Update: FDA issues alert to veterinarians warning of adverse side-effects from osteoarthritis drug Librela
Matthew Draxton will share his update on NewsChannel 21 at Five
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- KTVZ News has an update Friday on our previous reports about the sometimes tragic results from use of Librela, a once-monthly treatment given in a veterinarian’s office to help relieve pain caused by osteoarthritis.
It was first approved for veterinary use in the United States in 2023.
According to the American Kennel Club, side-effects from the drug Librela included a skin reaction at the injection site, urinary tract infections and bacterial skin infections.
The FDA is now alerting veterinarians about reports of health problems in dogs – including hundreds of deaths – tied to the drug.
Librela itself lists possible side-effects, including urinary tract infection, anorexia and lameness – but not death.
“I just wish there was more of like a black box warning surrounding it, more of reflecting the actual side-effects that are occurring," said Jennifer Boyd, a former veterinary technician of 10 years.
Boyd is also the organizer of a change.org petition calling for the recall of the drug, which has garnered over 13,000 signatures.
The company that distributes Librela, Zoetis, said in a statement, “As part of this process, we are discussing label updates with FDA, which we expect will reflect post-approval adverse event reporting and be consistent with those included on labels in other markets."
In 2024, we spoke with several Central Oregonians who said their pets died from using the drug Librela.
"I just wanted her to go in peace. I feel like this drug just amplified things and made it so much harder on her that needed to be," said Kyle Blankenship, a pet owner who lost his dog Sasha last summer.
La Pine resident Anne Colombero, whose dog passed away after a Librela injection, said, "It's just when you have a dog that sick or, you know, you want to do the best, you want to do everything you can to help them. And to be misinformed and have your dog suddenly die, it's horrible."
Since our initial reporting on the impact the drug has had on Central Oregon pet owners last June, we’ve received over 30 emails from people around the nation and the world sharing similar testimonies regarding the drug resulting in negative effects or the death of their pets.
Since the drug was first launched in Europe over three years ago, 21 million doses have been distributed globally.
Draxton's report will air Friday on NewsChannel 21 at Five. KTVZ News will continue to follow this story.
