Health, advice, and information online community for dog and cats lovers.

The Troubling Aftermath Of Veterinary Misinformation – This Time Convenia

Convenia

The latest veterinary/big pharma conspiracy tale has hit the internet and gained unsubstantiated credibility: the long acting injectable antibiotic Convenia is deadly to dogs and cats.  Convenia was launched by Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis) in 2008 as the only antibiotic of its kind: a one-time injection that exerts its antibacterial effects for up to 14 days, effectively eliminating the need for owners to have to orally medicate cats and dogs sick with infections.  In a class of antibiotics called third generation cephalosporins, effective against bacteria that commonly cause skin infections, upper respiratory infections, and urinary bladder infections, Convenia also had impressive FDA safety data.

For more on Convenia, its use and safety, and where the rumor of its danger likely emanated from, please see my previous article on this topic below:

More Veterinary Medical Misinformation – This Time Convenia

About a month ago, a client came in with a cat she had adopted from a shelter, which was sick with an upper respiratory infection, but still eating and drinking.  I advised we treat the cat with a Convenia injection which she declined believing the internet rhetoric about the extreme dangers of Convenia over my overwhelmingly positive experience with the product in the 7 years I have been using it.  Since she insisted, I instead prescribed Clavamox, an older generation antibiotic that is generally safe, but can occasionally cause GI upset in certain feline patients.

By day 3 of treatment, this kitty began vomiting  likely from the Clavamox, at which time, I advised the owner stop the Clavamox, bring him in for supportive care, and consider changing to Convenia…which she continued to decline.  Thus, I then switched the cat to another oral antibiotic called Orbax.  While he did not vomit up the Orbax, he still would not eat or drink, which prompted the owner to bring the cat back in.

At this point, I noted that the cat was now jaundiced, a yellow pallor noted on the skin and whites of the eyes commonly seen in cases of liver disease.  A few diagnostics later, I diagnosed fatty liver syndrome, a common consequence in cats that stop eating for prolonged periods of time…cats are not well adapted to rapidly mobilizing body fat to meet their energy needs.  The treatment for fatty liver is to feed the cat enough calories to overcome the negative energy balance…but with an anorexic cat, the only way to accomplish this is to surgically place a feeding tube to administer the feedings.  Following feeding tube placement, two weeks of feedings, and several medications, the cat eventually did recover, but at considerable expense to the owner, and a great deal of stress to him…likely stemming from this owner’s refusal to allow me to administer Convenia because of her fear of the drug born of misinformation and sensationalism.

Just last week, I administered Convenia to a little dog with a skin infection over his knee.  The dog had had Convenia in the past and the owner was unconcerned about it…in fact, she was thrilled with the opportunity to utilize the product, as her little dog is notoriously difficult to orally medicate.  Within a few days of the injection, the owner had gone into a natural pet food and medicinal store in my area, where she was shopping for natural food.  The clerk noticed her dog had a wound on his knee and asked what it was.  She noted that it was an infection, but it was getting better every day, since her veterinarian has given him a Convenia injection.  The clerk proceeded to tell my client that she should have never let me do that, as Convenia has a high chance of killing her dog.  He mentioned liver failure specifically, despite the fact that Convenia is not metabolized at all by the liver and is eliminated from the body unchanged via the urine.

Past business hours and unable to speak with me, my client spent the rest of that evening in tears, not only in fear of what the Convenia would do to her dog, but also wondering why the veterinarian she trusted with the care of her dogs, would treat her dog with such a deadly drug.  Once we spoke in the morning, I alleviated her fears by letting her know that not only is the FDA safety data on Convenia very good, but I have only had one minor side effect of a few days of lethargy in a cat questionably attributable to Convenia in 7 years of use, after thousands of injections.

I fear these cases are just the tip of the iceberg, as these things tend to gain traction very fast through social media and the non-medical pet industry cirlces (groomers, breeders, natural pet stores, etc.).  If this misinformation reaches your neck of the woods, rest assured, Convenia is not the devil…it is an effective antibiotic that enables veterinarians to treat many manners of infection with just one injection and guarantees 100% treatment compliance.

Dr. Roger Welton is a practicing veterinarian and well regarded media personality throughout a number of subjects and platforms.  In addition to being passionate about integrative veterinary medicine for which he is a nationally renowned expert, Dr. Welton was also an accomplished college lacrosse player and remains to this day very involved in the sport.  He is president of Maybeck Animal Hospital , runs the successful veterinary/animal health  blogs Web-DVM and Dr. Roger’s Holistic Veterinary Care, and fulfills his passion for lacrosse through his lacrosse and sport blog, The Creator’s Game.

205 thoughts on “The Troubling Aftermath Of Veterinary Misinformation – This Time Convenia

  1. Amy B says:

    While Conevia is safe for most pets, please make sure to include that each pet is different, just like people. Most pets have no issues with Conevia over any other antibiotic. My cat was different, and Conevia caused him severe pain in the hips, to the point that he could not stand on his feet to use the litter box for 14 days. Lethargy and lack of awareness of his surroundings. Also, swelling in the face and throat, but not in the chest or abdomen. There are other symptoms, but those are most likely caused by what he was originally ill with (infected claw-bed and asthma).

    The problem with my particular pet and Conevia wasn’t the side-effects, it was the extremely prolonged nature of them due to the fact that it stays in the system active for 14 days and isn’t completely gone for over a month.

    I’ll probably pass on Conevia when another pet needs an antibiotic, only because if the animal is the 1 in a million that has a reaction, there’s no way to stop the treatment.

    • nolan says:

      My cat (11 years old) has had 3 Convenia injection and still has not help with her UTI infection.so she’s been on CLAVAMOX for 2 days and i have not seen any side effect so far..you hear how good Convenia injection are but it did not help my cat with her UTI infection…

      • aev says:

        If your UTI was not caused by a bacterial infection then no antibiotic will help.

        • R V says:

          A UTI literally means urinary tract INFLAMATION, not infection…thus there is no bacterial infection involved and your cat was given an unecessary expensive drug. but if you want to check, ask your vet on this make sure they tell you very detailed. What most cats have is a FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which are just crystals buildup in the urine and can cause irritation and pain, and eventually will get bigger if left untreated. If your cat only has a FCI, you can give your cat plenty of fluids so he/she can pee the crystals out. I also recommend giving mostly wet canned food.

      • a. g. kroo says:

        My cat was given a corvenia injection. Less than 15 minutes later. My little furry son was dead. A Dr. On the abs board wrote about article on the dangers to animals from corvenia. Lisa Pierson DVM, PhD. Check it out pet people don’t let corvenia take your fuzzy son or daughter like it did me.

        • a. g. kroo says:

          I am sure g. Vet did not order to we me any options and me e decision himself. Also Zoetis to.

        • Linda Seymour says:

          My cat had a respiratory infection. He struggled with it for 3 months. 6 rounds of antibiotics and nothing helped. But he WAS still hanging in there. After the Convenia shot, he shut down. Even with a pill to boost his appetite, he just stopped eating. He went downhill SO fast! After 4 days, he was suffering so bad I had to have him euthanized. It’s like it made him 10 times worse than he was. The vet that gave him the shot refused to euthanize him. I had to take him to another vet to end his pain. I think she knew what she did and didn’t want to admit responsibility. I will never let another one of my cats take this. No way!

