The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Arthritis in Dogs The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Arthritis in Dogs
Showing posts with label Arthritis in Dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthritis in Dogs. Show all posts

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Could The Drug That Cost This Beloved Pet Its Life Kill Your Dog Too? - Vet Raises The Alarm Over An Arthritis Pill Prescribed To Millions Of Animals


When Sue and Robin McGibbon took their beloved Labrador Abby for her annual check-up last month, they thought the most they had to worry about was slightly increased creakiness in her joints.

"She’d had problems with arthritis for some time, but it was growing worse and we didn’t want to see her in pain," says Sue. "Our vet had always tried to treat her with homeopathic remedies, but this time he gave her an anti-inflammatory drug." The family took Abby home, hoping life would become more comfortable for her. Instead, she suddenly became seriously ill.

For six days she suffered endless bouts of vomiting and diarrhea before suffering paralysis in her hind legs. Eventually, Robin and Sue, from Bickley, Kent, felt they had no choice but to have her put down.

Now, the heartbroken couple and the vet who treated Abby are convinced the drug used to treat her actually killed her.

The drug was Carprodyl, which is widely used to treat millions of dogs in Britain and around the world.

Vet Paul Grant had believed the drug, whose active ingredient is the painkiller and anti-inflammatory carprofen, to be safe. He has decided to speak to the Mail in the hope of raising awareness over the drug’s potential dangers.

"I’ve never seen a dog deteriorate like this from using a medicine that was supposedly safe," says the vet, who had treated 13-year-old Abby since she was a puppy.

"Carprodyl is what we call a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, and Abby had been on a similar one before with no problems. But this was different.

"I’m heartbroken for the family, and feel devastated by what happened. I’ll never prescribe that drug again."

Such an impassioned reaction from a vet who deals with animal deaths on a daily basis is unusual, yet he does not believe owners or vets have been made properly aware of the drug’s potential dangers.




The vet who gave Carprodyl to Abby the Labrador has since said he will never prescribe the controversial anti-inflammatory drug again.

This is exacerbated by the fact Britain has a complicated system of reporting reactions to animal drugs, so it’s almost impossible to gauge how many other dogs like Abby there have been.

In the U.S., however, where the drug has been on the market for five years longer than in Britain and where the reporting system is more transparent, concerns have been raised for more than a decade. Shockingly, this supposedly "safe" drug is thought to have killed at least 3,200 dogs.

Civil claims for damages have been settled with bereaved dog owners and campaigns have been waged to warn of carprofen’s potential dangers.

On this side of the Atlantic, however, dog owners are kept worryingly in the  dark, something that haunts the McGibbons.

"We would never have allowed Abby to take this medication if we had known about the potential side-effects," says Sue.

"She was a wonderful dog,  full of personality. It is difficult to describe the horror of watching her deteriorate. She only went in for a check-up, but we lost her."

Carprofen was first marketed in the U.S. in 1997 by Pfizer Animal Health as a treatment for arthritic dogs. It works by restricting the production of chemicals that cause inflammation.

Marketed with the brand name Rimadyl, it was an instant success. In 2002 the drug was launched in Britain, where it has been similarly popular. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which licenses medicines, soon began receiving thousands of reports of adverse reactions.

One complaint was from Jean Townsend, 75, from South Carolina. "I had a chocolate Labrador called George," she tells me. "My vet noticed he was limping and said Rimadyl could help."

"But he began to go off his food and then started vomiting and passing bloody faeces."
Within a month, George was dead. A post-mortem examination revealed he had liver damage, bleeding and gut ulceration. Jean sued and was joined by 300 other people in a class action that was settled by Pfizer in 2004 for $1,000 per owner, but the company didn’t admit liability.

"We would never have allowed Abby to take this medication if we had known about the potential side-effects."


Dangerous: In the U.S., where Carprodyl has been on the market for longer, it has claimed that the drug could have killed as many as 3,200 dogs (stock picture).

Subsequently, Pfizer was twice ordered by the FDA to beef up its warnings, eventually to include "death" as a possible side-effect.

