FOI2026/00307 - Librela Adverse events
Published 19 March 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vmd-foieir-requests-december-2025/foi202600307-librela-adverse-events
Your request
Please provide the number of cases recorded, from the release of the Zoetis Librela to today’s date for:
* FEVER
* STRUGGLING TO RISE
* EMESIS
* UNQUENCHABLE THIRST
* FAECAL INCONTINENCE
* ITCHY AND/OR FLAKING SKIN
* FOCAL SEIZURE
* GREASY SKIN
* HAEMOLYTIC ANAEMIA
* OVERALL WEAKNESS
Our reply
Librela is a veterinary medicinal product (VMP) used for alleviation of pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. There are five different strengths authorised in the United Kingdom: Librela 5 mg Solution for Injection for Dogs, Librela 10 mg Solution for Injection for Dogs, Librela 15 mg Solution for Injection for Dogs, Librela 20 mg Solution for Injection for Dogs and Librela 30 mg Solution for Injection for Dogs.
Please be aware the data provided below are not subject to independent verification and the VMD does not guarantee their accuracy. The figures are based on adverse events submitted to the VMD for the purposes of pharmacovigilance.
We have included all adverse event reports. This includes:
- where an adverse event has occurred that is already listed on the Summary of Product Characteristics
- where more than one product was used
- when the product was used off-label, that is using a medicine in a way that is not specified on the product’s label, including prescribing of unauthorised medicines following the prescribing cascade
- where, on further evaluation, there were other reasons for the adverse event occurring such as underlying illnesses or an alternative cause for the clinical signs seen.
Duplicate cases are combined, however if there is doubt as to whether two cases are true duplicates then both cases will be included. VMD databases change over time as new and follow-up information is constantly being received and reviewed.
Evaluation is dependent on the accuracy and quality of data received from veterinary professionals and animal owners, and reporting frequency can vary over time (reporting frequency may be affected by a product being new to the market or social media interest, for example).
All adverse events submitted to the VMD have their clinical signs coded using the Veterinary Dictionary for Drug Regulatory Activities (VeDDRA). We have provided you the number of adverse event reports for Librela from the date of authorisation until 7th December 2025 for the clinical signs requested by low level term (LLT), which is one of the hierarchical levels of VeDDRA. Further information regarding VeDDRA can be located on the European Medicines Agency website, including the VeDDRA list of clinical terms for reporting suspected adverse events and the Guidance notes on the use of VeDDRA terminology.
| Term you requested | VeDDRA term LLT | Number of adverse event reports |
|---|---|---|
| Struggling to rise | Difficulty to rise | 26 |
| Unquenchable thirst | Excessive thirst | 88 |
| Faecal incontinence | Faecal incontinence | 124 |
| Fever | Fever | 6 |
| Itchy and/or flaky skin | Flaking skin | 6 |
| Focal seizure | Focal seizure | 5 |
| Overall weakness | Generalised weakness | 5 |
| Greasy skin | Greasy skin | 3 |
| Haemolytic anaemia | Haemolytic anaemia | 3 |
| Itchy and/or flaky skin | Itchy skin | 28 |
Although adverse event report information can be useful to provide a general overview of a VMP, it is important for any clinical decisions regarding the use of a VMP to be based on a risk-benefit discussion specific to the animal or group of animals being administered the VMP. An overall frequency of an adverse event occurring for a VMP does not reflect the actual risk for an individual animal, as there are many individual factors that may contribute to the likelihood of an adverse event occurring.
All medicines whether for human or animal use come with risk, and the benefits of use in wider populations need to outweigh the potential risks. Information on adverse events that have been known to occur following administration of a particular product are summarised in sections 3.6/4.6 of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC).
The SPC is a document describing the properties and the officially approved conditions of use of a medicine. The SPC and associated product information are updated as new information is available, and the latest version of an SPC can be found on our publicly available Product Information Database. We continually assess and update our findings relating to products used within the United Kingdom and should there be sufficient data to suggest that an SPC requires alteration or that another appropriate action is required, this will be carried out within the required timeframe, as set out by the current legislation surrounding that veterinary medicinal product or region.
Pharmacovigilance updates are published on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/urgent-safety-updates-for-veterinary-medicines; this also includes any updates involving non-veterinary medicines used in animals. To receive these pharmacovigilance updates via email, please click on the ‘Get emails about this page’ button.
The latest update on Librela can be found at Librela solution for injection in dogs - GOV.UK.