          • Cendy Nozawa says:

            My 12 year old cat was given the Convenia injection and died within 4 days too. He was ill (liver disease) but was still eating and behaved normally. I regret giving this antibiotic to my cat. I should have read the ingredients list and its side effects before allowing this injection to be given to my fur baby. I have no doubt in my mind that Convenia caused his rapid decline and ultimately contributed to his early death. This product should not be considered as a first choice for antibiotics.

        • Patricia says:

          My cat Misty died within two hours after being give convenia antibiotic. Ten years old, an indoor only cat, never sick one day in his life. Deadly, should never be used again. It was Anaphylactic shock a ghastly horror filled painful death.

        • Patricia Lavorgna says:

          See this goes back to 2016, my Misty died of anaphylactic shock about 2 hours after CONVENIA injection, so many have died and it is still being used,. Why?

    • Susan says:

      Well said, Amy. My beautiful cat was not so lucky and died a horrible death as a result of Convenia. He was gone within hours of receiving the Convenia injection, which clearly was not the best choice (off label use) to treat his upper respiratory infection – a basic cold. Like the truly holistic vets I’ve discussed the case with have said, “It was the equivalent of treating a hangnail with chemotherapy.” Let me be clear. Why risk DEATH when you do not have to? The SCIENCE supports this FACT.

      It also supports the fact Convenia killed my cat. He suffered horribly and died many years too young. It is not the right choice for the vast majority of companion animals. Please make a better choice – in treatment options and in vets who listen, care, and are truly holistic.

      • Jennifer Eady says:

        My cat died 33 post convenia and I had an autopsy performed. I will file suet against Zoetis.

        • Sarah says:

          What were the necropsy results? And what tissues were biopsies?

        • Lesley says:

          My cat had Convenia and Metacam together from vet then next day vet rang to see if cat was OK this was 18/2/16. Today Minnie (cat) is no her usual self and aggressive and limping 🙁 I’ve changed vet and taking cat to vet on Monday if no change. 80 days since Convenia jab.

        • Addy b says:

          Hi Jennifer. I am very interested in seeing your autopsy results and hearing about the full extent of what happened to your baby. My dog was killed by convenia in March this year and I am still devastated. Would love to be in contact as I am also on the road to a lawsuit. Thank you so much and please comment back for my email

          • Jamie says:

            My 4 year old was given Convenia on Friday for a possible infection. My beautiful little girl died a horrible death yesterday! We still don’t know what happened. Any information would be appreciated!!

          • BarbBarb says:

            My dog was given shot of convenia for kidney infection and the next day he had a stroke. Can anyone help me with this?

            • Cindy Rizzato says:

              Convenia is a killer!!! My chihuahua died four days post Convenia! She had a UTI and it fried her kidneys. Vet said the numbers were so far off the chart, they couldn’t even read it. She drown in her own toxicity because of this death shot. Once given, there’s nothing to stop it!! DON’T GIVE YOUR PET CONVENIA!

          • Kimberly says:

            if you can help me in anyway with info., my cat is at emergency vet with seizures and they are now thinking she’s blind, thanks in advance.

          • Sherrie says:

            I am just reading this for the first time. My 11 1/2 frenchie, Lily, died when a greedy vet operated on her when my dog had eaten less than an hour before coming to the clinic. It was not an emergency – it was our third visit. Something flew in her eye and the vet suggested surgery, even though I told her 2 times that she had just eaten. Well, Lily, aspirated and the vet never put her on oxygen afterwards – just sent her home. I reported her to the Veterinary Board and them found she had done nothing wrong, citing an article that it is better for a dog to eat 3 hours before surgery. I now see in the records that the vet gave Lily a shot of Covenia. Lily was very lethargic when we picked her up and we said she looked bad, but the technician (the vet never came out with Lily – we never saw her) told us Lily was punky from the operation. We brought Lily back the next day and after the vet took an x-ray suggested we go to the emergency 24 hour facility which we did. An hour later, Lily died of a heart attack caused from pneumonia. I am now wondering if it was the Covenia. Any info would be appreciated.
            sherriesanet@gmail.com

      • Addy b says:

        Hi Susan, my dog was killed my convenia in March, and I was wondering if you would be willing to get in contact with me regarding info and a possible lawsuit

        • Cindy Rizzato says:

          My dog was just killed four days after Convenia jab. I’m in for a class action suit – we need to get this LETAL DRUG OFF THE MARKET!

          • ella says:

            I lost My beloved fur daughter to unauthorized use if this CONVENIA shot. It made Her very sick- After bringing Her back to the vet for side effect treatment, She was given a second shot of this horrid drug and died 2 days later.

            • Shahla says:

              What is wrong with your vet, one shot of convenia stays in body over a month why your baby had to have a second one!? You should file lawsuits against the vet and this horrible company for making this horrible drug!
              I am really heart broken for you

          • aat ka. g. kroo says:

            My #909 728 9880 please call will join. Class action

          • Dee says:

            Please include me on class action suit updates … dnaons@yahoo.com

          • Karl says:

            These people are pet killers and damagers. I am still trying to get our cat back on its feet. These vets are “convenia”ly killing our pets with a smile and a line. Beware!

          • Amy Luley says:

            My cat was given Covenia for a non existent abcess- my cat had no fever and never told me it was a long term antibiotic nor did she tell me the name of the drug-I will never trust a vet again and grill them with questions my cat dropped dead a weekk later She also administered morphine which is very unsafe for cats as well- its not worth the rest and vets must be forced to advise pet owners that there is risk with this drug and let them know- I had no idea what it was- I thought it was an amoxicillin shot had no idea it stays in their system for a month! That is toxic! I was prevented from getting an autopsy because I was naive enough to bring my cat back to them after it died and demanded an autopsy and since it was on the weekend they put him in a freezer to prevent blood and tissue samples. My eyes are wide open now- and feel my cat got a totally bad diagnosis- my god- my cat had no fever so how was cellulitis possible? she did not even take his temp to back up her infection claim and my cats leg was really swollen- There is nothing I can do to report it now since they prevented the autopsy- they charged me 50 bucks for deadly meds and I have done everything I can to put a black mark on their business- they suck and people should know it! Vets should be forced to explain that shot thouroughly to the pet owners- ty deserve to know I absolutely would have opted for the drops if I had know it would stay in his system for a month. This drug needs to be removed.

          • Sherrie says:

            Can you tell me anything about your lawsuit? My dog died after aspirating during an operation. I see in the records that the vet gave her covenia.I am wondering if that was what killed her. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you!

