"Miss Daisy" May 8, 1996 - February 27, 2006

This is the story of how we lost our precious little Daisy, a 9 year
old Wheaten Terrier.
Daisy was a rescue dog who we had for 10 months. She was blind for 2
years and her original Mom had no more time for her, so put her in a Shelter. Our
son is into Wheaten Rescue, heard about her and got her immediately out of there. We
adopted her and it was love at first sight for us, and Daisy had a good life with us

She did have arthritis and was on Glyco-Flex I and then put on
Glyco-Flex II in late November.
Then.....December 23, 2005, our vet said she needed Rimadyl as she was
exhibiting signs of more pain in her hind legs. I trusted our vet
completely, my mistake!, and was not told one word about side effects
or the danger of this medicine.

DUMB ME! for not asking, but I trusted this lady.

On January 7th, 2006, she had upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting. To the
vet, given Flagyl 250 mg. 2 times a day. Blood work done. Put on
Hills ID food and this seemed to calm her tummy troubles. Next day,
she was VERY restless all day. I gave her 2 Rimadyl - one AM and one PM.

January 9, 2006, which was day 17 on Rimadyl - Gave her one Rimadyl in
the AM. Mid-morning, she sat up suddenly in her bed, shook her head
wildly, and was drooling profusely. She didn't respond to my calling
her name for awhile. Tried to get up and couldn't. It lasted several
minutes, and then she seemed ok. I called my vet and left her a
message on her machine to tell her what happened. Daisy had 2 more of
these incidents in the afternoon. I went to my vet and was informed
she was in surgery and couldn't see me. I wanted to show her what Daisy
had done.

No vet was available to see me, so I showed the action to
the receptionist and asked her to show it to my vet. The vet called and
asked me if Daisy had licked my newly waxed floor. I DON'T WAX MY
FLOORS and thought this a dumb question. I told her that the 2 new
things in Daisy's life were the Hills ID food and Rimadyl that she'd
taken at this point for 17 days. She assured me that neither could be
the cause. Said she probably had a brain tumor. I don't believe
this for a moment.

I went on the Internet and found Pfizer's page
listing side effects and checked them over. Daisy was exhibiting
several of the symptoms - Those being seizures, restlessness, lethargy,
stumbling and difficulty getting up after the incidents.
She had a seizure almost every day that week after I stopped the pills,
but they got less violent each time. Vet also told me her blood work
was just fine, but that we needed to keep checking her for liver and
kidney function since she had been on the Rimadyl. Seizures stopped on
January 15th.

I took her to a new vet on January 16th and told her of the things Daisy
had done with the wildly bobbling head and drooling. She immediately
said that Daisy had had seizures. I then told her that she'd been on
Rimadyl for 17 days and I was sure it is the cause of her seizures.
She went to the phone to call Pfizer, but it was a holiday, Martin
Luther King's Birthday. She left Pfizer a message and called me in a
day or two to tell me that she had talked to Pfizer and Daisy had a
case number. This vet did blood work too to check liver and kidney
again. She informed me later, that blood work was fine.

Rest of January, Daisy had no seizures, but was restless, lethargic,
losing her appetite. Wasn't taking her medicine (for arthritis) She
always loved taking it wrapped in a little cream cheese, or peanut
butter. Nothing tempted her to take her pills easily, as in the past.
We stuffed them down her throat, which was hard with the size of the
Glyco-Flex II!

Late January, she wet her bed which was very unusual, and vet said she
had UTI and put her on a Pfizer pill, name that began with a "Z".
(Don't recall the name.) Took a urine sample, but not Daisy to vet.
for this to be determined. Vet said not a serious infection.
Her voiding was slowing down, and I have always been under the
impression that with a UTI, one went more often.....

February 20, 2006 - Back to vet. More blood work, which was declared
fine. She received fluids subcutaneous to help with hydration. Daisy
had lost 6 lbs. since her visit to this vet on January 16th, 2006. Not
eating at all well for a couple of weeks. Not drinking much. Not
voiding much still. Twice a day was it most days. Called vet earlier
to tell her of this change and she said "that was ok, her kidneys were
fine on the blood tests." I have had many dogs in my long life, and
twice a day is NOT usual at all. Daisy would wet each time we went for
a walk, before getting sick, several times as most of them do. Tried
to get her to drink often. Not too successful.

February 25, 2006 - Daisy spent the day with my husband and me in our
car doing errands. That night, she had horrible seizures. She was
thrashing around, and couldn't stand. Crying out.
Was very disoriented for quite awhile. When she did rouse, I took her
into the yard and she ran wildly. She was on a leash, since she was
blind, but I could hardly keep up with her.

Then we came in and she began circling in very small circles for over
an hour.... She finally went to bed and slept all night. Oh, she did wet during
the seizure.

February 26, 2006 - Daisy stayed in bed most of the day, but when she
did get up, she had to lean on the kitchen cabinets to remain upright.
It was over 15 hours til she wet again from night before. My husband,
daughter, son and I decided that Daisy was too sick to go on. It was
just tragic to watch this precious girl go from one of health, except
for being blind for 2 years. She managed that handicap beautifully and
was so brave, trusting and an inspiration to all who saw her. A dearly
loved dog.

February 27th, 2006 - Took her to the vet and she was put to sleep. I
told Vet I think she had kidney failure due to Rimadyl, and she said
her blood work was just fine. She thought it neurological. Sorry, but
I don't believe that for a moment. If so, it is mighty coincidental.
As far as I am concerned and all who knew Daisy, she changed after
being put on Rimadyl, never to be the same.

Everyone should be warned!!!

And I am doing that! I don’t understand with the bad side
effects this medicine causes WHY it is still being sold to so many
unsuspecting animal lovers, who think they are doing the right thing
for their beloved animal.

It is pretty shameful that it is being sold
all the time and most owners have NO idea of what can happen to their
animals.

Jane Hagner