Rainbows Bridge

On March 26, 2003 we buried our Golden Retriever, Honey.

I cried as I saw our other dogs sniff what used to be their friend and companion. Our dog, Molly, brought a ball to the hole and dropped it in for Honey. My husband and two of our sons watched quietly as we and they said good-bye to our friend of eleven and one-half years.

Yet one week earlier Honey was in good health. She went to the closet where we kept the leashes and wagged her tail for someone to walk her. We usually didn't, because her pace had slowed and joints stiffened over the years. Exercise in our fenced backyard had to suffice these days. Five weeks prior, when Honey had her yearly checkup the vet suggested giving her the drug Rimadyl. I reacted with an immediate, "NO!" I told him how my brother's Golden Retriever died from liver failure after taking that drug. He told me that it was a rare occurrence for such a reaction and that Honey's life would be enriched with more pep and energy.

Besides shots, he took Honey's blood for a routine blood chemistry. All came out normal. I pondered his words.

Four weeks after Honey's exam, as I watched her have difficulty getting up from our vinyl flooring, I decided that my brother's dog dying from Rimadyl must have been a rarity. I decided to try the drug on Honey, asking everyone to keep an eye on her for changes. On the second day, following the second dose, Honey threw up.

From that point on Honey's health declined. I stopped giving her the Rimadyl after only four pills, one each morning and evening for two days. It got to a point to where she could not even get up. One of my sons would have to carry her outside. She continued to throw up. Her water consumption increased. Her appetite decreased. Her stool became black and sticky (probably bloody because her odor aroused our male dog). Her stomach swelled.

We took her to a different vet who said we had a very sick pup. He looked at her gums which were yellow, took blood, and started her on an IV. The blood work showed high bilirubin (liver function in trouble) and her BUN (blood ureic nitrogen) went from 11 a month ago to 69 (kidney problems). A day later, still on the IV, her tongue hung from the side of her mouth as she struggled for each breath. Her liver and kidneys had failed completely.

We had Honey put to sleep.

I have already heard from a close friend that her dog had blood in it's stool from Rimadyl, followed by death. Please help me save a dog from a similar, terrible death by forwarding this to your entire address list. If you know of someone giving this to their dog, please tell them to check the side effects and have regular liver function checks. If you have experienced a problem with the drug by Pfizer called Rimadyl, please write to me. Use your dogs name in the subject space like: my dog Sally. That's the only way I will open the e-mail.

Thank You! Joyce

"Josie"

1994 - September 5, 2002

I always called Josie my “Birthday Beagle.” I had to really beg my husband to get her. I rescued her from a shelter when she was about 2 or 3 years old. The first night I had her, she got into my bed and under the blanket. It was like she was saying, “ I am home at last and warm!”

Josie got very sick in the following weeks from the injections the Shelter had given her. We honestly didn’t think she was going to make it. After many rounds of antibiotics she pulled thru. At that time I had 3 other dogs too! Josie was one of those dogs that would tell you what to do and when. I always got scolded from her when I returned from shopping or work. She was a talker!

When we moved to Florida my dogs had their own bedroom. But, Josie still slept with me, as she knew she was the Queen Bee. While in Florida, for about 2 years I could never find what I called an excellent vet. They all had Lasers and probably weren’t well trained to use them.

Josie started to develop arthritis when she was about 7 years old. We had put her on a diet and she was back to her normal weight. I took her to a vet whom I thought was competent. I came home with the medication Rimadyl. I left for Illinois and my husband then started giving it to her.

My husband is fairly new to the dog world and just thought she had an upset stomach. I asked my husband to take her back to the vet. The next morning she got into one of many dog beds, let out a last breath and died.

Josie died within 5 days of starting the drug.
I still blame myself for not being there and possibly seeing the signs of distress.

Josie was my life. She just knew when I was in a lot of pain from failed back surgeries and would stay curled up against my back to keep it warm. We buried her in the back yard where she used to sun bathe in Florida so much.

What a dog! and what a life she had!

I learned that from now on …. I ask many questions before giving my dogs any meds. The vet I have now in Illinois has never used Rimadyl, Deramaxx or the Proheart Shot.

Hopefully there is a dog heaven and I will see my Josie again. She has been dead now 2 years and I still think about her everyday. My other Beagles aren’t talkers … but I love them.

Lisa