        • Diane says:

          So was my dog

      • Mia says:

        My cat, Elmer, had a severe UTI on 7/23/16 and when I took him to my most trusted vet, I had asked him if he would give him Clavamox as it has always worked in the past with my other kitties. Instead, he gave him an injection of Convenia. 5 days later, Elmer was dying. Not eating, drinking water, urinating or defecating. My cats are my life and I spent the next 6 days without sleep attending to his every whim. He cried when I left the room in which he chose to stay; the master bathroom. My husband recommended that we give him some water since his T4 shot up to 17 and had a very rapid heartbeat. He drank it little by little and the next day, we started to force feed him through a 6 cc syringe. Initially, I gave him 3cc to see if he would take it and not choke. For 6 days, we force fed him 30cc/daily of his preferred flavor cat food. Finally, on Thursday, 8/4, he began to quickly recover. He’s now back to himself but unfortunately, 3 days later, one of my other cats (8 in total), Macy, passed away. She had lost her sight in mid-September, 2015 and I would always make sure she knew that I was there to help her around. On Saturday, 8/3, she had 2 strokes and passed under my bed. I lost my little girl when Elmer became strong again.

        I’ll never use Convenia again. I was very upset with my vet and he called today and discussed with me how the Clavamox would only induce him to vomit and have diarrhea while the Convenia would take care of the UTI within 2 days. Yes, it did but with major side affects. Thank God that my mean machine, Elmer, came through with prayers, love, commitment and forced nutrition. Losing a pet is devastating to me and I cried as I prayed for him during his weakest hours. He recovered but my Macy wasn’t as fortunate.

        KEEP YOUR ANIMALS FROM BEING INJECTED WITH CONVENIA! I’m a mission to have it removed from the market.

        • Patty Burkhart says:

          Your cat had a blockage – crystals — and it is amazing he did not die. He needed to be flushed out. Male cats can die from a blockage in 48 hours. Fluids again are what helps. The convenia injection actually helped him, but your vet should have advised fluids.

        • Yoli A./ iPod says:

          Please help. Our little maltipoo iPod was given the anibiotic Convenia. Today 09/22/16. He had a tail amputation however small. Spent at length informing dr of his fragility amongst additional obvious health problems. Vet surgeon assured us he would be taken care of . Not to worry. Just now reading severe life threatening reactions. Called bet surgeon now. She was upset at me staying I shouldn’t be reading misinformation and that she s never seen or heard of fatalities of pets. I’m still so worried for our multipoint who’s 9urs old and diabetic. Only 5.5 lbs. please help!
          Thank you so much!

          • Cindy Rizzato says:

            I’m so sorry…. I brought my dog in for a UTI and she died four days after Convenia. I will say a prayer for your baby. Check BUN levels, it caused my baby’s kidneys to shut down.

            • tech9 says:

              Nah, your critter was probably in kidney failure, would’ve gone anyway…

              • Ada says:

                Dear tech9

                I typically don’t reply to rude, unappropriated and insensitive comments but if you are really a veterinarian technician (tech) I feel sorry for the clients of your practice.
                First of all, is not “critters” but dog and cats pets and they are part of our families.
                Second, there are animal lovers in this forum. Weather they are right or wrong about convenia,
                you must respect them all because they truly care about their pets something that seems hard to understand for you.

                • Cindy Rizzato says:

                  That vet tech’s name was Robert as those exact words were said to me after my dog was murdered

        • Cindy R. says:

          My dog was injected with Convenia three days ago for a UTI. Three hours later, she was vomiting, couldn’t stand, had tremors, wouldn’t eat or drink and didn’t recognize my voice. She walked in circles for two hours until she collapsed. She was absolutely normal when we went to the vet. I now have to hold her to potty as she cannot hold herself up and force feed her. She no longer recognizes my voice. CONVENIA IS KILLING MY DOG!! I’m also in for class action suit.

          • Cindy Rizzato says:

            UPDATE: MY DOG DIED FOUR DAYS AFTER CONVENIA INJECTION!!
            This is a reply to my previous post:
            My dog was injected with Convenia three days ago for a UTI. Three hours later, she was vomiting, couldn’t stand, had tremors, wouldn’t eat or drink and didn’t recognize my voice. She walked in circles for two hours until she collapsed. She was absolutely normal when we went to the vet. I now have to hold her to potty as she cannot hold herself up and force feed her. She no longer recognizes my voice. CONVENIA IS KILLING MY DOG!! I’m also in for class action suit.

            This DEADLY drug is not “born of misinformation and sensationalism” – IT KILLED MY DOG. FACT.

            • tech9 says:

              So you’re automatically a veterinary pathologist, just because of what you think happened? Wow, I bow to your superior expertise. Maybe believing whatever I want because I’m emotionally hurt is the way to go…

              • Ada says:

                Another of your rude, unappropriated, insensitive and unhelpful comments ..
                Don’t you have anything better to do ?

              • Dee says:

                Too many incidences of the same issues w/Convenia. Perhaps vets get misinformed and misled by certain drug companies. Perhaps more people will log concerns about this drug. Perhaps you’ll examine them and form new thoughts.

              • Jackie Vanka says:

                Are you a rep for the drug? I believe when you research a drug and find a lot of pets died after using
                it with the same symptoms, safe to say Don’t use it!!

          • Sherrie says:

            Is it too late for me to join your suit? Thank you

        • Cindy Rizzato says:

          I’m so sorry for the loss of your Macy. I just lost my Gidget four days after the Convenia jab. I’m in for a class action suit.

          THIS KILLER DRUG NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE MARKET!

        • robby says:

          After reading so many of these devastating stores it makes me feel like crying I am also worrying that my fear was right that my cat did die from the injection of Slovenia that the vet gave him. I will explain more later as I am on my phone and hard to type too tiny.

        • Diana says:

          Thank you for your post. Our cat is experiencing similar. Started not eating about five days after Convenia. It’s awful to watch. The thing is, he WANTS to eat. He runs to his bowl, but only sniffs the food. He’s also not drinking as much. Vet said we may try to feed him via syringe if necessary. So happy to hear that worked for you. Can you tell me anything else I should know? Thank you!

      • Patty Burkhart says:

        You cannot treat URI with any antibiotic!!! I am a twenty year rescuer. URI is caused by the herpes or calici virus. Like when we have a bad cold virus or the flu virus, we take aspirin or cold medicine for secondary symptoms like chills or coughing. Viruses must run their course and what is required is supportive care like making sure we drink fluids. And THAT is what helps animals through URI. You must learn to give your animal Sub-cutaneous fluids. If you give your cat 1 unit of fluids for a few days, you will knock out the URI. Antibiotics are NOT for viruses. They are for secondary symptoms. Convenia is a safe antibiotic and good for animals who are stressed by oral meds. However, Convenia takes at least 24 hours to kick in. I have never heard of any animals dying from a convenia injection.

        • Jeanne says:

          Well, you will hear of it now. My cat had to be put to sleep 7 days after receiving an injection of Convenia, for a skin infection on his nose. The veterinarian who administered the injection was the one who diagnosed that the adverse reactions and death were due to the injection of Convenia.

        • aat ka. g. kroo says:

          Your a idiot my necropsy showed my furry son died from corvenia died less than 15 minutes from his shot all these other deaths talked in these Te pisses shows it kills you sound like a Jack was that works for Zoetis. Get crap out of your brain a Dr on the AVA even says this drug kills pets. So stop talking like a uninformed Jack ass paid by Zoetis.

