on the page-Dogster and Catster vet blog---to the right, put Rimadyl in the search box---after reading frm top of page- make sure you continue all the way down so you catch the 7 comments. And I hope you will explore some of the other things you can find on some of these other websites---Think on one that I gave you -- you can ask questions to the 'doc' JUst came back in here to edit--the above address brings you right to the page you want to be on--just go over and put Rimadyl in the search box!

Thanks for the Dr. Shawn link. Very helpful. I'll be asking my vet about one of the products he mentions: Cholodin Flex. And, I'll be trying some of the other supplements as well.

I'm so mad and upset and and..I can even describe how I'm feeling right now. After everything I went through last year with Libby and now to realize that the medicine I've been giving Sabastian could be causing him so much trouble. :twisted: I could just scream. Sabastian and I have a pact we made after Libby passed...he's supposed to hang around for another 4 years minimum. I'm supposed to make those 4 years as comfortable and happy as I can. Why does it have to be so hard? Why don't they tell you the risks? The vet did tell me we'd need to monitor his liver but nothing about the dangers....

I'm sick...just sick...and angry and PO'd...

[oes forever]

i have a disabled staffy. he slipped a disc last year and had spinal surgery. he was paralised from the shoulders down for around 3 months. any way.... his not too bad now, up and running again but his about 80% right now but still has his bad days when the weather changes.
i go for natural options whenever possible. i use vitapet joint aid with every meal. i also give him cod liver oil daily and a massage to stimulate the blood flow to the affected area allowing the toxins not to build up too much. i have recently tried aloe vera which is ment to have good results but he didnt like to in his food, he would get all excited about his dinner, id tip it onto it and he would walk away, but he still had it in the end! i didnt see a decrease in his mobility like i would if i run out of vitapet. the more you can oil the joints the better. but with massage it stimulates the bloodflow getting rid of swelling, it dousnt have to be precise and never on the joints even a good rub will help.
ive used the vitapet on my last 2 elderly dogs (shelties) with good results too
you just keep him nice and warm on your bed!
i always try the natural options first then when all else fails contact the vet

We have had success with both Rimadyl and Cosequin for arthritis in dogs.

Originally Posted by DogPound

We have had success with both Rimadyl and Cosequin for arthritis in dogs.

I liked the Cosequin but the vet said that Desaquin is the replacement--it does seem to help Sabastian. I understand that for many dogs, Rimadyl works well--I'm glad your dogs are doing well with it. Sabastian is having side effects. The other thing that concerns me and I wish I'd thought of it before putting him on it at all is that he does have heart/lung issues which really should have ruled out using Rimadyl in the first place. Last night, after a day and a half off Rimadyl, Sabastian seemed more alert and happy than he's been in awhile. I just need to consider the options for handling his arthritis.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by oes forever

i have a disabled staffy. he slipped a disc last year and had spinal surgery. he was paralised from the shoulders down for around 3 months. any way.... his not too bad now, up and running again but his about 80% right now but still has his bad days when the weather changes.
i go for natural options whenever possible. i use vitapet joint aid with every meal. i also give him cod liver oil daily and a massage to stimulate the blood flow to the affected area allowing the toxins not to build up too much. i have recently tried aloe vera which is ment to have good results but he didnt like to in his food, he would get all excited about his dinner, id tip it onto it and he would walk away, but he still had it in the end! i didnt see a decrease in his mobility like i would if i run out of vitapet. the more you can oil the joints the better. but with massage it stimulates the bloodflow getting rid of swelling, it dousnt have to be precise and never on the joints even a good rub will help.
ive used the vitapet on my last 2 elderly dogs (shelties) with good results too
you just keep him nice and warm on your bed!
i always try the natural options first then when all else fails contact the vet