"I have no doubt this drug does benefit many dogs, but others have a terrible, sometimes fatal reaction," says Jean. "The drug companies have never satisfactorily explained that and they should."

In its defense, Pfizer points out that fewer than 1 per cent of animals react badly to Rimadyl, and that of those the vast majority recover.

Pfizer and other drug companies also point out with justification that many of the dogs that benefit from taking carprofen would otherwise be in so much pain they would have to be put down.

"For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards," says a Pfizer spokesman. ‘Carprofen has been licensed in the UK for more than ten years and millions of tablets have been prescribed during this time.

"We would encourage anyone who has a concern to speak to their vet, who can then report it."

"I have no doubt that this drug does benefit many dogs, but others have a terrible - sometimes fatal - reaction."

In Britain, animal pharmaceuticals are licensed and monitored by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), a branch of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It runs a system of reporting bad reactions to drugs called the Suspected Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme (SARSS), but this is discretionary, not compulsory.

Harvey Locke, past president of the British Veterinary Association, says there might be a case for making reporting mandatory, but adds: "There would need to be strict guidelines laying down exactly when a report should be made. At present it is up to the discretion of the vet."

Mr. Locke, in common with most vets, believes carprofen is perfectly safe in most cases, but he and his colleagues have no way of knowing how many animals are reacting badly to it. Here’s why.

Carprodyl, the branded carprofen that was given to Abby, was given a license for Buckinghamshire-based Ceva Animal Health in 2008.

Potential side-effects listed on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate website include: vomiting, soft feces/diarrhea, fecal occult blood, loss of appetite and lethargy, which in very rare cases may be serious or fatal. It also lists rare incidences of gastro-intestinal bleeding.

However, as side-effects do not have to be reported to the VMD, there is no way of knowing the true scale of the problem.

"I have treated dozens of dogs where these drugs have upset their stomach, but this would not come under SARSS reporting," says Mr. Locke.

Disturbingly, when I repeatedly asked the VMD how many adverse reports it had received about drugs containing carprofen, I was initially told "it would not be simple" to find out. Later I was told I would have to make a Freedom of Information request for the figures, which could take six weeks.

In the U.S., adverse reaction figures are freely available from the FDA to any member of the public. In Britain, pet owners are told the figures could be "commercially sensitive"  even though the same drug companies operate in both countries.

For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards.

Instead, it was left to Ceva Animal Health to tell me that in the case of Carprodyl, there have been just four SARSS reports, including Abby’s death. During the past year, the company has sold 1.7 million doses of the drug.

"We think this is proven to be a very safe drug," says Martin Mitchell, Ceva’s global director of communications. "I have four dogs, and two of them are on Carprodyl. I would never put any animal at risk, least of all my own."

In the case of Abby, Robin, 68, and his wife Sue feel certain carprofen caused her death. But they’ll never be able to prove it.

In the U.S., however, one couple believe they have evidence directly linking carprofen to the death of their golden retriever, Sophie.

Christopher Cooper and Shelley Smith filed a lawsuit against Pfizer last year after six-year-old Sophie was given the drug, as Rimadyl, to help recover from ligament surgery on a knee.

"We were given the drugs without any information on potential side-effects," Christopher, a 45-year-old businessman, tells me from his home in Colorado.

"If I had known, there’s no way we would have given her Rimadyl. She was in the prime of life."

Instead, she suffered a similar reaction to Abby’s and had to be put down. ‘We have no doubt this drug killed Sophie,’ says Shelley.

The couple’s solicitor, Jennifer Edwards, says: "Since I filed the lawsuit last July, I’ve been contacted by hundreds of dog owners who say they’d like to join a class action. When you consider that kind of response, the company’s safety claims for this drug don’t stack up."

Sue and Robin McGibbon wish they’d known all this before allowing Abby to take Carprodyl.

Martin Mitchell, of Ceva, sent me a copy of the leaflet his company issues with Carprodyl. It includes all the potential side-effects in full accordance with the law.