          • tech9 says:

            Ya sure it was Convenia, or was he on his way out already? Be honest with yourself

            • Dr. Roger says:

              Tech9, I feel for everyone that loses their pet, as I have been there myself. Why the grieving process for some people must include someone or something to blame is something that I do not understand and would be interested to get the opinion of a psychologist. Time and again on this thread, I have seen people blame their pet’s renal failure on Convenia, when ZERO renal metabolism occurs in the pharmacokinetics of Convenia. In fact, not metabolism of Convenia occurs anywhere: the drug is eliminated unchanged in the urine and in the stool (via the bile duct).

              Renal failure also happens to be the number one killer of cats and the number 2 killer of dogs and that has been the case decades before Convenia ever existed. Thus your statement that renal disease more than likely was present prior to Convenia is quite valid. According to Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, 53% of cats by the age of 15 have some form of degernartive kidney disease, with the biggest predisposing factors being genetics, high blood pressure, and dental disease.

              I saw another lady post about her cat that received periodic Convenia injections for recurring sinus infections related to allergies for over 2 years and recently developed pancreatitis which she not just attributed but KNOWS that it was the Convenia despite no pancreatitis the previous 2 years and pancreatitis not being a reported side effect of the drug in FDA or clinical data.

              Dr. Roger Welton

              • BarbBarbBarbBarbb says:

                Dr Weldon my dog was diagnosed with a kidney infection so dr have shot of convenia. The next day almost 24 hours later he had a massive stroke or seizure. Could this have been caused by the convenia? Please help as I just need to know.

            • Ada says:

              One more
              of your rude, unappropriated, insensitive and unhelpful comments ..
              Again don’t you have anything better to do ?

        • Dee says:

          Just keep reading these posts and many, many others out there with similar stories about bad side effects and deaths due to Convenia.

        • Diana says:

          Maybe you don’t hear of it because many pets are already sick when they start on this. So they blame the original illness. My cat went in for an abcess on his paw from a cat bite. The vet lanced it, and the cat was bouncing around that afternoon. Five days later he stopped eating. I don’t really blame the vets, but the company. I do blv tho, that our vets and docs are taught a lot of BS at times. My parents grew up in Europe. Cats and dogs were outdoors most times, and injured often. Vets were not called. No antibiotics were given, yet they didn’t die. I know infections can turn deadly, but all of them??? Can a cat or dog’s body know how to fight off minor infections? Should antibiotics be a one size fits all? Or, a let’s wait and see what happens in a couple days?

      • Kimberly says:

        if you can help me in anyway with info., my cat is at emergency vet with seizures and they are now thinking she’s blind, thanks in advance.

      • Kat says:

        My cat died at two because of back to back injections of this drug. It should NEVER have been administered twice in a month! I will never allow Convenia again. She died a horrible death at two and was healthy other than the bite from another cat I brought her in for originally. Indiscriminate use of this drug is killing pets.

      • Patricia Lavorgna says:

        I post it on facebook every couple of months. Noone should have an animal die of anaphylactic shock 2 hours after getting injection. Why are vets still using this? Not ethical!!

    • Toni says:

      My 15 year old female cat had been drinking a lot of water and urinating more than normal for some time. Had done blood work twice that showed al was in the normal range but vet was not able to get a urine sample from her. Finally, I was able to get one and she was diagnosed with a bladder infection. The vet gave her an injection of Convenia since she is extremely difficult for me to pill. With a follow up 2 weeks later, something was wrong and I noticed her twitching. The vet gave her a second injection of Convenia with another follow up for 2 weeks. After we got home my cat made it clear to me what was going on. She jumped up in my lap and looked squarely at me to show me how her head was twitching. She was having a seizure! Since she is old I thought it might just be from having the infection for some time. She had Convenia injections before about 4 years ago without any incident, for an infected tooth. I did some research on DRUG sites on the Internet and found that the seizures could most certainly be a reaction to the Convenia, not just Internet hysteria! Since that is almost exactly when it started, I refused the 3rd injection the vet wanted to give her at her follow up. I told the vet about the seizures that seem to pass quick, but now her entire body twitches. It seems to happen at the very least once every day. More blood work was done and now it seems she has pancreatitis with specific fPL of over 10. I strongly believe this drug has caused the seizures and quite possibly the pancreatitis, a serious and potentially deadly disease. While I can certainly understand the need for a medication like this for cats, people should be warned about the possible consequences of the “convenience” of this antibiotic. It should have a strong warning on the label that vets are required to disclose! I am sending this info to the FDA as well as the manufacturer.

      • Smokie says:

        I asked the vet why not tell the warning before injecting, my dog and dear friend Smokie is dieing

      • Addy b says:

        Convenia caused my dog to have seizures as well, followed by death. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with me or comment back for my email adress. I am interested in your info and possibly a lawsui

        • Haydrn says:

          Hi I have a one year old Maltese that started having seizures (that I was aware of) 2 1/2 weeks after convenes injection , this is the only thing that I can think triggered her seizures ,we are headed to neurologist tomorrow

        • Yoli A. iPod says:

          I am so very sorry to hear anoutbyour pet passing. I’m am so scared rt now fornourblittle Maliki. 5.5 lbs diabetic with other health problems. Had tail very little amputated at highly rated vet surgeon in so orange co C alifornia. A spent at length discussing Witt dr that he was fragile. Provided labs prev 4 months ago. Stressed our deep concern to make sure our little iPod will be in good hands. Well after trading all the horrible deaths that have claimed all the beloved pets I’m sick with worry for ours. I called bet surgeon rt now but all she could say was that she’s NEVER heard of deaths or bad reactions other than diarrhea or constipation. She was upset at me!! She hardly let me speak. Please help. I left my email. Never used this site not even sure ifbthisnwill reach anyone as to even typing message is odd and difficult. Please please offer advise. I’d greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much.

      • Shahla says:

        This vet I used to take my cat to gave her convenia injection every time for acne or other infections !
        Few years later she diagnosed with pancreatitis, which now I know caused by this deadly drug!
        These vets perhaps get paid every time inject innocent pets with that killer drug!
        Unfortunately Toni every thing is about money these days, no one care about any thing else!
        One injection stays over 30 days in pet’s body I do not understand why these vets keep repeating this deadly drug over and over!!!!

    • Smokie says:

      My dog was given convenia, came home he could not play any more and one week later had a debilitating stroke, PLEASE I BEG YOU DONT LET THE VET GIVE THIS SHOP TO YOUR PET, I am so hurting I love this dog sooooo, much,

      • My toy poodle was given the drug convenia for tonsillitis. She was seven years old at the time and otherwise very healthy. within a week of being given the injection of convenia, I noticed that her gums were very pale. I took her back into the vet and they were telling me that she had Evan’s syndrome. I truly believe that the cause of her death was convenia. I will never allow another one of my pets to be given this drug. At the time, the vet never asked me which antibiotic I preferred for my pet. Please think twice before letting your pet be given this drug.

