The Arthritis Drug Librela Almost Certainly Killed Our Dog; Yours Could Be Next
This isn’t a political column. Just as I’ve spoken about sobriety or the harm from burn pits in Iraq, this is significantly more important, at least if you’re a dog owner. Last November, I held my best friend, Mackey, our beloved Maltese, in my arms as he took his last breath. Considering I’ve buried a parent, had friends killed in combat, been to autopsies on murdered children, attended more memorials than I’d care to remember for fallen Marines, this was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The grief, nine months later, is still a physical weight that floors me, usually as a sucker punch the boxer in me never sees coming. Like Dennis Leary in Rescue Me, I suffer sudden crying jags, usually triggered by memories from someplace in our house Mackey once occupied, which was everywhere. What’s absurd to the point of awful, brutal hilarity is that I was never a crier. I don’t even like to discuss my emotions, let alone shed tears over them.
I’ve always believed that the grief you suffer and endure is directly commensurate to the amount of love you gave the thing you lost, a spouse, a pet, family members, whatever it is. I’d always known the end was going to be awful – I’d talked to plenty of pet owners who’d been through it – but what made it made worse was that it was the arthritis drug Librela, manufactured by the global drug maker Zoetis, that caused him to rapidly deteriorate within days of his last shot, shortening his lifespan and making his final days miserable for him and heart-breaking to witness.
Mackey was a 16-year-old Maltese in relatively good health, other than some arthritis and a diagnosis of Cushing’s disease early last year, for which he was on medication. Our vet raised the idea of Librela in early 2024, and at the time, Zoetis had issued NO adverse effect warnings. Mackey had his first shot in May 2024, and then subsequent shots in June, July, Sept, and Oct 24th, his last shot. After his first shot, his symptoms didn’t improve. In fact, a slow diminishing of his mobility began. He gradually stopped going on long walks and developed front and hind leg stiffness. By September, the vet and I were unsure what to do. Neither of us had yet heard about the stories out of Europe – where a database existed on thousands of dogs that had severe reactions – or the stories starting to appear in local news outlets across the US.
In late October, Mackey had his final shot. Within a few days, his front legs locked up, and his spine began curving to the left. Over the next 3 weeks, I had to prop him up to go to the bathroom and his appetite diminished. At the very the end, he lost control of his bowels, couldn’t stand, developed a respiratory issue, and couldn’t walk, none of these symptoms of Cushing’s disease. It was gut-wrenching to watch, and it’s hard for me to even write this now without breaking into tears. There was nothing to be done as he continued to deteriorate by the day, and we finally had to let him go.
Over the past nine months, I’ve discovered countless news stories about pet owners whose dogs died soon after a Librela shot. Just Google “Librela kills dogs.” After numerous reports, the FDA forced Zoetis in February 2025 to put a warning label on the drug, which included several symptoms that Mackey suffered. You can read it here.
There’s also a class action lawsuit pending a judge’s approval filed last October by a law firm out of Florida. These things take years, and what’s worse, is that archaic laws in the US only consider pets as property and mostly prohibit pet owners from suing companies for general damages, which include pain and suffering. These laws need to change, because pets are more than property. They’re family members and loved ones.
A few months ago, I reached out to Zoetis. I’d waited for months because I was still angry and upset, and every time I talk about it, I re-live that final day. Even though I know I should remember the wonderful 16 years I had with him, filled with joy and love, always by my side wherever I was in the house, it’s hard because of how it ended. Zoetis told me they’d add Mackey to the list they submit quarterly to the FDA for reported adverse side effects, and they asked me what I thought I should receive from Zoetis.