I am in another dog forum-- Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca I hope this address will come up okay after I enter here(will check it out as soon as I get it posted here) There is someone on that forum I'm sure would like to hear frm you. She is having a problem w/her dog--sounds very much like what you may have experienced--to do w/the slipped disc. The dog is in pain-esp. when trying to get up and tends to drag itself instead of being able to walk right. She has had it to the vet and they can't find out what the problem is--think x-rays were taken but frm what I've read it sounds like this doesn't show up very well on an x-ray--I also think she needs to see a dif. vet as this dog should not have left there like it was. She is very anxious (as I would be too)and doesn't know what to do. Blood work was also done. She goes under the name--Yellowrose 0308 and title of her post is Help, my dog cannot get up----would be in the health section I think. I only hope she gets back in there and posts something soon as I think she may not of been in forum lately---hope reason she hasn't posted in last day or so doesn't have anything bad happening w/her dog! Can you try to give her some info on what you experienced w/your dog? If you can find her--thank you for checking this out--I can't stand thinking of any dog in pain esp. when no one seems to know what to do!! I don't know whether you can get in w/o signing up--password and all--and if you did have to sign in---and didn't want to stay in it --you could always get out of it.

Just came back in here--the above address works and I have a feeling you won't have to log in--but not sure! If you click on that address it brings you to the selection for each subject--click on the 'Pet health-dog health-ask members your pet,--etc and on the page it brings up --the post is about half way down--it has the 1st blue circle w/? mark in it--look to left side of page------Help My Dog cannot get up--Yellowrose 0308

Oh! and she just posted this about 28 hrs ago so I'm sure she is still checking for answers.

Hi and hello
I read some of the posts on here, I have a 15yr old Queensland and well she had to have surgery on her femur last Tuesday, well she came home on Thursday and did good, she was on antibiotics and pain med Rimadyl which she had been on before but not the dosage she was after surgery. Well anyway by Sunday she quit eating and drinking and all she did was sleep and I mean sleep. Well took her back in to the vet yesterday ran more tests, everything looked good except a possible infection somewhere?? So they changed her antibiotics and now she is on Baytril, well brought her home last night, they had thought that the rimadyl might have made her sick at her stomach so they gave her some cerenia, well she slept all night through and today she is still sleeping. She wakes up like she is in a deep sleep and well the few moments she is awake Im giving her with a syringe food and water. So Im wondering if the Rimadyl did this to her and the cerenia they gave her to help is well making her sleep, even though they say it wont. Everyone and every pet is different and especially when age is a factor.
If someone has any info on the Rimadyl and Cerenia please let me know.
Im worried sick and well love her so much.
Vickie

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Leigh412

Hi and hello
I read some of the posts on here, I have a 15yr old Queensland and well she had to have surgery on her femur last Tuesday, well she came home on Thursday and did good, she was on antibiotics and pain med Rimadyl which she had been on before but not the dosage she was after surgery. Well anyway by Sunday she quit eating and drinking and all she did was sleep and I mean sleep. Well took her back in to the vet yesterday ran more tests, everything looked good except a possible infection somewhere?? So they changed her antibiotics and now she is on Baytril, well brought her home last night, they had thought that the rimadyl might have made her sick at her stomach so they gave her some cerenia, well she slept all night through and today she is still sleeping. She wakes up like she is in a deep sleep and well the few moments she is awake Im giving her with a syringe food and water. So Im wondering if the Rimadyl did this to her and the cerenia they gave her to help is well making her sleep, even though they say it wont. Everyone and every pet is different and especially when age is a factor.
If someone has any info on the Rimadyl and Cerenia please let me know.
Im worried sick and well love her so much.
Vickie

I haven't got a lot of time right now but here are some words to put in your browser (I just did this myself so know you will get the info you need):
Cerenia/side effects in dogs (Do these as separate ) Baytril/side effects in dogs. Will make this comment though--After reading about what Cerenia is used for--Can't figure out why your vet would even give your dog this---It is a fairly new drug and maybe your vet is using your dog as a guienea(misspelled?) pig. And maybe he is making a report to the drug company on it all. (I get so damned mad at this greedy world--should say people I guess!) Did the vet check the dog's liver count--Rimadyl is bad for the liver--Just read in 1 of these places(where I told you to put words in your browser) that the liver damage (that they even admit to happening--prob a lot more than is kept track of) that has happened because of Rimadyl is in 70% of generic dogs!! An older dog is more apt to have a compromised liver anyhow and not esp. because of being old in itself--But because of all the crap--commercial dog food--way too many vaccinations--bad meds, things it has been exposed to over it's lifetime,etc. I feel so sad for the innocent dogs that aren't getting what they need to be healthy and long-living They would probably live about 10 years older than they normally would if they got the 'stuff' they needed! Sorry to get so heated--I just feel like I can't do enough to help dogs and I love them so much! If you haven't already--Click on the web addresses I gave further up (#s 2 and 3 posts I think) in this same thread and you will find out a lot about Rimadyl.