        • Addy b says:

          My Yorkiepoo who was 8 was given convenia as well, and ultimately died. We were on day 55 before it would’ve been out of her system. Please comment back for my email address so we can discuss records and a possible lawsuit. I want justice for all of our pets

          • Hayden says:

            My one year old malteses is experiencing seizures we are devastated as she is on drugs and not doing well, she was given convenes and at 2 1/2 weeks post injection started suffering from seizures so hesrt broken heading to neurologist tomorrow

    • Kim says:

      My 4 year old, healthy cat had an allergic reaction to food and was given Convenia. Within a week, he is now in the ER with severe anemia, with a 50% chance of survival. He is being given multiple blood transfusions and then many steroids if he makes it through all of that. While I am sure majority of animals are fine with this med, doctors NEED to warn clients of potential risk of this medication, and it shouldn’t be used as first medication of choice. My poor boy is suffering right now, and it’s costing me about $3,500 to hopefully save his life – all due to this medication. I will never allow ANY of my pets to have this medication.

      • Rebcca says:

        Why would an antibiotic injection be given for an allergic reaction?? It wouldn’t. It would be treated with oral steroids and diphenhydramine. Not sure what kind of vet you went to, but that is not how we treat allergic reactions. Sounds as if something more was going on.

        • Jennifer Callahan says:

          Really??? Why would a vet give poisonous steroids for allergies either??? Smh – holistic and natural is the o lunch way to go…it’s all BIG PHARMA MORE MAKING crap…

      • Jennifer Callahan says:

        Steroids are just as dangerous and deadly for cats and dogs as covenia antibiotic…my poor sweet baby is 3 1/2 and suffering the awful side effects of both of these Injections the past 12 days – the vet never used the word steroids bc I would have refused…and this antibiotic is awful. I have been home 24/7 nursing my baby Winston bc if God forbid I lose him I will murder AND sue!!! No more rx meds for my baby including Heartguard or from t line plus…we are going ALL NATURAL and healthy people foid…I’m tired of these pharmaceutical and food corporations taking our pets wellbeing and lives from us with no responsibility or care…my lil baby is all I have – I’m never taking the chance again.
        I’m just praying my new knowledge and the nursing I’m giving him now isn’t too late…Praying to God to not punish my winston for my ignorance…he seems like he may recuperate but it’ll probly take a full month til we are out of the woods…

    • Cheryl Bond says:

      The sad fact of the matter is that regardless of what Dr.Roger’s day’s or the Pharmaceutical Co’s say, if your cat is the one that has the reaction, it DOESN’T MATTER what the “statistics say!” It matters what happened to your pet!

      I wonder if Dr. Roger’s has read all of these posts here of all the people telling their story of what happened to their beloved animal’s?! Just because some Vet’s haven’t seen their patients experience severe adverse reactions, doesn’t mean that it NOT Happening!

      I hope every person who’s pet has suffered makes sure to have their Vet file an official adverse reaction form that is sent to the Pharmaceutical Co. Then I would follow that up by PERSONALLY contacting the FDA & ALSO filing a report

      ****NOTE–When an adverse reaction report is filed, the FDA is SUPPOSED to get a report sent to them by the Pharmaceutical Co. DO NOT TRUST THIS WILL HAPPEN! You cannot fully trust them, Pharmaceutical Co’s are known for a lot of corruption! I would bet that a LARGE percentage of adverse reaction events from people’s pet’s DON’T wind up either being reported by the Vet, or DON’T then get reported from the Pharmaceutical Co to the FDA. That is why you MUST FOLLOW UP w/ your own letter to the FDA about what happened & make sure you get an return OFFICIAL STATEMENT from them about your complaint!
      Don’t take ANY CHANCES!

      I also wanted to mention,that ANYTIME an antibiotic is given to your pet, or yourself, you should be taking a good quality probiotic that has multi-strains. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! This is something that I feel is so NEGLIGENT on behalf of Dr.’s (both human & animals Dr’s! Antibiotic’s kill ALL THE GUT BACTERIA, the bad, but also the VERY IMPORTANT good bacteria! Over 70% of the immune system IS IN THE GUT! If the good bacteria is not replenished, than not only can nausea & diarrea insue, but that nausea could be the cause of them not eating. If you balance the intestinal flora, you can help omit this issue. Also, they can get a “re-bound” illness because of the gut flora being anihilated & not able to re-colonize. I must emphasize that a MULTI-STRAIN GOOD QUALITY PROBIOTIC NEEDS TO BE USED!

      Lastly, my heart goes out to anyone who has suffered the loss of losing a beloved pet do to a prescribed medicine.

    • Elaine says:

      My cat had a 1 degree over normal temp and was given this shot. Within 5 days of it I thought he was going to die. 12 days later he sleeps all the time and he has a hard time walking. He was perfectly fine before the shot and I only took him to the vet bout a small lump on his face. This shot should of never been administered to my cat for a slight fever!

      • ck says:

        The same thing is happening to my cat now, for a small sneeze she was given this injection and she’s so tired she can barely move, she tried to get into her litter box before and fell.

      • Xiaocong says:

        Hi Elaine, can i check if your cat recovered in the end? I am asking because my dog was just given this injection.

    • Jeff Berger says:

      It’s Convenia, not Conevia. And I’m convinced that it has kept my 19 1/2 year old orange tabby alive and comfortable for the past year since his first injection. He eats and drinks water daily and continues to poop and pee normally. It has become a maintenance drug for him…every 2-4 months he gets a .50 injection.

    • Luke Taylor says:

      I cant imagine why you would be in such complete denial about the potential dangers of this drug Dr. Welton. You are making such unreasonable and unsupported arguments that it really seems you are purposely lying instead of just making a simple mistake or accidentally overlooking something, as not even a 1st year vet student much less someone who has decades experience as a practicing Veterinarian could possibly be so ignorant of such basic information. Many of the adverse events pet owners have described here on this page, some of which you have denied outright as medically impossible, are among the LISTED potential adverse events of this drug. “Other REPORTED events in dogs and cats include DEATH, tremors/ataxia, SEIZURES, anaphylaxis, acute pulmonary edema, HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and inappetence.” This is directly listed by the drug maker on the drug fact sheet that you should have read and should be printing off and handing out to each owner who’s pet receives this drug.
      All that being said, I just gave it to my cat and he seems to be doing fine besides some lethargy. Still your dismissive disrespectful attitude and obtuse hubris are the type of things that really give vets such a bad reputation. I understand you are faced with a lot of ignorant people asking ignorant questions on a daily basis, and that there are cases where rumors spread and misinformation gets passed between pet owners, but this is not the case here. Your default position should not be denial and skepticism of pet owners concerns. It should be the opposite. You cant always assume people are lying or exaggerating or looking to place blame when there is none. Sometimes when there is smoke there really is a fire. It’s not always hype and sensationalism. I have heard of “compassion fatigue” in veterinary practice, but you really seem to be taking that to a new level. I think just based on the statements you have made on this page compared with the published warnings from the maker of this drug, you should formally retract your dismissive statements on this page, as they are demonstrably and provably inaccurate. You really owe an apology to the readers of this blog and most likely to the pet owners you have encountered in your practice. You really need to analyze how you react to pet owners concerns and why you are so automatically dismissive. Perhaps you are too jaded to effectively do your job anymore as one of your most important duties is to take pet owners concerns seriously, and judging by your remarks here I’m not sure you are capable of doing that anymore. Perhaps it’s time for you to retire or seek out a different profession.

