Rovera for Dogs

What Is Rovera for Dogs?

Rovera is a chewable carprofen tablet for dogs, made by Zoetis (the maker of Rimadyl) and distributed to veterinary clinics, mainly in the VCA hospital network. It is a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for osteoarthritis pain and for pain after surgery, in the same 25, 75 and 100 mg strengths as Rimadyl.

Because Rovera is carprofen, everything that applies to carprofen applies to it: the label dose of 2 mg per lb a day, the same side effects and warning signs, the same rule against combining it with another NSAID or a steroid, and the same bloodwork monitoring. It is for dogs only.

Why Your Clinic Gave You Rovera Instead of Rimadyl

Rovera is carprofen made by Zoetis, the same company that makes Rimadyl, and distributed by Vicar Operating, Inc., the company associated with the VCA network of animal hospitals. In practice, Rovera is a clinic label: owners usually first see it on a bottle handed over at a VCA hospital, sometimes in place of a Rimadyl prescription they had before.

Hospital groups commonly carry their own labels of widely used drugs because buying in volume from one maker lowers the price. For you, it means:

• The drug hasn't changed. Rovera and Rimadyl contain the same active ingredient, from the same manufacturer, at the same strengths.
• The tablet may look different from the Rimadyl you had before. Ask the clinic to confirm it if you're unsure.
• No washout is needed when switching between Rimadyl and Rovera. Carry on at the same milligram dose.

Rovera vs Rimadyl at a Glance

Refilling Rovera Somewhere Else

Because Rovera is distributed through clinics, you may not find it at an online or retail pharmacy. You don't need to: any FDA-approved carprofen at the same strength is an equivalent substitute.

1. Ask for a written prescription for "carprofen" with the strength, the dose in milligrams, how often to give it, and the number of refills. The AVMA supports vets providing written prescriptions on request, and many states require it.
2. Choose a licensed pharmacy that verifies the prescription with your vet (see is it safe to buy pet medication online?).
3. Check the new bottle against the old one: same milligram strength, and instructions that add up to the same daily dose.

This is also the simplest fix if you move house, travel, or your dog's usual clinic runs out.

Questions Worth Asking When Your Dog Starts Rovera

• Is this a new prescription, or a brand switch of the same dose?
• Should my dog have bloodwork before starting, or a recheck in the first few weeks? (Many vets check liver and kidney values before long-term use and again 2–4 weeks in. See bloodwork monitoring.)
• Once daily or split into two doses? With food?
• Is it safe with my dog's other medicines and supplements? (See interactions.)
• What should I do if a dose is missed, or if my dog vomits?

Is a Clinic Label Lower Quality?

No. Every carprofen sold in the US, whether brand, generic or clinic label, has to meet the FDA's standards for the same active ingredient. Rovera even comes from the original manufacturer. Where clinic labels can differ is in price and convenience: some are cheaper than the national brand inside the hospital, but harder to refill elsewhere. If cost matters, compare the clinic's price for Rovera with an outside pharmacy's price for generic carprofen at the same strength. See where to buy carprofen.