Owner claims her dog became zombie-like, vomits frequently and walks like a crab after taking controversial arthritis drug
A Caithness woman claims that a drug given to alleviate her dog’s arthritis has caused serious adverse effects and made the animal become “zombie-like”.
Ann Chambers said that she took her 13-year-old chocolate Labrador called Shadow to a vet in December after a course of injections for arthritis.
“The vet claimed my dog had arthritis and that he needed a drug to help him,” she said. The drug administered was Librela. However, she believes that her pet’s health seriously deteriorated after the medication was started in the summer of 2024 and she has now started a petition against the drug which has already gained more than 1100 signatures.
Sponsored by US company Zoetis, Librela has been used on dogs suffering from osteoarthritis since it was introduced and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2023.
In December last year, the FDA shared information with veterinarians about Librela. The agency’s letter detailed over 8000 reports of adverse effects in dogs since the drug’s release in May 2023, ranging from incontinence to seizures and, in some cases, death.
Mrs Chambers claims that Shadow’s initial injection did not seem to work and nor did the next one. The dog started showing signs that there was “something wrong” and was excessively drinking water, standing wobbly and losing weight.
She also said that he suffered from “projectile vomiting” and she found “loads of lumps” across his back and hind legs. Mrs Chambers has communicated with others who have serious concerns about Librela. Some have told her their dogs have similar lesions and other symptoms that the Lab displays.
Mrs Chambers reported that the dog’s eyes were cloudy and that he stared blankly at her and was crying. She showed a video with Shadow appearing listless and said that when he tries to walk he goes sideways like a crab. Due to the dog’s weight and her own health issues, the woman has been unable to pick up Shadow and take him to the vet for further assessments.
“I decided, albeit too late, to look into what, if any, side effects there were/are to Librela. I was floored when I found out there were so many – most of which Shadow presented with.
“Shadow is still in a bad way 58 days [after the last injection of Librela]. The danger zone isn’t over for Shadow, as dogs are still dying post-Librela within 90 days. That is what pet owners who have lost their pets are saying.”
The woman’s online research showed that there had been multiple cases of dogs affected by the drug and these have been outlined in YouTube videos and through social media posts. She found that the drug can cause “neurological issues” but claims that she was never told of possible side effects. She says that Shadow is in pain, is confused and displays signs that he is very distressed and fearful.
Zoetis, the company behind the drug, issued a statement in December to quell fears over Librela after numerous news reports highlighted the negative impacts. The statement reads: “We recognise that some recent media coverage has mischaracterised the FDA’s communication as a ‘warning’ rather than the informational update it is. It’s also important to note that the FDA’s review included no new public data on adverse reactions.
“Since its launch in Europe over three years ago, Librela has improved the lives of millions of dogs suffering from osteoarthritis. With over 21 million doses distributed globally, no individual adverse event sign has been reported at a rate higher than rare, as defined by the European Medicines Agency.”
The UK government also shared information on the safety of Librela from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) as a response to “concerns raised following media reports of serious adverse events in dogs”.
In the document dated January 15, 2025, it stated: “According to the data the VMD has received, fewer than 15 animals have experienced a suspected adverse event for every 10,000 doses of Librela sold.”
The VMD added that there were “rare cases” of diarrhoea, emesis, ataxia, urinary incontinence, anorexia and lethargy. “In very rare cases, seizure has been reported after administration of the veterinary medicinal product,” it added.
Mrs Chambers petition can be found at: www.change.org/p/for-shadowabolish-the-sales-and-use-of-librela-in-the-uk-due-to-fatal-side-effects-on-pets
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