My dog has meningitis. Is it safe to give Marbofloxacin and Rimadyl?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to recommend any treatment or dosage of medications on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Legally, a pet must be physically examined by a vet before any treatment can be prescribed or recommended. Rimadyl can be used for any muscular or joint inflammation or pain, so it is probably the right choice for Westley. If you get in touch with your local vets, they should be able to advise about the dose for Westley. You will also find Rimadyl dosage on the leaflet, that should be provided with the tablets that were prescribed for Winston.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rugby. You cannot use Rimadyl if she is taking prednisone. Giving these two medications together has a very high risk of causing gastrointestinal ulcers. Personally I do not start Rimadyl until a dog has been off of prednisone for two weeks. It can be done sooner if the dog is given additional medications to protect the GI tract, but it is still risky. Is she taken a muscle relaxer? In dogs with severe neck pain, I will use prednisone, gabapentin, a muscle relaxer and an additional pain medication such as tramadol. If her pain cannot be controlled though, she may need to see a neurologist for surgery. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Soda has been having back problems, but I’m glad to hear the medications are helping make him more comfortable. It is fine to give all three together, ideally with food to ensure they don’t upset his stomach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are no known negative interactions to giving those two medications together. If you are concerned, or notice any possible negative side effects, I would recommend reaching out to your regular veterinarian for further customized advice for your pet.

I understand your concerns - you can definitely read some scary things on the internet! All medications have the possibility of causing problems or side effects - thankfully, for the most of drugs that we use commonly, these issues are extremely rare. Rimadyl is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), very similar to Advil in humans. All NSAIDs have a theoretical risk of causing side effects like GI upset, irritation, and stomach ulcers, as well as liver or kidney issues at very high doses. But just like it would be extremely rare for Advil to cause these problems in humans, it's also extremely rare to see any serious side effects with Rimadyl. This is one of the most commonly used drugs in the veterinary field, and is well-tolerated by the vast majority of dogs who take it. Personally (knock on wood!) I have never had a patient have any serious problems with it, and we use it every single day in our clinic. So while nothing is every 100% guaranteed to not cause any problems, Rimadyl is a very safe and effective drug - just make sure to always give it according to your vet's directions, to minimize the chance of any issues :)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Normally, it is safe to administer these medications together. However, I do not recommend that you administer any medications if they have not been prescribed by a veterinarian as some of these medications can cause side effects and pre-screening bloodwork should be performed. Good luck and have a good night!

No medication should be given after the expiration date. The expiration dates are determined because medication begins to degrade and become ineffective after the expiration date. Some medications also become unsafe in addition to being ineffective. Do not give Marley expired Rimadyl and contact her vet to have this prescription refilled, if needed. I hope that all goes well!