Advice Needed Urgently....bloody Vomit....on Rimadyl

[Guest alannamac]

A day ago I posted with questions about Rimadyl as I had my suspicions regarding it.......and Bandit now suddenly since that posting (24 hrs or so) has not wanted to eat....has had nasty diarrhea.....and just vomited a small amount of blood minutes ago (about 1/2 cup of liquid, tinged sort of deep purple, but obviously blood)

I am pretty sure this is a side effect of the meds (he has not had any since he stopped eating) and I need to know what on earth to do! I've never faced this before....and have no info on these meds other than that they should be taken with a meal as they are hard on the stomach.

I'm about an hour away from an e-vet....half awake and freaking out. Please let me know if you have any experience with this!

 

[Guest tricolorhounds]

I have no advise ... mine have done well with rimadyl.

[ahicks51]

Can you call the e-vet and ask their opinion?

[2hounds]

Go to the vet! This sounds like an ulcer, this is one of the signs you are supposed to watch for because it can indicate a bleeding ulcer. GO NOW, do not wait until tomorrow!!!

 

I hope your Bandit feels better soon!

Edited December 26, 2007 by 2hounds

[Guest alannamac]

just got off phone with e-vet, and they said Bring him in pronto....so am on my way

Bandit seems energetic and happy about the car ride.....

crap

please say prayers

[ElizabethGPAPS]

I've just been doing some research and gastrointestinal bleeding is definitely a dangerous side effect associated with Rimadyl....but none of the articles I found say what to do about it. Please at least call the e-vet and ask their advice.

[gracegirl]

I hope Bandit is okay. Sending prayers.

[Guest KateWantsaGrey]

hoping all is okay at the evet. sending healing thoughts your way. let us know how things turn out when you get back or in the morning.

[GreyTzu]

Please update us when you get home. Sending healing thoughts to Bandit.

[Guest alannamac]

Just got home from e-vet and am too wired to sleep now..... Bandit's probably going to be fine, and they think it's an ulcer.....liver enzyme tests were fine, and they did bloodwork and said all was normal for a greyhound. However, I've just sat down with Dr. Stack's info on bloodwork for greys, and Bandit's white blood cell count is quite high for a grey....although normal for most other breeds (he's at 9.2....Dr. Stack's article says 3.5-6.5 is normal for greys, 6.0-17.0 normal for other breeds).

Well, we've been given antibiotics, a med to coat the stomach, and antacids(misoprostal, metronidazole and carafate)....plus bland diet orders (although Bandit had no interest in food today)

We'll see what happens.

My wallet's a lot lighter, but I feel much relieved at taking Bandit in asap.

Thank you all for your advice and good wishes.

[Lilysmom]

Glad he's going to be ok. Now take a deep breath and try to get some sleep.

[Guest argolola]

I'm glad you took him. He will be in my prayers.

[silverfish]

I'm glad you took him in quickly! Rimadyl doesn't suit them all and the adverse reactions can be dangerous as others have said.

 

Sounds like you caught this early and he'll be fine. You'll need to pick another pain medication though.

[marion]

That's a side effect of the Rimadyl in my opinion. My Greyhound got serious intestinal bleeding after 4 days

of Rimadyl administration. The vet recommended only Omeprazole which I didn't like much either but bit by

bit the bloody diarrhea stopped...he didn't give me neither antibiotics nor Flagyl.

 

[Guest greytmonty]

I am glad he is going to be ok, I hope they can put him on a med that won't hurt his ulcer. Hug him and get some rest!

[Burpdog]

Sending many prayers. Keep a very close eye on him. If he is not right, get him to your vet today.

[Guest FrostyBottoms]

:grouphug Wow, my Vinny was on Rimadyl for 6 weeks and he was fine, I knew there could be liver damage, but I didn't know about ulcers...I'm glad you caught it quickly and took him in. Feel better Bandit!

[Guest TBSFlame]

I have been giving Beecher 1/2 pill twice a day in place of the directions of one per day (I did discuss with the vet). I am watching him closely. He seems to be fine.

[patricia]

Hug that baby for me. Sending many healing thoughts.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Everytime I put our late Alfalfa on Rimadyl, he would stop eating within a couple days. I had the vet do bloodwork, and he insisted Alfalfa was fine and it was not the Rimadyl. Well I KNOW it was the Rimadyl, regardless of whether or not the blood tests showed it. I have a friend whose dog died from internal bleeding due while on Rimadyl. And she had just had her dog into the vet a few days prior. Sometimes you have to go by your gut.

 

Sending prayers for Bandit.

[Guest Winterwish]

I hope Bandit is doing much better this morning and that you're both able to get some rest. That is definitely scarey and late at night and all- you did a great job at keeping it together.

Sending get well wishes out to Bandit.

[Guest alannamac]

Well...no vomiting or diarrhea this morning, but Bandit also has not eaten in 2+ days, and now is not even interested in water. Talked to my regular vet today, and if this continues, I'll have to bring him in again this evening.

 

Please be careful if your pups are on rimadyl, as this occured all at once 4 days into treatment for Bandit

I looked online at the side effects of this drug, and one of the "rare" ones, is sudden death with no prior symptoms!

Would this be an acceptable side effect in humans? Death?

Ridiculous!

 

thank you all for your well wishes and advice.....

[Burpdog]

Most likely he needs to be at the vet's office on fluids. Sending lots of prayers!

[Guest gottaluvgreysindy]

Sending prayers for Bandit

[MerlinsMum]

Sending healing thoughts Bandit's way... Poor baby. Hope he gets better soon and starts eating & drinking normally :goodluck