Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Female | spayed | 8 years and 3 months old | 9.2 lbs
My dog has been in severe pain for 2 weeks now. Xrays didn't show any broken bones. Seems to be an issue with her neck. We have tried a variety of medications. She is currently weaning off Prednisone, and she's taking Gabapentin. Can I also give her Rimadyl to help ease her pain? She's miserable.
1 Answer
Published on July 14th, 2019
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rugby. You cannot use Rimadyl if she is taking prednisone. Giving these two medications together has a very high risk of causing gastrointestinal ulcers. Personally I do not start Rimadyl until a dog has been off of prednisone for two weeks. It can be done sooner if the dog is given additional medications to protect the GI tract, but it is still risky. Is she taken a muscle relaxer? In dogs with severe neck pain, I will use prednisone, gabapentin, a muscle relaxer and an additional pain medication such as tramadol. If her pain cannot be controlled though, she may need to see a neurologist for surgery. I hope this information helps!
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