With any pain medication (especially the NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), there can be side-effects and some of them can be quite serious. If you read the insert on Rimadyl, it says that the medication can cause death.

HOWEVER, I still consider most of these NSAIDS, especially Rimadyl, to be quite safe and very effective. To minimize the chance of side effects, we recommend a full blood panel prior to starting the medication. We repeat the bloodwork every six months if the pet is still taking it.

drphilvegasvet