[CorkyMax]

Another web address Medication - Side Effects about Baytril and scroll also about half way down to heading Corticosteroid Side Effects

ASHLEY: This is a good site to tell you about the side effects of the above --
Corticosteroids!

I've been using meloxicam for my pet when needed, I used it more often with my pet that has passed, some dogs do ok with this, some do better with Rimadyl, the vet version is Metacam its a liquid the large bottle is anywhere from $80.00 to $90.00, I found out meloxicam is for humans also comes in tablet form 7.5 mg tablets, this you must break in 1/2 or 1/4, 1/8 depending on the size of your pet, you need an rx for it, cost $ 4.00.

I work at a vet clinic, have seen numerous dogs given Rimadyl for pain. It works to a certain extent, but not always. And, there is the long-term affects of drug use on the body. I have an 11 year old Boxer, Gunner, and he suffers from NO arthritis! There is an all-natural product out that works wonders.... check it out if you want: Is Your Dog or Cat In Pain? - FlexPet
Let me know how it works for you.

[CorkyMax]

Please read this article on Rimadyl - Shorts - Brief Article
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2002 by Jule Klotter

The anti-inflammatory drug Rimadyl (carprofen) was originally intended for humans, but developer Roche Laboratories decided that the market in 1988 already had too many similar drugs. The company's decision not to market the drug may also have been influenced by outsiders' reservations about unusual liver-function readings in 14% to 20% of the test subjects. Eventually the animal-drug division of Pfizer, Inc., acquired the drug, ran safety and efficacy tests on 500 dogs, and began to sell it in 1997. The company pushed the drug with full-page magazine ads and a heavy TV campaign that emphasized its ability to relieve dogs' arthritis. The company also offered incentive programs in which veterinarians could get points for ordering Rimadyl, which they could redeem for PalmPilots, Zip drives, and other equipment. The marketing strategies and the drug's almost miraculous effect on some dogs quickly made Rimadyl a bestseller.
Although some of the dogs in Pfizer's initial tests showed unusual liver-function readings, neither the company nor the FDA was concerned. Then, reports of adverse reactions that included vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, liver dysfunction, and death began to pour into the FDA. Chris Adams of The Wall Street Journal reports that "[t]he FDA had received just over 3,000 animal-drug bad-reaction reports in 1996, the year before Rimadyl's launch; in 1998, the drug's first full year, Rimadyl alone produced more than that many." Over the years, the FDA has collected reports that 1,000 dogs have died or had to be euthanized because of the drug's effects and that another 7,000 have reacted negatively. Since not all incidents get reported, the FDA says these numbers are actually low. The FDA asked Pfizer to include 'death' as a possible side effect in a warning letter to vets, on labels, and in TV ads. Pfizer eventually did use the word with vets and on labels, but decided to stop its TV campaign rather than mention the ' d' word.

Because owners and veterinarians have seen positive results in some dogs, the FDA has not asked Pfizer to pull the drug from the market. Instead, the company and the FDA have worked together to create a consumer safety sheet that will be attached to the drug. Previously, the company had asked that vets explain the risks to pet owners, but many owners complained that they were not warned about bad reactions. The new safety sheet includes warning signs of bad reactions and recommends periodic lab tests to monitor liver function. At The Senior Dogs Project (The Senior Dogs Project), pet owners share both positive and negative experiences with Rimadyl. Some report that the drug has made a remarkable difference in the quality of their dogs' lives. Nevertheless, they want to know the risks. Adams, Chris. Drug Bites Man: Most Arthritic Dogs Do Great on This Pill, Except Those That Die. The Wall Street Journal 2000 March 13. [www.srdogs.com]

[CorkyMax]

http://www.1800petmeds.com/pet-med-info/joints-natural-remedies.htm

[Yogi]

actually what works very well and have used off an on for several years, Metacam. Non steroid. It is the prescription name for meloxicam. I had great results with Ole Jack who was stricken with arthritis when he was around 3. He lived to be 16 using originally prednisone daily than over the last 4 years Metacam. He actually had better movement with this and less stiffness at 15 than he had at 12.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Yogi

actually what works very well and have used off an on for several years, Metacam. Non steroid. It is the prescription name for meloxicam. I had great results with Ole Jack who was stricken with arthritis when he was around 3. He lived to be 16 using originally prednisone daily than over the last 4 years Metacam. He actually had better movement with this and less stiffness at 15 than he had at 12.

