Dog Deaths Reported Linked to Arthritis Drug, Pups Tie in Smile Off Contest, Crypto Corrupts Canine Mayor's Race, and More!
If your dog is currently on Librela, you may want to discuss recent drug-related reports with your vet. photo: AdobeStock
Librela Inquiry:
FDA Reviews Dog Deaths Reportedly Tied to Arthritis Drug
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating thousands of reports, including hundreds of deaths, tied to Librela, a drug used to relieve arthritis pain in dogs.
The FDA approved Librela for use in pets after its maker, Zoetis, conducted a study of approximately 550 dogs in the U.S. and Europe. But Josh Sharlin, a former FDA reviewer, says that this wasn't a large enough test group to identify rare events like death and notes that the FDA only looks at efficacy, not safety, when approving products. "That's why post-approval safety reporting is so important because the safety profile of a product is going to be unknown," says Sharlin.
A recent Freedom of Information Act request filed by a reporter found that the FDA had received at least 825 reports of dog deaths potentially linked to Librela between May 2023 and June 2024. An estimated 27 million doses of the drug have been distributed around the world to date. Listed side effects include urinary tract infection, anorexia, and lameness, but not death.
In a statement, the FDA says it is currently reviewing and assessing "adverse event reports" of dogs who received Librela, but that it "does not currently have the legal authority to require safety-related labeling changes to animal drugs." In its own statement, manufacturer Zoetis says it remains confident in the safety and effectiveness of Librela.
If your dog is currently on Librela, you may want to discuss these findings with your vet. Meanwhile stay tuned for updates.
Source: wsbtv.com
Kim McIntyre of Cape Cod, MA, holds her dog Kanji, after participating in the Smile-Off Contest at the National Dog Show. photo: Jessica Griffin, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Say Cheese!
Every Dog's a Winner at Smile-Off Contest
In happier news, there were no losers at the National Dog Show's first-ever Smile-Off, held last month in Philadelphia.
The competition pitted Kanji, a five-year-old Lancashire Heeler, against Prince Louis, a fluffy six-year-old Samoyed. Both breeds are known for their toothy grins, according to the American Kennel Club. The "Heeler Smile" emulates a human smile, presumably an asset in herding, while the Samoyed's grin evolved as a way to stop their drool from freezing in the frigid climates where they were bred to work.
In the end, the judge called it a draw, awarding "Best in Smile" honors to both competitors. But onlookers were probably most charmed by King Edward, Prince Louis's 11-week-old grandpup, who was on hand for the proceedings. This tiny puffball, likened to a cross between a cloud and a polar bear, scored his own special "Reserve Best Smile" award. Well done, little guy.
Source: citizensvoice.com
Bertie unwittingly became the namesake of a cryptocurrency. photo: Kathy Grayson
Voting Goes to the Dogs:
Crypto Corrupts Canine Mayor Contest
Is there anything tech can't wreck? What began as a fun competition to elect New York's Honorary Dog Mayor turned into a mess of ballot stuffing, cryptocurrency manipulation, and online bad behavior.
It started off well enough in the early rounds of the 16-dog bracket, with folks casting votes for Mello the Samoyed and Louie the Frenchie, among other canine candidates. But things went sideways when an anonymous human created a cryptocurrency named for another contestant, Bertram the Pomeranian, and started pushing his candidacy online. Apparently, some of the Bertram coin buyers believed that the better Bertram did in the mayor's contest, the more the price of his eponymous currency would rise, leading to rampant ballot stuffing.
Bertram (who actually goes by Bertie) and his owner had nothing to do with any of this, and the adorable pup probably would have had a pretty good shot at winning without any outside influence. But crypto fans kept pushing Bertram hard on social media, even posting offers of money to vote for him. Worse, some began using hateful and violent language about other pups in the contest, including Enzo the Shih Tzu who had advanced to the final round against Bertram before his owner withdrew him. "It sucked out all the fun and cheapened the whole thing," she said.
Honorary NYC Dog Mayor brackets. photo: DogMayorNYC
In the end, Bertie's owner, Kathy Grayson, decided to take the high road and conceded the election to Simon, a Basset/Cattle Dog mix who had replaced Enzo in the final round. "The honest answer is this all seemed to be too much of a headache," said Grayson. "Bertie can be deputy mayor."
Stephen Calabria, who started the contest in 2022, was not amused by the crypto influence on the canines' campaigns. "I had always envisioned this as a good faith and good humored way to get shelter dogs adopted and to use this as a platform for good," he said. "If I never hear the word crypto again, it will be a blessing."
Source: nytimes.com
Poinsettias and other seasonal decorations can be hazardous to your pups health! photo: AdobeStock
Poinsettias and Pups Don't Mix:
Festive Flora and Other Holiday No-No's
When you're decking the halls this year, remember to keep toxic holiday plants like poinsettias well out of reach of your canine pals. Eating any part of the poinsettia may cause vomiting, drooling, or diarrhea in dogs so be sure to contact your vet if you notice your pup's been snacking on your festive flora.
And it's not just poinsettias. Here's a handy checklist of other common holiday plants that are also dangerous for dogs per the American Kennel Club:
Peace lily
Calla lily
Amaryllis
Balsam
Pine
Cedar
Lily of the Valley
Autumn Crocus
Giant Dracaena
Palm Lily
Holly
Of course, the holidays are strewn with potential perils for pups so keep an eye on tinsel, turkey bones, chocolates, ornaments, and other tempting no-no's, too. Trust us, you do not want to spend Christmas Eve at the all-night vet clinic.
Source: apple.news
Apollo roams around Giza, Egypt. photo: Vicki Brown / American Cairo Animal Rescue Foundation ACARF
Who Was That Pyramid Pup? Meet Apollo
A video of a handsome tan dog high atop an Egyptian pyramid went viral earlier this fall, charming viewers around the globe. But who was this daring pup? And how did he get there?
Ibrahim Elbendary, co-founder of the American Cairo Animal Rescue Foundation, had the answers. It was Apollo, one of a pack of dogs that live on the upper reaches of the Pyramid of Khafre, along with the dozens of other strays who make their home amid the Giza pyramid complex and are cared for by local animal welfare groups.
Most of the dogs stay at the base of the three pyramids, which are just outside Cairo. But Apollo's mother, Laika, scaled her way to the top of the tallest one a few years ago to give birth to a litter including Apollo. She and her now grown pups have since made their home on the higher levels, where they amaze tourists by leaping in the air to catch passing crows, hundreds of feet from the ground.
Elbendary's group provides food, water, and medical care for the dogs and facilitates adoptions to the United States. They also trap, vaccinate, and spay or neuter local strays before releasing them. But the strapping Apollo has evaded capture so far, coming down to the base for food and water but running directly to the top of the pyramid when humans approach.
Elbendary and his American co-founder Dr. Vicki Brown are delighted that Apollo's antics have captured global attention, hoping it will result in more aid for Egypt's street dogs, estimated to be in the millions. Mona Khalil, chair of the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals, concurs. "Maybe somebody would finally come out and show us support here," she says, "so that we would be able to undergo more work for the protection of dogs here in Egypt."
Want to help? Visit acarf.info or esmaegypt.org to learn more.
Source: apple.news