Lawyers with The Animal Law Center announce today that they have filed a civil lawsuit against the makers of the drug Rimadyl, Pfizer Incorporated on behalf of the owners of a golden retriever named Sophie who died after taking the drug. The suit accuses Pfizer of negligence for its lack of properly informing pet owners of the risks associated with using the drug, which can be toxic to animals.

In May of 2009, Sophie’s owners, Shelley Smith and Christopher Cooper took Sophie to a Longmont veterinarian for treatment of a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture. Following the surgery, the veterinarian prescribed several medications, including Rimadyl, which is an anti-inflammatory drug. Eleven days after surgery, Sophie began experiencing symptoms described by two Pfizer veterinarians as Rimadyl toxicity. Both corporate vets suggested hospitalization for the animal. Following a 13-day stay at the hospital, Sophie was released to the care of Smith and Cooper. But her suffering continued.

On July 9, 2009, Sophie was admitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for a laparoscopic liver biopsy and esophageal tube placement for tube feeding. Test results exhibited severe liver degradation. After several trips back and forth to CSU for treatment, Sophie died on July 26, 1009.

“Conduct an Internet search, and you’ll find many websites devoted to pet owners sharing their stories of death or near death experiences with their pets after taking Rimadyl,” says Jennifer Edwards, lawyer and founder of The Animal Law Center. “Many animals do well on this drug, but you don’t know how your pet will react until it dies. We want Pfizer to conduct more research on this drug to determine its wide-ranging effects on all breeds.”