My dog on Rimadyl has back pain, not peeing or pooping. Is it serious?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is concerning as the Rimadyl is supposed to be helping but things continue to be about the same. This could be due to a neurological issue for example. I would encourage you to check in again with your veterinarian to have Lex reevaluated as she has not improved much. They could consider another medication such as gabapentin or more advanced diagnostics to try to diagnose the matter. Best of luck!

Rarely Rimadyl can cause adverse side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, liver issues and kidney issues.Olive's diarrhea may be unrelated but to be safe the Rimadyl likely should be stopped. I would also recommend contacting your veterinarian and be prepared to take her to an ER clinic if the diarrhea worsens or she has any vomiting

This is not a typical side effect of carprofen with the most common side effects being gi in origin. Is your pet drinking more water as well? As these drugs (nsaids) can affect the kidneys increased thirst/urination is sometimes related to this. Other options could be he is sore and not making it outside as often or has a urinary tract issue (bladder/prostate). I would recommend a recheck with your family vet to check his kidney values and rule out a urinary tract issue. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi there. I'm assuming you mean Rimadyl? If so, this medication should NEVER be given more frequently than directed by your veterinarian, since overdoses can cause serious damage to the stomach and kidneys. I would recommend calling your veterinarian tomorrow morning to see what they suggest - they may ask you to skip Evie's next scheduled dose. You will also need to monitor her for any signs of a problem such as vomiting or not wanting to eat, and take her in right away to be seen if any problems are noted.

I can understand your concern. It is unlikely that she will have a serious complication from getting this dosage early due to her weight of 17lbs. I would recommend monitoring her for vomiting, bloody stool or refusal to eat for more 12 hrs. I assume you gave her the Rimadyl with a full meal as instructed. If you didn’t and she won’t take a meal now, then that is cause for concern and she should see an ER vet right away. But if she ate a full meal and is just sleepy it’s ok to wait it out. I would also give her a half of slice of bread, if she’ll take it and if anything else changes over the next 12-24 hrs Paige should be seen by a vet to make sure she is ok. Giving back to back NSAIDS do have the tendency to cause an upset stomach and in severe cases they can cause stomach ulcers, but typically this happens after long term usage of the drug or any drug interactions. Best wishes and I hope that Paige turns out ok.

The codeine could definitely be the culprit. Sedation is one of the main side effects. I would recommend calling your vet to discuss a lower dose, especially if her pain is well controlled. There are also many other medications that could be used instead to see if she tolerates a different medication better. Or, if the rimadyl alone is keeping her comfortable, you can discuss stopping the codeine. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach@

Yes, constipation can be a side effect of Rimadyl. I would let your vet know that you are seeing this side effect in Seymour, and you can also give him a tablespoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with his food to see if that helps with the constipation.