The label says, word for word:
Rimadyl is indicated for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the control of postoperative pain associated with soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries in dogs.
Rimadyl should not be used in dogs exhibiting previous hypersensitivity to carprofen.
Keep out of reach of children. Not for human use. Consult a physician in cases of accidental ingestion by humans. For use in dogs only. Do not use in cats.
The safe use of Rimadyl in animals less than 6 weeks of age, pregnant dogs, dogs used for breeding purposes, or in lactating bitches has not been established.
Rimadyl is not recommended for use in dogs with bleeding disorders (e.g., Von Willebrand's disease), as safety has not been established in dogs with these disorders.
Concomitant use of Rimadyl with other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as other NSAIDs or corticosteroids, should be avoided because of the potential increase of adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal ulcerations and/or perforations.
Due to the palatable nature of Rimadyl chewable tablets, store out of reach of dogs in a secured location. Severe adverse reactions may occur if large quantities of tablets are ingested.
Every approved medicine has a field study behind it, and the label prints what happened:
Clinical field study (osteoarthritis), Rimadyl vs placebo: Inappetence 1.6% vs 1.5%; Vomiting 3.1% vs 3.8%; Diarrhea/Soft stool 3.1% vs 4.5%; Behavior change 0.8% vs 0.8%; Dermatitis 0.8% vs 0.8%; PU/PD 0.8% vs none. Post-approval: "Although not all adverse reactions are reported, the following adverse reactions are based on voluntary post-approval adverse drug experience reporting."
From the sheet the maker writes for owners:
Rimadyl is sold as caplets (NADA 141-053), chewable tablets (NADA 141-111) and a sterile injection; the chewable-tablet label is quoted here. Approval year: an FDA FOI summary for NADA 141-053 refers to "the original FOI summary dated October 25, 1996"; no FDA page states the approval date outright. Label caution: "Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian." The label's owner sheet states: "Cats should not be given Rimadyl. Call your veterinarian immediately if your cat receives Rimadyl."
The emergency page sorts the signs by how long you have, and the symptom checker asks what you are seeing. Reactions to a medicine can also be reported to the FDA yourself: how to report a problem.
These answers come from the approved label on DailyMed, read on 2 October 2026. Where the label does not say, the answer says so, and the vet or the pharmacist is the one to ask.
The approved use is quoted at the top of this page. It is given to dogs to relieve the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis and to control pain after surgery. The label read for these answers is the one for Rimadyl chewable tablets, with the owner sheet that comes with it. The caplets and the injection have labels of their own.
The owner sheet in the label says that in most dogs "improvement can be seen in a matter of days", and that the response varies from dog to dog. The label also says the drug reaches its highest level in the blood one to three hours after it is given by mouth.
It is a chewable tablet given by mouth, and the owner sheet says it may be given with or without food. Most dogs take it from the hand, or it can be placed in the mouth or on food. The label says to make sure the dog eats the whole dose. The tablets are scored so that they can be halved. The vet decides the amount, whether it is given once a day or split in two, and for how long.
The label does not say what to do about a missed dose. Call the clinic or the pharmacy before you give the next one.
The studies and the warnings are quoted above. The owner sheet says to stop the tablets and contact your vet immediately if you think your dog has a medical problem or a side effect from Rimadyl. The signs it lists start with eating less or more, vomiting, and a change in bowel movements such as diarrhea or black, tarry or bloody stools. It goes on to a change in behavior, such as less or more activity, unsteadiness, a seizure or aggression. The last signs on its list are yellowing of the gums, skin or whites of the eyes, a change in drinking or urination habits, and redness, scabs or scratching of the skin. It also says to contact the vet immediately if the dog eats more than the prescribed amount.
The label says to store it at room temperature, 59° to 86°F. Because the chewable tablets taste good to dogs, it says to store them out of reach of dogs in a secured place. It also says to keep them out of reach of children.
The FDA says the best way to get rid of most unused or expired medicines is a take-back option: a drug take-back location, which can be at a pharmacy or a police station, or a prepaid mail-back envelope. If you cannot use one and the medicine is not on the FDA's flush list, the FDA says to mix it, uncrushed, with something unappealing such as dirt, cat litter or used coffee grounds and to seal the mixture in a plastic bag before throwing it away. Flushing is only for medicines on that list, such as opioids. Do not give leftovers to another pet.
Write the dose, the times and the stop date here, then print this page for the fridge.
Dose and times: _____________________________________________
Stop date: _____________________________________________