Acepromazine For Greyhounds? How Safe Is Rymadal?

[Guest Olivia0208]

Livvie was on Rymadal for 2 weeks due to a serious leg laceration. The sutures were taken out and she was off Rymadal for a few days until she needed another surgery due to the laceration opening. They had to sew under and over the wound and the dressing has to be changed every 2 days. She is back on Rymadal and the doc also gave us Acepromazine ( a sedative). My question is: How safe is Rymadal and anyone ever use Acepromazine? I don't feel the need to give it to her. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[PatricksMom]

Just a heads up since you're new--Rymadal can be a very controversial subject around here. I personally had a dog react badly too it (but thankfully with no permanent results). Our adoption group's vet gave it to Henry post-neuter and apparently he did fine, but I will still stay away from it.

[Guest BlueCrab]

No direct experience with Acepromazine ("Ace"), but IIRC, others have warned against using it. If my memory is right, in essence Ace shuts down the dog's ability to react, but it doesn't calm their mind down, so whatever the stressor was is still present but their ability to react has been affected. Hopefully someone who has more experience will post soon. No experience with Rimadyl.

Edited January 14, 2013 by BlueCrab

[KF_in_Georgia]

BlueCrab is right about Ace, but Ace may actually be useful in this case. It's not a good sedative for a stressed-out dog. For a dog that just needs to be much less active, it might be the right choice. On the other hand, if Livvie is leaving her injury alone, it might not be necessary.

 

Rimadyl has some serious side effects. Read all the warnings about giving it with food, as well as any advisories about giving Pepcid (10mg famotidine) 30-40 minutes before mealtimes, then Rimadyl after.

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

I use Rimidyl for my Greyhounds at my house, if my lure coursing dog has ran hard that day and seems stiff i give it to her and I use it when vegas is having a sore/stiff day due to an old leg injury.

 

I have given it with and with out a meal but is always given with 1-2 milk bones after and had no belly issues. I don't use it any longer than a week at time (at the most) any medication can have side effects an every dog can react differently. To be honest i would follow the advice of your vet as he knows your dog and what he is doing.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Short Term ( few Days ) yes but long Term ( 2 Weeks or longer ) no.

[MP_the4pack]

I'll use Rimadyl short term. Not Ace. Ace scares me.

[Guest Olivia0208]

Thanks so much everybody! Any suggestions for a "safer" pain med? She really has to keep the leg still. She cannot jump around. If she feels well enough to do that I will give her "Ace". Livvie gets food (chicken and pasta) which she will definitely eat before the Rimidyl which is every twelve hrs if need be. Lovey_Hounds, my vet doesn't know my dog since it's always a different vet from the group that see's her, which I'm not thrilled about......

[greysmom]

Just a heads up since you're new--Rymadal can be a very controversial subject around here. I personally had a dog react badly too it (but thankfully with no permanent results). Our adoption group's vet gave it to Henry post-neuter and apparently he did fine, but I will still stay away from it.

 

I believe she meant Ace instead of Rimadyl.

 

Ace is a sedative and not a pain med. It can be useful if you need your dog to remain quiet for extended periods of time. Greyhounds can often be VERY sensitive to it - a normal dose for a lab weighing the same amount will often put a greyhound unconscious for hours. Start with as low a dose as possible to see how your girl reacts. Codeine can be used as well, along with benedryl.

 

Rimadyl can cause gastric upset so it's best to give it with food. It's an NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) not specifically pain medication either. If you need pain meds, you might discuss Tramadol with your vet, though some greyhounds can react badly to the opiates. I've never had a dog have a bad reaction to Rimadyl.

[Hubcitypam]

Rex was on Rimadyl for quite a while with no problems and I've used Tramadol many times and even though it is a opiate no one has had a reaction.

[Remolacha]

Some dogs have a bad reaction to Rimadyl, but most take it with no problems. If they are going to be on it long term (Fletcher has been on it about 1 1/2 yrs) you need to do bloodwork to check liver values every so often. All Nsaids have the potential for side effects, you just have to see how your dog reacts.

 

Some people use ACE with their greyhounds with no problem, but I have heard of a lot more who had bad reactions, including my Fletcher. If she is staying quiet, I wouldn't give her the ACE. If she needs to be calmed down, I would start with maybe a half dose, unless you are sure your vet is very familiar with greyhounds.

[ozgirl2]

Cody had ace only once - and it took her more than 6 hours to wake up fully after! And she was very groggy for hours after that. I never let them give it to her again...