I told Zoetis – which makes $9.62 billion globally a year – they should be offering significant settlements to each family whose dog likely died from Librela. We live in a capitalist society that assigns monetary value to everything, from things we own and can touch to experiences and emotions that are immeasurable. It doesn’t always feel right (in this case, it feels awful), but that’s the reality of our society. I believe in big corporations and the good they bring to the world and the lives of their employees they support. I know corporations are the “big, bad boogeyman” in movies and TV shows, but I don’t believe that’s true, at least not mostly. But that doesn’t mean that when a mistake is made a corporation should avoid accountability. And when that mistake involves the death of loved ones or pets, which are family members, accountability and restitution should be impactful, especially when it happens without warnings about possible severe adverse side effects. The settlement amounts should be as jarring to Zoetis as the loss of Mackey was to me and my family. After I explained that to Zoetis, what did they do? Offer to pay for his medical bills. You can imagine my reaction, which was a polite and professional rejection underpinned with outrage and disgust, but it told me what Zoetis’ priorities are.
Librela robbed us of time with Mackey, and at 53, I know all too well that’s the most precious resource any of us has. Zoetis needs to be held accountable, and the furious Marine in me wants to apply as much public pressure on them as possible to settle with the families, although I’m sure they won’t. They’ll never do the right thing until a court forces them to. No one’s beloved pet should go through what Mackey endured, but Zoetis didn’t care about Mackey, and if something happens to your dog while on Librela, I guarantee Zoetis won’t care about you. Zoetis’ words and actions made it perfectly clear that Zoetis only cares about one thing – the money you give them to buy a drug that could kill your best friend. It’s naïve to think anyone can make a company like Zoetis “care” about anything, but maybe losing significant amounts of the money they worship can hold them accountable.
I had a similar experience with my beautiful male Australian shepherd Jack. He received his 1st Librella injection in October 2023. A month later he vomited foamy blood, seemingly for no reason. He then continued with the Librella for several more months. During this time, he turned into an old dog, slowed down, didn’t play, started eating less and less. Each time I questioned if it was the Librella, I was assured Librella was a miracle drug. He died in my arms 1 week after his 9th birthday. It makes me sick when I think about it.
Add Nexguard Plus to your list of lethal drugs for pets. My seven month old Cocjer Spaniel could not walk after the last dose. Disgusting. I pray he has no long term effects.
It’s been almost a yr now that I had to put my beloved Cody down.
He had his first shot in June seemed to help a little but by the 4th shot he went completely lame!
My beautiful boy couldn’t even stand up! He was over 100lbs.
I did everything to try and detox him but by this time it was to late.
I feel so guilty!
I let him down.
He trusted me to care for him.
I wish I would have researched that horrible shot before I gave it to him.
He had hip dysplasia in his left hind leg, in less then 4 months he couldn’t walk and was showing signs of neurological problems.
I was robbed of my best friend.
I didn’t join the lawsuit only because of having to relive what he went through and it was way to painful for me! And for what! To have it still be on the market!
No amount of money will bring him back!
Sorry this was so long but I’m still so heart broken!
I had him since he was 6 weeks and had to put him down at 10.
Please! please! please! do not let any dr. talk you into giving your precious baby that shot!
I’m so sorry for your tragic loss of Mackey
Zoetis’ responses to the Federal lawsuits filed for class action speak volumes (2:24-cv-09698 Hartney v Zoetis in NJ; 2:25-cv-00989 Stephens v Zoetis in NV) . They place blame on everyone (regulators, veterinarians, owners, and patients) but themselves. And, now they excitedly claim to be expecting approval this year of a longer-acting anti-NGF mAb (to be administered every 3 months). Sigh…
I lost my dog to Librela June 16, 2024. I’ll never get over it. 🥲
Same has been happening with the cat version of this drug, Solensia. My cat was one of the victims.
Milena – so sorry for your loss. Two of our beloved cats had SEVEN of this poisonous injections – one died on July 18th, 2025. The other has severe health issues, organ issues, neurological issues. These injections need to be removed from the market.
I’m so very sorry. I understand your experience all too well. My girl had one Librela injection on January 8, 2024. She began to present with adverse reactions within 36 hours. She became totally paralyzed and passed away in agony on January 24, 2024.
There are thousands of us now who have experienced the same tragedy.
