Alarm bells are ringing about the use of a non-steroidal, anti inflammatory drug prescribed for arthritis in dogs.  Carprofen, branded as Carprodyl was first marketed in the US in 1997 as Rimadyl and was given a licence in the UK in 2008.  Generally regarded as a safe drug which works by restricting the producion of chemicals that cause painful inflammation, carprofen is thought to have caused at least 3,200 deaths in the US but because the reporting of side effects is voluntary rather than mandatory in this country, it is impossible to ascertain whether there are similar tragic figures here.  Ceva Animal health who are licensed to sell Carpodyl in the UK says that they sold 1.7 million doses of the drug last year with only four reports of adverse side effects. 

I am not a vet and I have no wish to cause panic amongst owners whose dogs are taking Carprodyl with no problems - but you should be aware of what is happening in the US and perhaps talk to your vet?