Your senior, arthritic dog takes carprofen (trade name Rimadyl) on the advice of your vet to help him with the pain and joint stiffness common with old age. Suddenly, he stops eating, begins vomiting or has other signs of general ill health, and your vet recommends discontinuing the carprofen, suspecting an overdose. Your pet will need specific veterinary treatment to overcome carprofen's toxic effects depending on his symptoms.
-
Gastrointestinal Treatments
-
An overdose of carprofen, classified as an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), can trigger acute toxic gastritis, or gastrointestinal upset, in your dog. Your pet may begin suddenly vomiting, become dehydrated and unable to eat. Long-term use of carprofen is known to cause gastric ulcers in dogs, with the accompanying signs of black, tarry feces and stomach pain.
Veterinary treatment commonly means hospitalization and no food or water for your pet for 24 to 36 hours. Your sick dog will receive either subcutaneous or intravenous fluids to offset the vomiting and dehydration. Vets typically prescribe a low-fat, bland diet after 36 hours, and may include doses of antiemetics (anti-nausea drugs) and antibiotics; this last to restore the normal flora of your dog's gastrointestinal tract.
Blood Platelet Treatment
-
Dogs with carprofen toxicities can develop thrombocytopenia, a deficiency of the blood platelets that promote clotting, states Dr. Wendy Brooks of the Pet Pharmacy. Abnormal bruising and bleeding occurs without this clotting factor.
Diagnosed by blood tests, your vet will typically stop medicating your dog with carprofen, and administer corticosteroids (cortisone-like medications) to bring your pet's circulatory system back into stasis. Depending on the overall health of your animal, your vet may prescribe antibiotics to avert any possible infections. A full-blood transfusion may be necessary if your dog is severely anemic or hemorrhaging.
Renal Treatment
-
Because carprofen reduces your dog's kidney function by lessening the organs' blood supply, senior dogs with kidney problems may experience renal failure. Your dog may present with symptoms including diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, excessive drinking and/or urination and very dilute urine.
Veterinary treatment usually begins with the administration of intravenous fluids and electrolytes to combat dehydration. Your vet may prescribe medications to increase renal function and decrease blood pressure; a hormone called epoetin can be administered to help the kidney's produce more red blood cells. Home treatment usually includes a low-sodium, low-protein diet and the administration of subcutaneous fluids.
Liver Treatment
-
According to Dr. Brooks, dogs with acute liver failure resulting from carprofen overdose typically begin showing symptoms within three weeks of beginning the medication. They develop vomiting, either diarrhea and/or constipation, become anorectic, may excessively drink and urinate and can show traces of blood in their urine and feces. They can also become jaundiced---presenting with yellow pigmentation of the gums, skin and ears.
In "Common Diseases of Companion Animals," Dr. Alleice Summers recommends stopping the carprofen immediately and starting your affected dog on a low-protein diet. She says that "force-feeding or a gastric feeding tube may be required if the animal is not eating." Antibiotics and lactulose (a high-glucose gel) may be necessary if your dog is particularly lethargic or ataxic (unable to walk straight). Your dog can improve within a week if veterinary treatment begins with the onset of symptoms.
-