    • Bernadette Vidal says:

      My cat is currently experiencing aggression towards my other cat. This comes in horrifying bouts about 3 weeks after Convenia injection. We can find no other explanation for her behavior as nothing in our household has changed. She also has become disinterested in playing which is very disturbing as she was always a playful cat. We are frightened by the emotional changes in her and dont know what to do especially since this Convenia will be in her system for 65+ days. We were never informed of the possible neurological side effects of this drug and we are afraid that this may escalate and our once very loving sweet cat might become worse.

  2. Ann says:

    Hi my friend and I have been rescuing and trapping and neutering cats for over fifteen years. Convenia has been a miracle drug for us and we would never use anything else. It has made such a great difference in the recovery and treatment of sickness for hundreds of cats.I believe for animals sake it is a miracle drug.

    • nolan says:

      My cat (11 years old) has had 3 Convenia injection and still has not help with her UTI infection.so she’s been on CLAVAMOX for 2 days and i have not seen any side effect so far..you hear how good Convenia injection are but it did not help my cat with her UTI infection…

      • Rebecca says:

        You’re lucky your cat is alive!

        • Rebecca says:

          What vet would give this to a cat three times?? It’ says on the insert not to exceed 2 times, it’s deadly and you should fire your vet!’

          • Rebecca says:

            And why did you get a third injection if the first two didn’t help?

            • Kaye F. says:

              Three separate times people….three separate times. This product has been out since 2008 with very few side affects tied to it. I swear by it for my barn cats and when we TNR. The simple fact that the medicine lasts 14 days is a bonus, as it is much harder for drug resistant bacteria to increase, since you are not relying on humans to do the daily dosing UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESCRIBED TIME. Oh fluffy felt better after a few days so they stop…and a generation of bacteria now is more resistant. Too bad we don’t use convenia on humans!
              Now, an allergic reaction could occur, and that is sad, but an animal could just as easily been allergic to any other medicine, with the same sad outcome. I have a cat who is allergic to amoxicillin, his eyebrows broke out in a scabby rash. I did not immediately connect that to his meds. My Vet did, and he put my cat on the convenia, and all was fine. at least ten cats have had this medicine at our home since 2008, with zero problems.

    • Shahla says:

      As vet they have to explain that drug causes reactions like so and so
      Most of them just inject the poor dog or cat without saying a word!
      Some pets are very sensitive to most drugs and they pay with their lives !
      This drug should be removed from market!!!!!!!!

  3. Michelle says:

    I am not sure it is completely misinformation. The adverse side effects of this medicine may be limited to a small percentage of pets; but there is a real danger. My cat Ellsworth received this as a preventative medicine after a routine dental appointment and since that day he has been vomiting , not eating, hiding and lethargic. (which are three of the listed side effects on the product label). He has also lost weight and has had to have anti-nausea meds; fluids and lots of expensive blood work and who knows how much more before he is well again. This has been going on for the last 21 days and it takes 65 days minimum to have convenia clear a body; way longer than most any other antibiotic. So we are waiting this out and hoping we can keep Ellsworth eating enough to not send his body into fatty liver syndrome. It is possible that your client that refused convenia would have experienced the same dire side effect on convenia that she did with the other antibiotics only with a 65 day window to have to deal with the consequences.

    • Mike says:

      Same situation here.. Have had other cats with no reaction. But my little one the shot for a nasal flare up. Just got back from the vets, , not eating, not drinking, appears veru tired.. I am convinced convenia is the cause.. Not the first animal I have had with side effects from medication. We await the blood work done this evening. I am a driven person that does not like big drug companies pushing deadly drugs. Sure it helps some, but just to many out there with the same issues..

      • Dr. Roger says:

        Cats commonly go anorexic when congested, as nasal congestion takes away their sense of smell and therefore their taste…and most upper respiratory infections are viral or allergic in nature in cats, with the bacterial component being secondary, making any antibiotic – Convenia included – of limited benefit. Ask your vet to try mirtazipine, an effective and safe appetite stimulant for cats.

        Good luck!

        Dr. Roger

      • Rebecca says:

        Please don’t take a chance with Convenia, if a vet tries to tell you it’s safe, don’t listen. If you google the name you will see that cats (it’s mainly used in feral cats) & dogs are dropping dead. It’s only tested for deep skin lacerations but vets use it for off market purposes regularly, mainly because it has such a short shelf life (like 55 days) so if they don’t use it, they lose money. The dogs/cats that have a reaction normally drop dead within a month, I was lucky mine lasted 45 days. Convenia is a third class cephlasporin and it’s the most common drug to cause animals to go into Drug Induced Hemolyctic Anemia which is the same as Immune Mediated Hemolyctic Anemia. When you bring your dog home he will hardly be able to walk, it’s horrible and very dangerous! There’s much safer antibiotics. Convenia stays in the dogs/cats system for 65 days and so if your animal gets sick from it, there’s no turning back. The death rate for IMHA is up to 70%. Just say NO to Convenia and please realize that the medical system including veternarian care is corrupt and so trust no doctor, research everything before giving to your dog or cat. Just google the medication and see what you see just to be on the safe side, if I would have done that, my love would still be here.

        • Smokie says:

          Wow, sooooo sorry, I’m facing the same thing, I am crushed inside, I love this dog he had a terrible stroke, from this med, he no sonnet got the shot, he was changed for ever, can’t see, can’t walk stright, can’t play, God forgive me,

        • Smokie says:

          I even called the vet and asked why she did not explain the risks, because once they get this shot, you can’t stop the damage, I should sue her, all I do now is take care of this messed up dog, just a matter of time now, he will die, or I will have to put him down, how cruel this drug convenia , all for convenience , WTF

        • Angie says:

          I totally agree. Convenia caused a severe anemic reaction in my cat. She died 9 days later. I know there was NO anemia- before the shot I did blood work. I knew better than to allow this truck because anyone with half a brain knows this drug can never be safe because it stays in the system too long. Therefore it cannot be stopped if there is a bad reaction and convenia has had many severe reactions including death. Just read the foreign market study that is where you will see the real adverse events. Also many adversive events are not reported because many DVM deny what happens is an adverse events. You don’t need your Dvm to report an adverse event though reported to the FDA and to Zoetis. Right now I am emailing someone who’s cat is dying from convenia she is in Australia. Don’t risk the life of your Catarrah dog with the Strug there a plenteous say for antibiotics which can be given orally and if they can’t tolerate it early you can give them a daily injection of an injectable form of the antibiotics that you’re not stay in the system for too long. Thank God I have finally found it Dvm who treats cats only who will not use convenia and who knows how dangerous it is.

