Rimadyl the Wonder Drug - Or Is It?

Rimadyl has been replaced by Glucosamine as the arthritis treatment of choice for many dog owners. After only 3 years on the market, Pfizer's aggressive advertising campaign for Rimadyl had been modified and eventually withdrawn, due to unprecedented numbers of adverse side effects and a significant number of deaths. This, after Rimadyl had been touted as a miracle treatment for arthritis in pets just a few years ago.

Glucosamine is an effective, natural arthritis treatment for pets, with all the benefits and more, of the anti-inflammatory drug Rimadyl, but without the side effects.

Here's what you need to know in selecting an arthritis treatment which is safe for your pet and will have your senior dog romping like a puppy again!


(PRWEB) November 3, 2004 - Rimadyl was hailed as a wonder arthritis treatment for pets when it came on the market in 1997. Over the next 3 years, due largely to an aggressive marketing campaign by the manufacturer, Pfizer, Rimadyl was prescribed for 5 million dogs.

But it hadn't been thoroughly tested. According to statistics compiled by the FDA (Food And Drug Administration), in 1997 alone, Rimadyl was implicated in 30 per cent of all veterinary adverse drug reaction reports received! Side effects included gastrointestinal, renal and liver problems, and death. Within those first three years, 10,000 dog owners had reported an adverse reaction to Rimadyl, and there were at least 1,500 deaths or euthanasias attributed to the drug. And it is generally accepted that many adverse reactions are not reported, so the real statistics are likely to be significantly higher.

You may remember the Rimadyl ads depicting older dogs bouncing around like puppies. Those dogs were the lucky ones. And of course, the success stories were many, and they were amazing. But you no longer see those Rimadyl ads, do you?

Is there a realistic alternative to Rimadyl? One that provides such a marked improvement without the possible side effects? Or should you take the risk that your dog won't develop side effects to Rimadyl?

The good news is that Glucosamine, a natural sugar produced by the body and found in some foods, plays an important role in the production, maintenance and repair of cartilage. Supplementation with Glucosamine can therefore provide not only the pain relieving effects of Rimadyl, but also helps maintain existing healthy joint tissue and aid in rebuilding healthy new cartilage.

Should Rimadyl be removed from the market altogether? No - there are certainly some cases where its use may be warranted - severe cases of arthritis which have been left untreated, or which have not responded to Glucosamine or other treatments. The results can be very worthwhile.