There’s way too many of us to be considered “rumors” anymore. 💔
Oct 6th 2024 my cat died violently after receiving her 1st and only injection Sept 16th 2024. She was healthy. Received the Solensia injection for stomatitis ( which was already well managed). Hours after her injection she became lethargic, anorexic, back end paralyzed. Had blood work completed that showed end stage kidney failure. Her bloodwork was perfect the day of injection.
Librela slowly killed my dog. Less than 24 hours after his first injection he lost control of his hind legs and bowel. He went in less than 24 hours feom a dog that ‘needed a bit of a run’ to get in our SUV to a dog that needed to be supported to go outside. At 110lbs it was brutal and cruel. We fought so hard to save him for 6 excruciating months. He got the injection in December 2023 and we euthanized him in July 2024. The final indignation?… the scale they used to weigh him to calculate how much euthanol to give him to destroy him was covered in an enormous mat advertising Librela. RIP Rocco, my beautiful boy.
I lost my Maxwell in October of last year after he suffered from horrible effects of Librela. We tried for 5 months to recover him. He suffered neurological effects, anxiety, severe muscle loss, severe anorexia, severe difficulty with walking, increased pain and deterioration. I am not sure I will ever forgive myself for allowing him to receive this drug. He had 6 shots and then all hell broke loose. He went from the calmest, sweetest, soul, to a shell of a dog, fighting to survive for the next 5 months. Zoetis didnt give 2 shits about him or the suffering we endured. We were co sumed with tests, vet visits, rehab, accupuncture, pain regimes, holistic vets, anything and everything to try and help him. We lost our battle in October. I want them to pay and the only way they will feel it is in their bank account. I miss him every single day.
So well written and I’m so sorry you had that story to tell.
Librela didn’t kill my dog, but it destroyed the boy he used to be. He is still loving, after all he’s been through. Seizures, neurological changes, pancreatitis, and renal failure which is now chronic.
I spoke with a few people at Zoetis, they offered to pay his first medical expenses and the neuro consult but not the MRI, etc. I think we were at about $5,600 at that time ( April 2024) and they offered $2,000 plus. “ which email should i send the letter to, they asked “. “ Neither I said.
We continue to send our bills to Zoetis, before the ones sent today, we were above $26,000.
Yes, Max is our family. Daily I give him 150cc of fluids via needle for his renal disease. And they tried to tell me they understand and take their offer very seriously. I told them I take my pets life and health very seriously and you have turned all of our lives upside down.
Next month will be 1 year since we had to say goodbye to our 6 year old Golden, Willow. 3 Librela shots took her from us. It hurts today just as much as the day we layed her to rest. I will never get over what happened to her, she didn’t deserve to go out like this. None of our pets deserved this..
I am so sorry for the tragic loss of your Mackey. My Spencer lost all hind end mobility less than 24 hours after that 1 and only injection. He died on February 21, 2024, just 7 days after his February 14, 2024, Librela injection. No significant side effects listed at that time. I will never forgive myself. I am spreading the word to those I encounter daily so they don’t make the same mistake that I did.
I lost my soul dog 8/16/2024 following his first and only Librela injection on 6/27/2024. We were taking daily 2-mile walks, but quickly deteriorated and unable to walk a couple hundred feet about a week post injection, subsequently resulting in his death by euthanasia. I miss him every day.
Thank you for sharing your sad and important story. I recently lost my senior Jack Russell, Merlot, in a very similar manner. After just two Librela injections (called Beransa here in Australia) he went from on old dog to a dead dog, experiencing the ataxia, incontinence etc. It’s appalling that this drug is allowed to continue to be used given the thousands of Pet deaths and consequent emotional damage to pet owners.
I lost both of my golden retrievers to this disgusting drug. There is no amount of money that could extinguish the pain this company has caused to my family and countless other families.
We will not stop fighting until this drug is pulled from the market and no other beloved animal will suffer.
