ORLANDO, Fla — A pet drug maker is making a big change on their labels for their new arthritis shot after Action 9 found pets getting really sick, even dying after getting the drug.
The drug maker Zoetis is now including paralysis and seizures, and even death as possible side effects. It’s a step in the right direction, but some pet owners say it’s still not enough for those who lost a pet.
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We introduced you to Donna Pope last year after her 14-year-old French bulldog Gumbo died 10 days after getting a Librela shot on December 29, 2023.
“I was just devastated. That was my baby,” Pope said. “Gumbo was a little spitfire.”
Her dog is one of hundreds of reported deaths linked to the arthritis drug which the FDA approved in May 2023. Through an open records request, we learned the FDA received at least 825 reports of dog deaths, linked to Librela between May 2023 and June 2024. Now Zoetis, is updating its label to include death, seizures and paralysis as possible side effects, which they call rare, with more than 1 million dogs in the US getting the shot.
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“This is something that we have prayed for and begged for,” Pope said.
Zoetis said it, “Has been in active discussions with the FDA about updating the label” and that “It is not uncommon for products to have label updates as data emerges from real-world use. The company remains confident in the safety and effectiveness of Librela”
Monique Owens said had she known the side effects, she would have never approved the shot for her Cane Corso named Vinny last summer
“It was as if he was drunk walking,” Owens said.
Vinny is still going through therapy for paralysis, but he’s alive. Pope is still mourning the loss of her dog saying Zoetis needs to do more.
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“They’ve continued to downplay this and that’s just not a response that’s adequate given the thousands who have lost their lives including my Gumbo,” Pope said.
The FDA said in December they were going to warn vets about the possible serious side effects. This drug is a big money maker for Zoetis with the company predicting Librela and a version for cats will bring in more than $1 billion in three to five years.
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