RIMADYL ---- The KILLER drug
SAMMIE - KILLED BY RIMADYL
Born : march 13 1993
Killed : by Rimadyl january 17 2006
My Collie Sammie, was killed by Rimadyl. It is a drug with serious side effects, and unfortunately many dogs dies. If you want more information of this killer drug contact FDA in USA. Horrible reading the statistics about that drug.
Should you use Rimadyl please note that side effects can start with wobbling, and not necessarily vomiting and diarrhea – this is something YOUR veterinarian should know, even if my veterinarian apparently did not know this
I bitterly regret that I didn’t checked the drug and only trusted my veterinarian - I paid a high price for that, by losing Sammie in a undignified and unnecessary way. You who read this I do pray you will never experience the heartache I got by seeing my loved one, Sammie, die like this – there are other drugs to give than Rimadyl
This is a horror-story about, not just any Collie, but my dearest friend Sammie who died after
taking 8 ½ tablett of the NSAID-drug Rimadyl
Sammie is a fantastic Collie, age 12 year and 9 months at the time she got the drug. She is a little reumatic, but no worse then that she can play with my other Collies in the family. She is with us on all our walks and are still in training, like fieldsearch, allthough she is retired from competitions.
After a little rough playing with my other Collies she got a swollen shoulder and pain.
I took her to Nordberg Animalclinic and my veterinarian G.E.Berge friday december 16. 2005.
She was prescribed Rimadyl chewing tabletts 50 mg. that my veterinarian highly recommended - it should be sooooo safe.
She would be taken 1 tablett in the morning and ½ in the afternoon. Her weight is 21.3 kg
Side effects I was informed of was : vomiting and diarrhea - and if this should occur - stop giving the drug.
No other side-effects was mentioned !
But a veterinarian should absolutely know that the side effects that my Sammie got could be related to the drug.
Friday, saturday and sunday went by, I thought she was a little bit stiffer....
Monday december 19 2005. She is worse then she was on friday.
Tuesday december 20 2005 I again contacted Nordberg Animalclinic and talked to veterinarian G.E.Berge, and after I told him about Sammies condition and symptoms he told me to increase her dose with 1 tablett (my goodness !!!!)-
Unfortunately I did increase it, but only with ½ a tablett. This day she got 2 tabletts.
I am now starting to suspect Sammies problems to be side-effects from Rimadyl. Unfortunately the trust in the veterinarians are very high
Wednesday december 21 2005, she had a total collaps
Again contact with the Nordberg Animalclinic and G.E.Berge - now we should stop with the drug vet - a bit too late.
Thursday night december 22. 2005, 02.00 a.m. Sammie is in extreme pain, had to contact a veterinarian again. And as I coldn’t get hold of my own I had to call one in my area. After explaining the symptoms for him - his advice was to give her another Rimadyl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which she of course didn’t get.
Later same morning/day we went to Nordberg Animalclinic again. Sammie did not get any painrealief.
She got Cimetidin for her stomach bleeding and some antibiotics.
A special "harness" was sewn by my mother so we could help her up
Sammie had NONE of the side-effect’s that are standing on the Norwegian medicine package leaflet, BUT her side-effects started with stiffness in her body and problem with her balance/wobbling. THAT should a veterinarian know though
If YOU suspect sideeffects from Rimadyl - DO NOT trust the vet to report it - do it yourself.
In Norway : Orion Pharma, Veterinæravdelingen, Box 4366 Nydalen, 0402 Oslo, Tlf : +47 40 00 42 10 and : www.legemiddelverket.no
It’s a good idea to also write a journal with every symptoms that you see.