      • Valerie says:

        Please do not blame yourselves. You entrust your pet’s care with the experts. We all do that. They are the trained professionals that know best…we hope. But we do not know better than they do, right? So we defer to their ‘expertise,’ because surely they are more educated. But when it’s YOUR family member, no one can understand when you are upset or question the treatment. I’m so sorry for everything. I totally understand your feelings. My heart goes out to you.

  4. Lisa LaPonjee says:

    Over the past several years, I had 3 cats treated with Convenia with absolutely no side effects. Last week, however, my newly adopted cat received Convenia before dental cleaning, and is suffering from anorexia. Prior to Convenia he was eating fine, now it’s a week post injection, he hardly eats (or drinks) anything. He sleeps more too. One of the listed side effects is anorexia, and I hope that eventually it will resolve when the drug clears his system. (p.s. I am of course taking steps to feed him).

    • Dr. Roger says:

      I am not discounting that it could be from Convenia, but I would ask your veterinarian to find out what anesthetics and induction agents were used to put your kitty under, as statistically, that would have a greater probability of being the culprit. Also, I would discuss with your vet, treating your cat with the appetite stimulant, Mirtazipine, as that is a very effective treatment for anorexia.

      Best of luck!

      Dr. Roger

  5. Janice says:

    I am a very responsible cat breeder, who really loves her cats so only want the best for them. Over the last several years I have had 17 cats treated with Convenia. One was off feeding, a little vomiting and lethargic for the first few days afterwards, however they were also symptoms of her triggering illness so it is doubtful if these can be seen as side-effects of Convenia. The other 16 were totally fine and symptoms of the illnesses started to reduce very quickly, there were no signs of any side-effects and they bounced back unexpectedly fast.

    Unless a specific cat had any contraindicated condition (e.g. previous allergy to penicillin or cephalosporin) I would use Convenia again any time it appeared warranted. Besides anything else, I love the assurance of knowing that the cat is actually getting the treatment required rather than spitting out an indeterminate amount of the medication or me or a helper forgetting to give doses appropriately.

  6. Sandy says:

    My little dog went in for a pre-dental check up and the vet said he had a little infection and gave him a shot of Convenia. Within 24 hours he quit eating and started coughing, 48 hours later his chest filled with fluid (400 ml of fluid every two days), 10 days and $1700.00 later, xrays, lab work, etc. he died in my arms. He was fine when he went in. Eating, happy, playful. He was 8 and had never had any problems. Waiting on final necropsy report but so far all I know is he had liver failure which resulted in fluid on the lungs and collapsed lungs. All blood work and tests on the fluid pulled from him and from his lungs showed nothing. I’m waiting on the final results but in my heart I know it was the Convenia. Perhaps that is where some of this is coming from. I have three other dogs and will never allow them this shot. My baby was fine until…..

    • Fabienne says:

      First, I am really sorry that this happened. Are you able to share what the necro report said? I had a similar situation happen. But they told me I could not have him cremated after the autopsy, I am curious what they say. Its still fresh for me so I am still searching for answers,

  7. nolan says:

    My cat (11 years old) has had 3 Convenia injection and still has not help with her UTI infection.so she’s been on CLAVAMOX for 2 days and i have not seen any side effect so far..you hear how good Convenia injection are but it did not help my cat with her UTI infection…

  8. Kelly says:

    My cat became anorexic for five days after receiving a shot of Convenia for a small ruptured sebaceous cyst. What’s scary about convenia is that it remains in the pets bloodstream for weeks – unlike other antibiotics – so if there IS an allergic reaction, the symptoms can last a very long time.

  9. Kelly says:

    I would add that the risk may be acceptable to a cat breeder or veterinarian who is not emotionally invested in one particular cat. But if it is YOUR pet, ask yourself how you would feel if your kitty died from an unnecessary treatment whose main benefit is to serve human “CONVENIENCE.”

    • Angie says:

      It shouldn’t be acceptable to anyone. Most of all a doctor who is supposed to do no harm. This drug will never be safe, ever. If your cat or dog has a severe reaction you can’ t stop it period. It’s well known now to many that convenia has caused many severe reactions and deaths, that most dvm continue to remain in denial about this and that it costs a fortune and is a money maker or a money loser if they don’t use it in time. My dvm was DVM was pushing it on me- I refused it the first time because I didn’t think it would be safe. I wasn’t feeling well the second time and don’t know why I ever allowed it. I thought it woul be easier for my cat. My cat didn’t even have a diagnosed condition and yet she was fgiven this drug, off label, not t help her but to make money. It turned out she had cancer – her immune system was compromised so she should never gmhave been given this drug. This drug is devastating to their bodies if they’re compromised in any way. And many have died who 1- never needed an antibiotic- I’ve treated my cats at home many x without antibiotic successfully, 2- who really had nothing wrong with them other than a tiny scratch or they were having a dental and ends up dead. That is NOT and will NEVER be acceptable practice of medicine. It’s reprehensible to ash the least.

      Another cat in Australia lost his life to convenia today rip.

      • Valerie says:

        Wow. Very sorry

        • Karen says:

          I wonder how many of these “convenia is great” people actually work for zoatis.. just sayin… cat is dying as we speak.. day 33.. 2 blood transfusions in.. they offered $2000 years bills.. in at $4500 right now.. they will not talk to the owners only the vetS

  10. Kelly says:

    If there was an antibiotic for HUMANS with these issues, and it existed ONLY FOR CONVENIENCE (there was a safer alternative that required daily dosing) I don’t think it would be on the market. Cat owners, ask yourself this: can veterinarians be sued for malpractice the way physicians can? No, they can’t. There simply is not the same level of accountability in the veterinary industry. So if you love your pet, understand that YOU have to be the watchdog and protect your pet from unnecessary risks – because your veterinarian has relatively little to lose from a miscalculation.

    • Roy says:

      “ask yourself this: can veterinarians be sued for malpractice the way physicians can? No, they can’t.”

      In fact, they can. And they can lose their license and livelihood.

      The “convenience” part of Covenia is for the owner, so they can avoid having to orally dose their pets daily – which can be very difficult for some animals.

      Veterinarians choose a career that pays much much lower than a human doctor because they love animals. The vast majority care deeply about their patients and their owners. That is why “Compassion Fatigue” and suicide rates are so high for veterinarians. To broadly characterize vets as emotionally uninvested and “little to lose” is callous and simply untrue.

      • CAROLE B says:

        NO no no. Most vets are out for the money. Medical human doctors don’t make as much money as they did 30 years ago because of insurance companies controlling their profits. Vets are completely uninhibited from charging what they want and they easily get away with giving unnecessary medicine and sometimes unnecessary surgeries. They cut off ears and tails for the owner’s vanity and frequently kill animals on owner requests because they can’t or don’t want to pay medical costs. DON’T ASSUME VETS LOVE ANIMALS!!!

