Buddy was a beautiful 8 year old yellow lab/mastiff mix. He was big, strong, healthy and gentle – I called him the Mountain Buddha – as we live up in the Cascade Mountains and he often would lay on the grass awake, peaceful and meditative in his demeanor. He taught me much about just “being.” Buddy was special, he came into my life like an angel 8 years ago when my dad was dying of cancer – he was a tremendous source of joy and comfort to me and my family during that time and for the next 8 years.

Buddy lived a great life, he hiked in the Cascades, helped me train for the Seattle Marathon twice, went on unauthorized “expeditions” with his brother Jackson, in hot pursuit of deer. He lived a very happy active life.

This summer he began getting up slowly, his back right leg seeming very stiff and sore. I assumed it was age, activity and arthritis catching up with him. The vet diagnosed him with a bad knee in need of TPLO surgery, with a great prognosis. So in late August, one week before his surgery, my vet put Buddy on Deramaxx (NSAID) for the pain and inflammation, until the surgery. I was given no information about the drug in writing nor by the doctor or staff at the veterinary hospital. Although I found it strange to not receive a fact sheet as I would if it were me taking the meds, I fully entrusted Buddy to the care of these folks, because they have always presented as so caring and compassionate, and also thought maybe the rules are different for pets, I guess they don’t have to provide info.

The surgery went well, but I was unprepared for the extent of the recuperation period until I saw Buddy, it would be a very slow 4 months of minimal movement to allow bone healing, etc. Just in time though for Buddy’s favorite: Laying and playing in the snow! He developed a bit of a dry cough after coming home, so the doc put him on Simplicef. Buddy also was having a shivering-type response a few days post op, and I was concerned about what this meant – they prescribed Tramadol, a narcotic pain killer. Buddy HATED that drug and I could never get him to swallow it so I still have a full bottle of that one. And so for the next four weeks we took the hourly drive to the vet for an Adequan injection in his leg. Again, I was given no information about any of these drugs.

The vet sent me home with a large bottle of Deramaxx, 100mg a day for the next 5 weeks, along with sedatives Acepromazine to keep him from being too active. “Take one a day until gone.” All was going well, he was resting, within 1 ½ weeks he was walking in the yard bearing full weight, eating healthy, begging healthy! And smiling again. I pulled him off the sedatives completely by this point.

Buddy’s last weekend in September was his best: he climbed a short flight of stairs each night in order to sleep in bed with me. On Monday he began moving slowly again, on Tuesday he was no longer bearing weight, so I called the vet. Just continue with the rest and Deramaxx I was told.

On Wednesday I took the day off – Buddy’s appetite dropped off – nothing enticed him that normally would – he was withdrawn all day and I was worried. He went in on Wednesday night for his Adequan injection – they checked his temperature and it was normal. I was assured everything is ok, “it’s probably just the pain” and the “Deramaxx can upset their stomachs.”

Thursday night I came home from work, and Buddy did not move when I walked in his room. He laid on his bed nearly lifeless, and I knew in my heart he was dying, I became grief-stricken but told myself I was over-reacting – Buddy managed to rally that night, came out of his room, sat with me and ate from my hand – as if more for my benefit than his own.

I called the vet Friday morning and let him know Buddy wasn’t eating, the vet said he is in pain from over-exerting, “since Buddy’s a big boy, we’ll increase the Deramaxx dosage to 150mg” On Friday night I picked up the re-supply of Deramaxx. I got home and it was more of the same with Budd. I got him to eat some food, but not much. That night he vomited all night long and developed diarrhea – his respirations increased and he panted. His leg was now better, not limping on it anymore, but now I wondered if he had some kind of flu and what, if anything, I could do about that.

Saturday morning Buddy would not eat – I hate myself for what I will say next, but I gave him his INCREASED dose of Deramaxx (150mg) without any food – thinking, his leg is better, I want to at least treat that part of him, if I can’t do anything about his flu symptoms.

On Saturday night into Sunday morning I watched Buddy lay there – his heart pounding. I thought maybe he was developing pneumonia. He was unstable and confused when I walked him outside, he began to drool excessively.

On Sunday morning I couldn’t watch this anymore, I called the vet and told them his symptoms and they said I should bring him in. The on-call vet diagnosed him with “a sore tummy” from the Deramaxx. They injected him with something, prescribed another drug plus Zantac, tested his blood and told me he was fine. They sent me home and told me to feed him chicken and rice. Call if symptoms worsen, if he stops drinking water. That night my spirits lifted as he gobbled down a plate of chicken and rice, I had a false sense of hope momentarily – until I went online later that night – as I just kept having the sense that none of what they were diagnosing and treating was correct, I began researching all of these drugs. I went into a horrible panic as I learned that Deramaxx/Rimadyl was to blame for other dogs dying, as well as for Buddy’s current condition.

On Monday morning he wouldn’t eat even a couple pieces of chicken. He looked at me painfully as he sought to find a comfortable way to lay down. I called the vet as soon as the office opened at 7am and left a detailed message about his symptoms. The vet called me back and re-assured me “that’s how dogs show pain…panting, etc…call me if you see blood in his diarrhea or vomit.” As I struggled to leave my house for work, already running late…I called my ex-husband, Mike, who had helped me care for Buddy post-op, and asked him to come up that afternoon ‘cause Buddy wasn’t doing so good. I knelt by my Buddy, rubbed his ears, kissed his nose, gently pet his back and leg and tummy, told him countless times how much I loved him – and knew in my heart it would be the last time I saw him. As I left the driveway, I called out “I love you Buddy.” He died later that morning.

I don’t need to tell anyone who might read this, and who has lost a loved one, how utterly devastated I felt and still feel. Mike discovered Buddy and I immediately called the vet the day he died and told him Buddy died. He sounded shocked – I could say nothing more to him except “I knew he wasn’t ok I knew it.” I was so angry at the vet but I refused to unleash all of my thoughts and anger on him.

Thank god Jackson is still with me.

My mission now is to help educate pet owners as much as I can about these drugs and their side-effects. To know what to ask vets and to do whatever I can in Buddy’s memory, in hopes that we can prevent any future needless loss of life.

The pharmaceutical companies and vets will have karma to answer to. They have already been found guilty in the Court of my mind and heart.

Kathy