From:
Alison Skipper
Date: 2001-02-25 13:41:00 UTC
Subject: Re: rimadyl
For what it's worth, injectable Rimadyl is available in the UK. (I'm a UK vet). I am well aware of the documented problems with it in dogs (from canine discussion lists rather than personal experience - I've never had a problem with it). We use it routinely for pain relief after neutering in dogs, cats, and rabbits (and I have used it for pain relief in one or two ferret spays, too,
including one of my own). I work in a mainly exotic practice, where we see large numbers of rabbits with chronic dental disease, and we generally use Rimadyl as a first-line painkiller in these animals. While I would in every way defer to Dr William's far greater knowledge and experience of ferret medicine, I have to say that my experience of Rimadyl has generally been favourable
and that I would certainly continue to use it, on the evidence so far, in healthy ferrets, though I might be more wary in sick ones. Since we have no drugs except Baytril and isofluorane licenced for use in ferrets in the UK at the moment (no, no vaccines either), every drug choice has to be a matter of personal judgement anyway. Our other main choice for pain relief in exotics would
be meloxicam, which has the advantage of being in a liquid formulation and so can be accurately given to very small animals; but I don't think meloxicam is available in the US, is it?
I am sure this excellent new list harbours no trolls, but I had better point out that I don't much want to receive any flames now I've admitted to being an animal-murdering vet through using Rimadyl, as seems to be the general opinion in some sections of the Internet community...
Best wishes,
Alison Skipper MRCVS, UK