My Cat Accidentally Ate My Dog's Rimadyl

by Diana
(Alaska)

QUESTION:

I think my cat accidentally ate my dogs 100 mg Rimadyl. What should I do? The cat is acting normal.


Hi, Diana,

Go straight to the vet. The manufacturer is adamant that it is not safe for cats. They advise "Rimadyl should be given to dogs only. Cats should not be given Rimadyl. Call your veterinarian immediately if your cat receives Rimadyl."

The situation with Rimadyl (Rx) and cats is a bit controversial. There is an injectable form of carprofen (generic name of Rimadyl) available in some countries and approved for use in cats which has been used in cats with reasonable safety.

However, it is generally not advised to give the oral form. The oral form of the medication available in the United States may or may not be as safe.

Many vets feel that Rimadyl should not be used in cats at all. Some vets have used it at a dosage of 1mg/lb of body weight but for five days or less and have not experienced any problems. You can see from that dosage that a 10 pound cat would only get 10 mg's. Therefore, a 100 mg tablet is 10x the dosage that some vets use.


Cats may be more prone to side effects such as gastrointestinal ulcers from this medication. Also, the effects of Rimadyl are slower to surface in cats and last longer, making it all the more dangerous because you won't see effects right away. This could be why your cat seems fine now, but there is no guarantee things will remain that way.

I personally do not use Rimadyl in my practice and I would never give it to my own cats.

Hope nothing serious comes of this, but err on the side of caution -- go straight to the vet.

Best, Dr. Neely