Rapid hind leg deterioration after second Librela injection
My Cardigan Welsh Corgi turned 10 a couple of weeks ago and I’m really worried about him and just looking for some advice or insight from anyone who’s seen something similar.
He has mild arthritis in his hips (his left hind leg has always been worse than his right), but before all of this he was still living a pretty normal life. He was going on long walks, running around, running to the front door when someone knocked, etc.
We’re based in London, UK.
Three weeks ago he had his first Librela injection. When it was recommended to us, the vet explained the benefits but we weren’t warned about any potential serious side effects or deterioration in mobility, so we agreed to try it because we just wanted to stay on top of his arthritis and keep him comfortable.
Instead of improving, it felt like he gradually started getting worse. He was limping more and becoming less mobile, so we took him back to the vet straight away and they gave him a second Librela injection three days ago.
Over the last three days his condition has deteriorated massively.
He started dragging his back legs when getting up, then he was struggling with ramps and small steps, and now this morning he can barely use his back legs at all.
At the moment:
- He’s dragging both hind legs (left is worse than the right)
- He uses his front legs to pull himself along
- He yelps when he’s picked up or when pressure is put around his hips/rear end
- He struggles to get up from lying down
- He can only slowly walk a short distance before giving up
- He can’t get up even a very small step
- This morning he couldn’t properly squat to go to the toilet even though he was trying
- He seems very lethargic compared to normal
The strange thing is that mentally he still seems like himself. He still has an appetite, still wants cuddles, still wants to play ball, still gets excited when people come to the house, but physically he just can’t do what he wants to do. I’m really struggling because before Librela he wasn’t like this at all. He had arthritis, yes, but he was still active and enjoying life. Three weeks ago he was happily going on long walks and climbing stairs. Now he can’t even get up a small step into the garden.
I know nobody here can diagnose him, but has anyone seen anything similar after Librela?
My main questions are:
- Could Librela be causing this?
- If it is related to Librela, can these symptoms improve if the injections are stopped, or could the effects be permanent?
- Has anyone seen a dog recover after experiencing something like this?
- Does this sound more like a neurological/spinal issue than arthritis?
I have an appointment with the vets first thing in the morning tomorrow, however I feel as if they’ll see the sate he’s in and say that there’s not much they can do.
I’m not looking to blame anyone, I’m just trying to understand what might be happening and whether anyone has experienced something similar.
Please be kind. I’m extremely worried about him.
Thank you