MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A true animal lover knows the feeling. For more than 12 years, Barbara and Chester Bianco's world was their dog, Snickers.
"She was adorable, we’ve had many pets, but she was by far our favorite," said Barbara. Regarding Chester and Snickers, she said, "I would find them on the floor in the back room, sleeping next to each other."
A teary-eyed Chester commented, "I have a hard time talking about it."
The Macomb Township couple told 7 News Detroit that in April of 2024, they took Snickers to the vet to renew her arthritis medication.
The Biancos said that Snickers was taking pills but struggled with them; they said that their vet recommended a newer injectable called Librela.
"So she got the shot, that was the beginning of the end," said Barbara.
"She started dying the next day," added Chester.
Watch: Couple talks more about their love for Snickers, and the symptoms she experienced
The Biancos said that the next morning, Snickers started becoming extremely lethargic, waking up in her own urine, and losing muscle control.
Within days, they said that she was vomiting and having diarrhea.
Barbara said, "It got so bad that she stopped eating, she stopped drinking, her nose was getting all cracked up."
Beside themselves, the couple said that they rushed Snickers to another vet where they were told that the veterinary staff did not think Snickers would survive the night.
For the most peaceful ending possible, they put Snickers down.
"The next thing I know, they said ‘she’s gone now,'" commented Barbara. "The afterthought is, ‘Why didn’t I ask to ask more questions?’"
The Biancos feel strongly that Snickers' symptoms were due to the Librela injectable.
They're not alone. Across the world, publications have started posting stories regarding adverse Librela effects.
In December, the FDA issued this letter to veterinarians, notifying them.
"Every other families' reaction is the same thing too, same as our dog," said Barbara.
7 News Detroit reached out to the company that makes Librela, Zoetis.
They sent us this statement:
"At Zoetis, pets are at the center of everything we do. That’s why their safety and well-being, as well as the trust of veterinarians and pet parents, are our top priorities.
On Monday, December 16, the FDA shared information with veterinarians about Librela, which included a summary and agency review of adverse events reported since the product's U.S. launch. This agency review of reported adverse events is part of the FDA’s standard process following approval of any product. FDA’s communication to veterinarians is designed to inform and educate professionals and pet owners, supporting transparent and meaningful discussions about treatment decisions.
The data shared with veterinarians by the FDA aligns with our own ongoing monitoring of Librela’s safety and efficacy. At Zoetis, we work closely with the FDA and other global regulatory agencies to provide context to reported events. 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.
We recognize that some recent media coverage has mischaracterized the FDA’s communication as a “warning” rather than the informational update it is – a “Dear Veterinarian” letter designed to inform and educate, not alarm. It’s also important to note that the FDA’s review included no new public data on adverse reactions. This data, gathered with Zoetis’ active collaboration, underscores our commitment to understanding and supporting veterinarians and pet owners in the safe and effective use of Librela.
Since its launch in Europe over three years ago, Librela has improved the lives of millions of dogs suffering from osteoarthritis. With over 21 million doses distributed globally, no individual adverse event sign has been reported at a rate higher than rare, as defined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) – representing less than 10 occurrences per 10,000 treated animals (where one dose equals one treated animal).
We remain confident in Librela’s safety and effectiveness and are committed to supporting veterinarians and pet owners in helping dogs live with less pain and greater mobility.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: See full Prescribing Information. For use in dogs only. Women who are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding should take extreme care to avoid self-injection. Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, could potentially occur with self-injection. Librela should not be used in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs. Librela should not be administered to dogs with known hypersensitivity to bedinvetmab. The most common adverse events reported in a clinical study were urinary tract infections, bacterial skin infections and dermatitis."
The company also changed their labeling in February, it includes this line, "some situations may result in death."
It's been nearly one year since Snickers passed away.
Barbara and Chester keep mementos of her in their kitchen.
They'll continue to go through the pain of sharing Snickers' story, for others.
"My goal is to save some dogs," said Barbara. "You know it’s not fair, it’s a really tragic death."
If your dog experiences an adverse event while receiving Librela, the FDA encourages you to report it to Zoetis, the drug sponsor, at 1-888‑963-8471.