However, the couple say the pills they got from their veterinary clinic, Tender Paws Ltd, in West Wickham, Kent, appeared to have been repackaged in a "fuchsia-colored" box with a slip of paper inside. I sent them a copy of the official instructions and Sue was shocked when she saw all the potential side-effects  warning that the drug could be fatal.

"We never got this," she says. "The only side-effects that it warned of was diarrhea."
I approached Tender Paws several times, but no one would comment on the repackaging of this drug.

All that remains to be seen is whether the Veterinary Medicines Directorate will take any action — and find out if the practice of re-packaging drugs without adequate warnings is widespread.

Or will it simply hide behind secrecy and Freedom of Information requests? A watchdog without a bite or even a bark.

For any medicine to be licensed by the regulatory authorities, it must meet rigorous quality, safety and efficacy standards. Instead, it was left to Ceva Animal. FOLLOW US!
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Friday, August 31, 2018

Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year Old Dog in Lake Superior to Help with Arthritis Pain



It’s an image that’s hard to look at without smiling.

A dog sleeps in blissful repose, head rested against the neck and shoulder of a ponytailed man standing shoulder-deep in water. The man appears in profile, and he wears dark glasses, but his eyes seem to be closed. The smile on his face matches the dog’s contentment.

The photo has drawn the attention of thousands of people since being posted on Facebook last week. The story behind the photo is touching.

Professional photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson took it off Bayfield’s Reiten Beach in Lake Superior on Tuesday. The man is her friend John Unger. The dog, an aging, arthritic shepherd mix, is named Schoep, after a brand of ice cream that’s popular in southern Wisconsin (the dog likes vanilla).

Unger and his then-fianceé found the dog 18 years ago at a humane society in Ozaukee County, Wis., when it was an 8-month-old puppy.

“We knew we wanted to work with an animal who was abused,” Unger said. “I just had a vision of working with an animal to bring out his full potential.”

Testing suggested that the dog had been beaten by a male, and it took Unger another eight months to fully earn his trust.

The relationship with his fianceé didn’t work out. They shared custody of Schoep for a while, but he has been Unger’s full time since his former fianceé moved to Colorado 13 or 14 years ago.

But the breakup with his fianceé caused Unger to enter a depression. One night, he said, he went to a breakwater in Lake Michigan off Milwaukee with thoughts of suicide.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night). He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. … I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my ass.”

Unger has no other pets, but he said that while growing up he dreamed of having a house full of dogs. Like him, Hudson is a dog-lover. Self-employed as StonehousePhoto, she includes dogs in much of her work. “My dream … is to only take photos with dogs in them,” she said in a telephone interview on Friday.

It’s the right community for people who love dogs, Hudson said.

“Bayfield is a dog town,” she said. “We all love dogs. A lot of us have them, and basically we keep track of each other and our dogs.”

She hadn’t seen Unger for a couple of months and thought his dog might have died. But last week, Unger approached her with a request. “He said it’s been so warm in the lake I’ve been able to take Schoep into the water,” Hudson related. “He’s so relaxed he just falls right asleep.”

Unger, who found his way to Bayfield about six years ago, had a photo of himself with his dog in mind for several years. But that mission took on added urgency last week he said. Noticing Schoep limping, Unger took his dog to a veterinarian in Ashland. The vet prescribed pain-relief medication, but Unger doesn’t yet know how effective it will be. If Schoep isn’t able to get up without pain, it will be time to put him down, Unger said.

Unger stopped the conversation to regain his composure.

“What was going through my mind when Hannah was taking those pictures was that this may be the last time I’m going to be swimming with him,” Unger said.

When Hudson got to the beach on Tuesday, Unger and Schoep already had been in the water for about 10 minutes, so she only had about five minutes to take the photos. She didn’t know the results until she looked at them on her computer later on Tuesday, and she didn’t have time to post them to her Facebook page until Wednesday evening.

It didn’t take long for the image to go viral.