Below you can read a bit of Sammies journal that I wrote :
DATE | DRUG | SYMPTOMS |
Friday 16.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl evening | Because of stiffness and her being swollen in right shoulder |
Saturday 17.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl morning ½ tablett evening | No change |
Sunday 18.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl morning ½ tablett evening | No change I am not sure if she’s already starting to be stiffer in her body |
Monday 19.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl morning ½ tablett evening | She is definately worse, stiffer in her body, problems with her balance, problems with getting up and laying down. Can’t sit. Problems when peeing (balance) |
Tuesday 20.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl morning 1 tablett evening | Worse, calling Nordberg Animalclinic and G.E.Berge again. Tellng Berge about Sammies symptoms : Serious problems with her balance, wobbly walking. Very stiff in her body. Can’t sit. Are falling. Problems getting up and laying down. Are crying. Berge is then telling me to increase her dose of Rimadyl (with 1 tablett). I icreased it with 1/2 a tablett. |
Wednesday 21.12.05 | 1 tablett Rimadyl morning (of course I shouldn't have trusted the veterinarian - and instead stopped With the drug) | Talked to the vet again, she is off of Rimadyl. She now looks like a banana when you see her from the side. Terrible pain in her stomach - can’t touch it. Are falling when trying to get up. Are not interested in her sorroundings. Doesn’t even lift her head when the other dogs passes her. Just laying. She are "gone", hazy eyes. Nearly no control over her legs. Crying |
Thursday 22.12.05 | 2 tablett Cimetidin | A bit over midnight black faeces (blood). Calling vet. Strange smell of her urin. Crying. Does though not have the same bananaback as she had yesterday. We are back at the vet-clinic. Get acupunture for her back. Trouble getting bloodsamples from her because she is so swollen Urintest shows some protein and some blood. Bloodtest showed normal range in liver and kidneys Gets Cimetidin for her stomack-bleeding, and oxytetral. Also on ZooLack. Crying in the evening |
Friday 23.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening | Quiet night. Cries some during the day, but not much. Wanted to look at the other dogs when she was out for peeing. Her eyes are clearer, and she has better balance. Seems she has better control over her feet. Are more interested in her surroundings. She is still stiff in her body, and have troubles getting up. This afternoon she sat for the first time in a week. Normal faeces. Are using her right foot a little. Eating well |
Saturday 24.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening 2 tablettes Prednisolon 20 mg | Quiet night. Sammie is sleeping good.. Still troubles with her right leg (shoulder). Still stiff, and problems getting up. Peeing more then usual. I can touch her stomach today - Cimetidin is working. Contact with vet. we continues with cortisone. Probably bleeding in her back, she has spasms in her backleg. From the time she got Prednisone and till early afternoon she sleeps wonderful. No crying. Normal faeces. Can walk longer then a couple of meters. Drinking a lot. |
Sunday 25.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening 2 tablettes Prednisolon 20 mg | Quiet night. Has not been crying at all since yesterday. Normal faeces. Are much more interested. She is barking (something she hasn’t done since she got sick). Walking. The spasms in her backleg are gone. Vomiting - no blood |
Monday 26.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening 1 ¾ tablett Prednisolon | Normal night. Normal faeces. She is in general much better. Still stiff, but it’s easier for her to get up. Drinking a lot. |
Tuesday 27.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening 1 ½ tablett Prednisolon | Quiet night Calling vet again and continue with Cimetidin and Cortisone. It’s easier for her to get up now. She is better than yesterday |
Wednesday 28.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening | Wonderful night Sammie is a little tired, but she continues to get better. |
Thursday 29.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening ½ tablett Prednisolon | No problems, better then yesterday |
Friday 30.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening | Lovely night. Was out for several minutes today - and she loved it |
Saturday 31.12.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening ½ Prednisolon | A bit stiffer today, but not much, maybe because she was allowed to be out for some minutes yesterday... |
Sunday 01.01.06 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening 1 tablett Oxytetral morning and evening ½ Prednisolon | Last day with antibiotics |
Monday 02.01.06 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening ½ Prednisolon | She walkes about 100 meters |
Tuesday 03.01.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening ¼ Prednisolon | Was a trip at the seashore, not much walking but she loved it |
Wednesday 04.01.05 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening ¼ Prednisolon | She fetched one of her teddy-bears today and wanted to play Lovely day by the seashore |
Thursday 05.01.06 | 1 tablett Cimetidin morning and evening ¼ Prednisolon | Are in Oslo to check her - no blood in urine. Last day on Cimetidin |
My Sammie was such a brave little girl and wanted so much to live, and her toughness tell me more about Sammie then about the help she got from Nordberg Animal clinic.
I am absolutely appalled that a veterinarian obviously have no knowledge about the medication he gives, in Sammies case Rimadyl, and the eventually side-effect
Monday 09.01.06
Sammie’s progress continues. She is now on 20 mg Prednisone. I am terrified of new bleedings but until now it seems that it is going the right way.
We had some "ups and downs" and we increased her dose of prednisone but these small steps of progress was there all the time. Sammie is a real fighter and we all thought she would pull it through.
Monday 16.01.06
After a lovely walk she was suddenly getting worse in the evening/night, and on tuesday january 17. I had to let her go. I got to keep her 12 years 10 months and 4 days.
It’s heartbreaking to know that without this drugs she would still be alive, and the knowledge of having killed her with drug this is unbearable.
If you suspect your Collie to get side-effects from this drug do NOT trust the vet to rapport it - but do it yourself. The address is www.legemiddelverket.no
Here in Norway the address for the firm that are Pfizers representatives : Orion Pharma, Veterinæravdelingen, Box 4366 Nydalen, 0402 Oslo, Phone : 40 00 42 10 - THEY ARE THOUGH IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK TO SO IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO CONTACT PFIZER USA
Read more about Rimadyl at this link : HERE OBS NEW LINK
"Grandmother" with from left Sheppegutt, Little Heike-mother and Sammie. Photo taken january 16, Sammies last day
Such a unnecessary and tragic death