Found this very good article on the web. Please note when you read this article (in esp. the heading of Side Effects) that when they refer to carprofen that this is that killer RIMADYL!!! RIMADYL is the brand name and is the word used most of the time for carprofen, SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS!! This is a long article but an important one--Please read carefully and thoroughly!

[Yogi]

But, Metacam is not Rimadyl. That is why many have switch to this. Non steroid, steroid that has proven to work quite well. Little expensive but in most cases can treat the inflammation of arthritis as well and if not better in some cases then prednisone. Which is still a common inflammation med for arthritis in dogs.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Yogi

But, Metacam is not Rimadyl. That is why many have switch to this. Non steroid, steroid that has proven to work quite well. Little expensive but in most cases can treat the inflammation of arthritis as well and if not better in some cases then prednisone. Which is still a common inflammation med for arthritis in dogs.

This is a very long article and not just about Metacam (which I know is not Rimadyl). It mentions a lot of drugs that have side effects and how the different drugs can cause the same problems and how they are linked as causing some of the problems, etc. You have to read the whole article to understand what I'm saying here!! Rimadyl was mentioned in this article quite a bit-----To me, this killer drug and Proin should not be on the market at all Every time I can bring Rimadyl to everyone's attention (and Proin) to help them get the message,--I do. But this Metacam is not given the best recommendation either!! Every time I see a drug named--I always go check out the adverse reactions on the net! All I can say/repeat--is read the whole article--It is important to know--Also tells you about having your dog checked over and if has certain conditions should not take some of these meds, period! Most of your vets prescribe and never tell you about what they are prescribing and what it can do, etc. Hard to believe that this is the way it is! You have to be alert to possibilities,etc of all stuff they prescribe---research the med on the web. Put name of the med in your browser---Example: Rimadyl/adverse reactions/dogs.
This article was written by a holistic vet!

[Yogi]

I read the article, ie: Metacam it does not list adverse effects only that in some cases it does not work with regards to anti inflammatory as well as some others that do have adverse effects. They are not saying anything bad about the drug only their opinion regarding drugs in general and what to expect from them which includes adverse reactions or no adverse reactions. In the case of Metacam, as this is not a steroid there really is no adverse reaction only that in some cases based on their opinion, it does not always work at alleviating inflammation. But it must also be noted that online information such as this in many cases is blown out of proportion and in addition, are based on limited studies. With limited studies there is always a great deal of room for misinterpretation which is common on these type of "informational" sites. Each person needs to be concerned but at the same time do not believe all that is noted as it is not necessarily fact but based on studies. The correct way to deal with these issues is to question your veterinarian. You would be surprised what information you would get from the person who see adverse effects in dogs, cats etc. They are more knowledgeable than those who sit in a lab with a select few animals and do test studies. This includes many of the animal University studies as well.
Your vet will not prescribe for your pet anything that is known or he/she has seen will have an adverse effect unless he simply is too young to know any better. I trust my vets but then again, they have been practicing over 30 years. I was prescribed Metacam for Ole Jack who from age 3 was stricken with arthritis. He had been on daily prescription of prednisone. It helped with the inflammation but also induced more intake of water thus more urinating. At approx age 12 my vet prescribed Metacam. Ole Jack within a couple days was actually able to somewhat "run" around the yard which he could never do before. In addition, water intake went back to normal. No adverse reactions, no health issues at all. He lived to be 16. In Miniature Pinschers, average life span is 12 to 14. For him to live that long with arthritis is one thing. For him to see a much more active lifestyle from age 12 on to his passing, I would never have not given this med to him.
In addition, to note...far too often this online information regarding adverse reaction to meds is based on what happens when humans take the drug with the assumption that if adverse reaction in human then therefore there will be an adverse reaction in dogs & cats when in fact this is not correct at all. It just means read cautiously and do not assume what you read is actually hard fact but take it as a warning and something to address with your qualified veterinarian.