“About six hours later I was in complete awe that it had been shared, I think it was, 200 times,” Hudson said.

But that was barely the beginning. By Sunday evening, the photo had been shared 86,000 times, “liked” 150,000 times and viewed in excess of 1.8 million times. The more-than-17,000 Facebook comments on the photo include words such as “touching,” “tender,” “loving,” “breathtaking” and “precious.”

Hudson, 34, who didn’t charge Unger and doesn’t expect to make any money from the photo, accomplished what she set out to do. “A lot of the time if I find an interesting, cool story that’s positive about animals, I’ll just do it,” she said.

Unger, 49, works as a caretaker on the farm where he lives outside of Bayfield. He got his first computer in February and admits to being befuddled by the Internet. He has seen the responses to Hudson’s photo, but isn’t quite sure how to respond.

“He is not really keyed in to the Internet world,” Hudson said. “That’s what makes this all even more fun. Because I think he’s getting e-mails from women asking if he’s single.”

Unger — who is single — said the overtures haven’t been quite so blatant as that, but he has picked up hints of interest from some women online.

Which is fine, Unger said.

“Boy, is it tough to meet women up here,” he said, laughing. “So this might open up a new road.”

The photo of Unger and Schoep is the second photo taken by Hudson to cause a sensation since she started her business in 2005. The first was of a bear crossing the ice on the lake in front of the Madeline Island ferry. “I tend to be in amazing spots at the oddest times,” she said. “It’s Lake Superior, and weird stuff happens.”

Hudson’s husband, Jim, 34, also works on his own. A former police officer, he left the force 10 years ago to be a full-time fisherman. “We call it breathing into the bag of self-employment,” Hudson said. “But he’s having fun and we can do it and make a living and stay in Bayfield, which is very important to us.”

Hudson is having fun in her work, too, especially when dogs are involved.

“I have a blast,” she said. “I can’t believe I get to do this.”


         Arthritis Dog Photo Goes Viral: John Unger and his Dog, Schoep Share Tender Moments







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Sunday, March 11, 2018

Colorado Dogs Taking Part In Stem Cell Study


DENVER (CBS4) – As dogs age, 80 percent of them will develop arthritis. A new national study is looking at stem cells as a treatment.

“I think it’s really ingenious because they do it in the NFL. They do it in horses, so why not dogs?” said Dr. Analisa Schilling, a veterinarian at Evans East Animal Hospital.

So far, Evans East Animal Hospital has screened about 50 dogs and enrolled 20 in the study. Dogs have to have osteoarthritis in up to two joints, but be in otherwise good health. Owners have to agree to bring the dog for follow up visits, and keep a daily log.

“I actually have a range of dogs from as young as 2-years to age 16,” said Angela Vogt, study coordinator.

To read more on this story, click here: Colorado Dogs Taking Part In Stem Cell Study


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Thursday, November 23, 2017

4 Out of 5 Dogs Over The Age Eight Have This Painful Condition, But Usually Hide It Well


Just the thought our dogs suffering silently from hidden pain breaks the heart of any dog parent. Sadly, research shows that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 8 are suffering from some kind of joint pain.

And while we humans have the ability to reach for pain meds and talk to our doctor about symptoms, are precious pups do not. In fact, dogs are quite good at keeping their joint pain a secret.

Why do dogs hide signs of pain? As pack animals, not showing their suffering has clear survival benefits. The ancestors of modern dogs would commonly leave behind a member of the pack who was in pain and slowing down the group as a whole. As a result, dogs have learned to hide their pain very well.

To read more on this story, click here: 4 Out of 5 Dogs Over The Age Eight Have This Painful Condition, But Usually Hide It Well



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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Remember John Unger? His Video Went Viral Showing Him Cuddling Schoep, His 19-Year-Old Dog in Lake Superior to Help with His Arthritis Pain - He Gets a New Puppy


 Bayfield, Wis. - John Unger and his dog Schoep became an internet sensation three years ago after photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, snapped a sweet moment of them on Lake Superior.