We lost our 8 told Lab six weeks after her only Librela. She had a perfect well checkup, was occasionally stiff. Vet told us it’s a miracle drug. The next day she was constantly panting and drinking excessively. She didn’t want to eat, she was lethargic she had diarrhea and started peeing on her dog beds. We tried to save her but she was just too weak. She was having very laborious breathing and vet said her spleen was so swollen it had wrapped around her stomach, she had hind end paralysis. Watching her suffer the after affects if what Librela did was the most traumatic experience I’ve had.
Librela and Solensia (for cats) are poison! Two of my best friend’s animals were taken too soon because of these FDA approved drugs. The first was a cat, the second a dog. This is not a coincidence! This is way too common to be called rare. I’m so sorry and heartbroken for everyone who has lost a fur baby to this!
I lost my Snowy to Librela, after only two injections. November 24 same as Mackey. I to feel the only way Zoetis will feel the pain is via a hefty compensation scheme, it’s the only language they understand. Maybe in the future the government will do an scheme similar to the credit card ins mis-selling scandal, but under reporting and lack of realisation that Librela has taken your dogs life mean, statistically the numbers of adverse events are not where they need to be in the UK, for the VMD to do anything, they are the most useless and pointless organisation in the country. So our beloved family members die, for no reason other than corporate greed.
I am so sorry for what happened to Mackey.
It’s happening to cats too…
After the 3rd Solensia injection (22 June) the decline was immediate. There were earlier signs but I hadn’t related them to the injection – and the vet certainly didn’t ….there was no information given to us about adverse effects. She began to tip over sideways when walking and wasn’t able to sit upright. She died fully paralysed 7th July.
It was like watching someone with fast onset brain or nerve damage. Everyday she would lose more ability to move – she would crawl to the kitty litter unable to lift her limbs properly and I would hold her upright so she wouldn’t tip. Within days she would drag, using her front legs only to wee on wee mats, her back legs inert. Her limbs semed to be stiffening and were puffing up. On the last day, I held her little head straight to drink water. She seem to be struggling to use her mouth. When I picked her up to reposition her, most of her body was like a dead thing.
So sorry for your loss. I know the pain. I loss my sweet Yogi , just 10 years old after one shot of this poison!!! Yogi was given the shot on December 27, 2024, only day after the FDA sent out an Open Letter to Veterinarians about the addiction warning.
Apparently, my vet didn’t take this in to consideration.
My sweet Yogi suffered terribly for 6 days, until I came home from work on January 6, 2025 and he was paralyzed 😢 Rushed him to the vet, sadly he had to be put to sleep. My heart was shattered!! My life was changed when lost my precious Yogi.
My family suffered an additional loss when my precious dog Torre, refused to eat after the loss of her pal and constant companion Yogi.
I took Torre to four different Veterinarians, several sonograms and no one was able to give a definitive answer as to why she stopped eating. She literally faded away and couldn’t stand any longer. Only two months after losing Yogi I had to put Torri down too.
I truly believe she died of a broken heart!
This company should be held accountable for the loss of so many want to listen to this beloved pets!!
I am so sorry for your loss. Im heartbroken reading this and relate to every word. My sweet Hachi dog passed less than one month after receiving his first librela injection. He had all the same adverse reactions that your sweet baby suffered, except his last day was endless seizures, a traumatic experience for both of us to say the least. He never had one single health issue or seizure his entire life. No neuroligical issues until librela. After the injection he had ataxis, hing leg weakness, anorexia, spine bending to the right, it was devastating. I had to help him get up and potty, I had to carry him up and down the stairs. I had to hand feed him and coaxed him to drink water, putting the bowl up to his face. I also filed a claim with Zoetis, they offered me money for the vet bills also, that was it. Then Hachi died- when I shared that with them and told them they needed to change their offer, they refused. No amount of money could ever make up for the loss and suffering Hachi and I went through. Im convinced I wouldve had at least another one to two years with him had we never gotten this demonic drug. I hope we can all experience some level of justice from this loss and save other pet owners from experiencing the same.