CLEVELAND -- Our four-legged friends come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

When they hurt, their owners hurt, Cleveland television station WEWS reported.

For millions of dogs, pain relief has come in the form of a pill called Carprofin. The generic brand is Rimadyl. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in 1996. From the beginning there has been controversy.

Pfizer, the company that makes Rimadyl, said millions of dogs have been safely treated with the pain reliever.

A German shepherd puppy, named Cyrus, was treated with the drug. He was limping and favoring one leg, the station reported.

A veterinarian took X-rays and discovered the ball and bone were not fully developed in his hip.

Dave and Judy Hyka said that because their puppy wasn't done growing, surgery wasn't an option.

The veterinarian prescribed Rimadyl for his pain and the Hykas said it worked for a while.

Days later, Cyrus' condition quickly worsened, the station reported.

"He was laying there by the bed barely breathing," Hykas said.

Cyrus was rushed to the veterinarian. Hours later, the puppy was dead.

The station reported there is no proof that Rimadyl caused Cyrus' death, but the Hykas seem sure. For them, that's a hard pill to swallow.

"For an eight-and-half-month old puppy ... we believe this medication did it. He would be alive if we didn't give it to him," Judy said.

Cyrus' death prompted Dave Hyka to search for answers.

That search led him to the Internet, where he found similar stories.

Since the drug gained FDA approval, there have been more than 12,000 reports of dogs getting sick, including more than 2,300 deaths possibly related to the drug.

The drug maker says Rimadyl is safe and the number of adverse reactions reported is less than 1 percent of the 10 million dogs that have taken the drug.

Veterinarians such as Kim Cooper regularly prescribe the drug.

"I definitely think the pros out balance the cons," Cooper said.

The station reported pet owners should be educated about any drug they are giving their pet. They should ask questions and know about any possible side effects, according to the drug manufacturer.

Some of the mild side effects of Rimadyl are diarrhea, vomiting, intestinal side effects and very rare liver problems.

Drug Helped Another Dog

Steve Drago believes Rimadyl was a miracle drug for his dog, Shed.

Veterinarians discovered during surgery that Shed had advanced arthritis.

Shed was on the drug seven years, and it worked well, the owner said.

"We might have had to put him down if it wasn't for Rimadyl," Drago said.

The station said Shed lived to be 15, and Drago wrote Pfizer to praise the medication. As a result, he and his dog appeared in the company's calendar.