My lab is 7 and has bursitis in his shoulder. He has been put on Rimadyl for pain and inflammation. I googled the drug he is on and all these horror stories came up and imso worried. Kane has been on it for a week and seems to be tolerating it fine. He has almost totally stopped limping so ita working very well for him. I will also add he had a full checkup including blood work and everything came back normal.
Google can be a dangerous place. Every drug is going to have side effects, and for some dogs the side effects can be worse than others. But balance that out by the vast majority of dogs who have no side effects and who are immeasurably helped by the medication. Many times side effects are worse when the dog is on the medication for a long time. So step away from the computer and give your pooch the med. If he seems to react, call the vet and discontinue.
Yes, Rimadyl can have nasty side effects, but many, many dogs take it very well indeed. Just be aware of any signs of side effects and phone vet immediately. As @Lisa says
Remember that just with human Meds they have to mention absolutely EVERYTHING that a drug could cause on the data sheets. Ever had a look at human paracetamol? Lilly was on regular anti inflammatory drugs for about 4 years - on and off now but regular for around 4 years. It's a good rule of thumb to use them for the shortest period of time you can though to reduce side effects. But sometimes they take a few days to kick in properly and work.
Some people check liver values before starting meds and check while the dog is being medicated to see if there are changes. You do have more Lab and liver friendly alternatives to try, like Metacam and Cartrophen Vet. However I agree, short term use is not often a problem.
