Frequently Asked Questions

Librela must be prescribed and administered by a veterinary professional. Talk to your vet about getting your dog started on Librela.

Although the effects of Librela may not be seen until after the second dose, some dogs may show a decrease in the signs of pain as soon as 7 days after the first dose. With once-monthly injections, Librela provides long-lasting control of OA pain.

Librela is given once a month by a veterinary professional. When your dog begins treatment with Librela, you should schedule regular monthly visits with your vet for future doses.

Librela is approved to control OA pain in dogs, but the safety and effectiveness of Librela has not been evaluated in dogs less than 12 months of age.

Dogs of any size, breed, or age can be affected by OA pain, but it can be hard to recognize.¹ ~75% of pet owners attribute changes in their dog’s behavior to aging and most only become aware of their dog’s OA pain when it’s diagnosed during a routine check up.²

Since OA pain can affect dogs of all ages, it’s important to identify the signs and talk to your vet about them. Be sure to have a conversation with your veterinarian to see if Librela is right for your dog.

Librela is safe for most dogs when used according to its FDA-approved labeling, but a conversation with your veterinarian is the best way to confirm that Librela is right for your dog. For example, Librela should not be used in dogs with a sensitivity to the active ingredient, bedinvetmab. Librela also shouldn't be used in dogs who are pregnant, breeding, or lactating.

The most common side effects that occurred in clinical studies in dogs taking Librela vs placebo (no medicine) were urinary tract infection, bacterial skin infection, dermatitis, and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN).^3,4*

Adverse events reported post-approval include ataxia (unsteady movements), anorexia (loss of appetite), lethargy (extreme tiredness), emesis (vomiting), and polydipsia (increased drinking).

Globally, adverse events have been reported post-approval at a rate of between 10 to 100 times per 10,000 doses distributed. No single category of adverse event has been reported at a rate higher than 10 times per 10,000 doses.

While we report all adverse events in full compliance with the law, we acknowledge that this information is imperfect, as reporting by pet owners and veterinarians is voluntary and we cannot confirm that all doses distributed have been administered, but it is the best post-approval indicator we or any other company has as to the actual rate of adverse events occurring.

*For the vast majority of dogs, an increase in BUN was not associated with kidney disease.

At Zoetis, we take suspected adverse events very seriously for all of our products, including Librela. Our team of veterinary experts work alongside both pet owners and their attending veterinarians to understand each pet’s unique situation when brought to our attention. And we report every potential adverse event we receive directly to regulators like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Zoetis also has systems in place to continuously monitor the volume and trends of adverse event reporting related to all of our veterinary medicines, including Librela. In compliance with the law, we share these reports of aggregated case data to regulatory agencies around the world, and if a new safety signal emerges, we partner with regulatory authorities on appropriate actions which could include amendment of our label as necessary to better inform veterinarians and pet owners of potential risks or safety concerns to mitigate risks to the pet.

Globally, adverse events have been reported post-approval at a rate of between 10 to 100 times per 10,000 doses distributed. No single category of adverse event has been reported at a rate higher than 10 times per 10,000 doses.

While we report all adverse events in full compliance with the law, we acknowledge that this information is imperfect, as reporting by pet owners and veterinarians is voluntary and we cannot confirm that all doses distributed have been administered, but it is the best post-launch indicator we or any other company has as to the actual rate of adverse events occurring.

We encourage all pet owners who believe their pet may have had an adverse reaction to any medication to contact their pet’s veterinarian first. Pet owners also need to contact Zoetis, and when they do, we document the conversation and make every effort to include the attending veterinarian in the conversation. This helps us fully understand each case and report the potential adverse effect to the appropriate regulatory body. We always encourage pet owners to also speak with their veterinarian for further consultation and advice after speaking with the Zoetis team.

While limping and whimpering are obvious signs of OA pain, they’re not the only symptoms. OA pain can manifest in different ways, including:

• Lagging behind on walks
• Difficulty jumping
• Difficulty with stairs
• Feeling stiff
• Slow rising
• Emotional changes, like becoming more withdrawn or less happy and excited, or even showing signs of aggression or irritated behavior

Pay attention to your dog’s physical and emotional behaviors and share any changes with your veterinarian to help determine if these are signs of OA pain and how they can be managed. Consider recording videos of your dog or taking detailed notes to help your veterinarian understand the changes you see.

OA is a chronic condition that causes dogs to hurt all the time if not treated properly.⁵ OA isn’t curable, but the pain can be managed with the help of your vet.