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An Arthritis Drug with Deadly Side Effects?!

An Arthritis Drug with Deadly Side Effects?!

Breakthrough Arthritis Drug for Dogs, Librela, Is Causing Problems

Bryan Reisberg
April 25, 2024

The Breakthrough Arthritis Drug With Deadly Side Effects?

Last week, The Washington Post reported on some concerning side effects from using a breakthrough new arthritis drug for dogs called Librela.

Since it’s announcement of FDA approval last Spring, vets across the nation began prescribing this innovative drug that helps elderly pets regain their pep by easing the aches and pains of osteoarthritis.

According to the Post, Ana Maria Cepeda, a vet at North River Animal Hospital in Parrish, Fla., first tried Librela on her 14-year-old pit bull mix, who had relied on a mix of pain meds and supplements for severe arthritis. "It showed excellent promise on my own dog," she said. "That gave me more confidence to start trying it in other dogs."

But not everyone's on board. Concerns about side effects have quickly spread on social media. A Facebook group shares stories from pet owners alleging that their dogs had trouble walking or suffered kidney failure after taking the drug. An online petition is calling for a recall until more studies are done. The FDA says it's reviewing reports of adverse events.

Vets and the drugmaker insist Librela is safe and effective. Concerns about side effects might be due to the fact that the drug is often used in older dogs with various health issues.

What is Librela?

Librela, made by Zoetis, is a monthly injectable drug to treat canine osteoarthritis, a condition affecting an estimated 80% of dogs over 8 years old and up to 35% of dogs of all ages. The drug is an anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody.

The active ingredient in Librela, bedinvetmab, targets nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein important for nervous system development. In adulthood, NGF plays a role in pain transmission and inflammation. Librela works by neutralizing NGF in the joint, reducing pain signals to the brain and alleviating swelling.

It's recommended that dogs receive at least two doses 28 days apart to see if it reduces their pain. Librela launched in the U.S. in October but has been used in Europe for three years. A similar drug, Solensia, has been used for cats since 2022.

According to Zoetis, side effects can include skin infections, dermatitis, and kidney and urinary issues. In Europe, elevated blood urea nitrogen was reported.

How Many Dogs Are Affected?

Over the last three years, more than 12 million doses of Librela have been sold globally, with less than 0.20% of dogs experiencing adverse events, according to Zoetis. The company takes adverse events seriously and continues to collect data.

Veterinarians recommend reporting any adverse events but emphasize the drug's positive results. Two clinical trials with a total of 559 dogs showed significant improvement with Librela compared to a placebo. Vets have seen success anecdotally as well.

When To Use Arthritis Medication

Librela isn’t the first step in your dogs journey of managing Arthritis. Vets recommend thorough testing before prescribing. Weight management, therapy, and other treatments can also help manage arthritis. Librela isn't a quick fix, and it may not work for every dog.

For dogs who respond well, experts advise easing them back into activity to prevent injuries. Librela is just one more tool vets have to help manage osteoarthritis.

My Honest Opinion

My dog Maxine has had osteoarthritis since she was about 4 years old, so the news about Librela was really encouraging — that there was a new drug that could drastically improve her quality of life once she’s in her old age. And for the most part, all I’ve heard are wonderful things from vets and people who’ve used the drug. This recent news is sad to hear, and of course unfortunate, but not surprising.

But here’s the thing: there are over 300 breeds of dogs, each with their own issues. And those issues start growing as your dog gets older. So without serious scientific study, there’s no way to know if LIbrela was the cause of these adverse side effects in the small percentage of dogs. In reading various (unsupported and unverified) threads, here’s some sound logic via Reddit.

Vet here. I have also had cases like yours. Most of them have come back around once the meds were discontinued, and I think most of them had neurological issues as well as arthritis. The difficult part is determining whether an older pet's issues are strictly arthritis vs. spinal disease, as there is no single test for both of these things.

I'm sorry about your dog and hope she improves. I have prescribed hundreds of librela injections and 90% of the time it makes a huge difference in quality of life. My own guy lived another year because of it. It's really unfortunate this wasn't the case for yours.

u/dvmdude via Reddit

I highly recommend checking out the thread.

There will always be a loud and vocal minority — and as a pet parent, if it were me and my dog, to be fair I would try and investigate what caused an adverse reaction in my pet as well. But to say this drug caused those reactions is presumptuous. I have no reason to be protective over a pharmaceutical company, but it seems like this drug is truly improving the lives of many pets and pet parents around the world.

So as long as you consult the proper specialists who have a very clear understsanding of your dog’s physical and mental health and/or ailments, I personally don’t see a reason to be concerned. Correlation does not exactly equal causation.

A Statue Fit For A Queen (And Her Corgis)

Joshua Bright for The New York Times

Queen Elizabeth II, known for her love of dogs, was recently honored in England with a posthumous statue unveiled on what would have been her 98th birthday. The bronze statue, located in Oakham, depicts the queen in regal attire, surrounded by smaller corgi statues, paying tribute to her lifelong affection for the breed. The statue was funded by donations and unveiled in a ceremony featuring music and dignitaries. Elizabeth's fondness for corgis began in 1933 when she received her first one, Dookie, as a gift. She went on to own over 30 corgis and dorgis, becoming a dedicated breeder and ambassador for the Pembroke Welsh corgi breed.

BONUS: The full royal corgi family tree below!