Schoep loved the water but arthritis settled into his joints which made it hard to swim or even walk. So, Unger would just hold Schoep on his chest in the water, sometimes for hours.

"He was my life," Unger said.

Twenty years ago Unger was battling depression when he found Schoep in a shelter.

"He saved me that night and I could only do my very best for him after that," he said.

It was the best to the very end. A year and a half ago, Schoep passed away.

"It was really tough after Schoep left and didn't know what to do with my time," Unger said.

Months passed. The thought of moving on came and went. Unger thought about getting a new dog but nothing seemed right.

"It was re-learning how to live and once I learned that and once I got through the toughness of his love that's when I started searching again," Unger said.

Ninety miles away in Hayward someone else was searching too. A few days ago several dogs were surrendered to the Northwoods Humane Society. Among them was one-year-old Bear. Older dogs and black dogs like Bear often have trouble finding new homes, according to Kim Molitor, who works for the shelter. But a suitor was already at the front door.

"I was like cool. He's like a surfer dude from California. He's going to get along with all the dogs," Molitor said after the long-haired Unger walked in.

Molitor had no idea who the "long-haired surfer dude" was until a co-worker recognized the name.

"I got chills. I couldn't' believe it. He's in the water with the dog and it was beautiful," Molitor said.

Just as beautiful was the moment Unger met Bear.

"It was just unison. It was just you know, in love from the moment they said hello to each other," Molitor said.

In less than a week together Unger and Bear have their walk down. But there are some things they are still learning about each other, like whether Bear likes playing with sticks or a ball.

Starting over is never easy but Unger learned years ago from his first love that it's a chance worth taking.

"I talk to him still. Thank him for everything," Unger said.

If you'd like to send John and Bear a welcome message you can write to them at P.O. Box 434, Bayfield, WI 54814.



If you missed the video that went viral, you can view it here:
Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year Old Dog in Lake Superior to Help with Arthritis Pain - Picture and Video Have Gone Viral

You may also be interested in reading:
Update! Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year-Old Dog in Lake Superior is Now Receiving Donations







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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

5 Signs Your Dog is a Senior


How do you know your dog has reached his or her senior years? The most common signs of aging in dogs are too often what lead to their owners giving them up or what discourage potential adopters from taking them home. Despite their age-related problems, senior dogs still have a lot of life and love to share.

To read more on this story, click here: 5 Signs Your Dog is a Senior









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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Update! Dog Owner Cuddles His 19 Year-Old Dog in Lake Superior is Now Receiving Donations



John Unger, Schoep update: Donations galore after Lake Superior dog Facebook photo, YouTube video

They say dogs are man's best friend.

John Unger and Schoep of Bayfield, Wisconsin are proof of that.

Their friendship started when Unger adopted Schoep from a shelter as a puppy 19 years ago.

It turns out Schoep wasn't the only one who needed to be rescued.

"He's been my guardian for a number of years," Unger said.

Time has given them memories, but it has also taken a toll on Schoep's body.

"This joint right here kind of freezes up," Unger said pointing to Schoep's hind leg.

Arthritis and hip dysplasia have settled into Schoep's joints.

The only comfort now is a routine that keeps Schoep off his feet.

Unger takes Schoep out into Lake Superior for a dip as often as they can.

Unger gently places his arm under Schoep as they float together in the water.



With no pressure on his body, Schoep quickly falls asleep in Unger's arms.

Schoep's eyes close as his head rests on Unger's chest.

Sometimes they stay that way for hours.

"This is living," Unger said as they floated in Lake Superior Thursday evening.

Unger is careful with every minute.

He's not sure how much longer Schoep will be around.

He wanted just one picture of them in the water to capture their friendship.

He asked Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, owner of Stonehouse Photo in Bayfield, to take a few pictures.

She posted one picture of Unger and Schoep on Facebook, and it went viral within a few hours.

It has now been viewed more than 2 million times.

Unger said he is overwhelmed by all the attention.

He just wanted to capture one moment with his best friend; instead he captured the world.



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