    • Steve says:

      I have a cat named Smokey, who for a number of years has had inflammatory bowel disease in his upper digestive system. As a result of this he’s very sensitive and has to eat hypoallergenic and limited ingredients diets and has an easily upset stomach. Therefore oral antibiotics are usually very bad for him and often result in immediate vomiting after the very first dose. A few times over the years he has also developed upper respiratory infections. When this happens Convenia has been a God send. After receiving the Convenia injections he often responds within 24 to 48 hours. One time when he developed an upper respiratory infection, my normal vet was on vacation, and smokey was seen by another vet, who felt a different antibiotic would be more appropriate, Zeniquin, I believe it was. I was reluctant but figured I would try it anyway. When I got home and gave him the very first dose, he threw it right back up. So, the next day I returned and asked for the Convenia injection and he responded to the treatment just as he always had.

      I’m not saying the people who’ve had bad experiences are completely wrong. However, what you have to remember is that just like humans every animal is different. Of course there are going to be some animals who don’t respond well to Convenia and/or have bad reactions. That however doesn’t mean this is not a valuable drug that can do great things for some animals. Every medication has some side effects. Oral antibiotics often cause GI upset in some animals and they also alter the balance of bacteria in the GI tract which can cause issues like diarrhea. Anyway, if it wasn’t for Convenia, my smokey might not be alive today. So, even though this drug may not be a good choice for some animals, it doesn’t mean it’s a band drug. I hope the people who are bashing it will realize this and not try to do something stupid like trying to get it taken off the market. If you do this and are successful, you may be giving some pets a death sentence. Convenia is NOT just about convenience, because there are animals who can’t handle oral antibiotics very well. Therefore, it definitely has it’s place in veterinary medicine.

    • Angie says:

      Very true- you must be the one to rsear h and make the decisions ultimately. However the dvm is required to warn you about any adverse events which they’re not doing and to use their brains about why this drug will never be safe.

    • RV says:

      That’s actually very true, and unfortunately it has come to this as Law’s loopholes between third parties(veterinarians) buying drugs to to give to their patients. I also want to present my experience here as to warn others of this scam, drug is commonly administered to cats for UTI, in my case, Convenia was administered twice in a row since I did a UTI test after 14 days(as directed by vet) and my cat STILL has a “UTI”. So I spent about $150 over nothing. A UTI literally means urinary tract INFLAMATION, not infection… there is no bacterial infection involved but if you guys want to check, ask your vet on this make sure they tell you very detailed on what the analysis is like. What most cats have is a FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which are just tiny crystal buildup in the urine and can cause irritation and pain, and eventually will get bigger and cause inflammation if left untreated. If your cat only has a FCI, you can give your cat plenty of fluids so he/she can pee the crystals out. I also recommend giving mostly wet canned food.

  11. Debra says:

    My 11 year old male just had dental surgery and it’s been very difficult giving him antibiotic pills. Our vet of 25 years gave me Convenia to inject my boy myself, which I was very comfortable doing. Before I ever give any medicine to my cats I always do a bit of research… well I was shocked beyond words. I called my vet and we discussed my concerns….he told me that after using this product for over 9 years he had never had a negative outcome. I have enormous respect for our vet, however I told him I would not take any chances with my cats and I would not use this product and that I’d rather struggle with the Clavamox. After reading so many heartbreaking comments regarding this drug, I’m so happy I investigated further and my heart breaks for those who lost their beloved fur babies…. I’m so sorry this happened to you.

  12. Cindi says:

    My cat developed extreme lethargy and respiratory distress 2 hours after receiving a Convenia injection ( off label for a presumed UTI) He died the next day.

  13. audra says:

    my kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about a month ago he was 20lb now a little over 9lbs tried the pills for it could not do it. got the gel for the ear started last sat but then monday he began to sneeze and was congested. go to vet the inject the convenia. i have been able to get a 3oz can of tuna fish down him since tues night and it is now thurs i am on the second can now. they gave him fluids on tues. i gave him 17ml of water in a syringe to keep him hydrated. i pray this antibiotic kicks in and he feels better

  14. Samantha says:

    I’ve used Convenia on several occasions over the years on six different cats. Each one has done really well, with no side effects that could be observed. The conditions for which they were treated have cleared up as intended. Yes, it is convenient! That and the fact that I didn’t have to struggle to get other meds into them made me very happy!

  15. Kersty says:

    My lovely ginger Tom went into the vets on Sunday because he kept coughing about 2 to 3 times a day, he was examined and said he was going to give him some antiobiotics he said would you like pills or he can have a shot of antiobiotics, I thought I would go for the injection instead as I know he doesn’t take tablets very well, since then he has been unable to keep food down and has terrible diarrhoea, it wasnt until I phoned the vets that they told me they have given him convenia, I have since read the horrible side effetcs it does to cats and had I known about what he was giving him i would have said no, I now have to wait to see if he comes through this which is very worrying, I will never let any of my cats through this again by taking the easy option.

  16. Dr. Roger says:

    In case anyone is interested, I posted an update on this “controversy” in my 2015 year end wrap up post: http://web-dvm.net/final-thoughts-2015-from-the-veterinary-pet-perspective/

    Happy New Year to all! 🙂

    Dr. Roger

  17. Bob says:

    My cat got an injection of Convenia for a UTI on New Years Eve.

    Two days later the UTI cleared up, but my cat threw up, is not eating, is hiding under the couch, is lethargic, and is walking abnormally. Hope she pulls through.

    I have never had issues with other AntiBiotics. I have always been able to administer the Meds and have never “saved the rest to avoid paying for a veterinary visit the next time an infection may arise.” I certainly would chose the old treatment over Convenia at this point, regardless of the inconvenience to my vet.

    It is hurtful to have this happen to me and my pet and then be dismissed by the author as spinner of myth and fear.

  18. Brian says:

    My cat received a Convenia shot after a tooth extraction. Within 10 days of surgery he was showing symptoms of what was ultimately diagnosed as encephalitis. He was completely paralyzed and in severe pain. Diagnosis required a $4,000 visit to a veterinarian neurologist. He was saved by a dexamethasone shot and an ongoing daily prednisolone dosage. That was 1 year ago and he is now doing well.

    This does not prove the Convenia was the cause of his condition, but I was troubled by the timing of the symptoms relative to the surgery. My cat had surgeries previously but Convenia was administered for the first time, and thus I researched it.

    My pets will not be treated with Convenia in the future. To me the only benefit is convenience (thus the name Convenia) for the pet owner, and higher billings for the vet. It is not worth the risk given the accumulating evidence questioning the safety of this radically different approach to antibiotic treatment.

    I agree with the previous post and suggest it is rather hubristic for the author to dismiss the claims of many others. It would be prudent for vets to at least inform clients of the issues being raised.

  19. Lane Hatcher says:

    My 5 y.o. ASH cat was given Convenia on 20 Nov 2015 for a URI. He became, and remains, anorexic and anemic, though the past day or two he’s started to eat a little more (thank god for sardines!) We have used the PCR panel and tested him for any and every kind of acquired anemia (about 10 different diseases), and he is negative for everything(three different times he tested neg for FELV and FIV). For me, that’s good news.

    As for his anorexia, I noticed that he has to put his nose practically on his food before he gets enough of the scent to eat it, and I have raised the question as to whether the URI could have permanently or temporarily damaged his ability to detect scent.

    I don’t know if Convenia was the cause of his problems. It -might- have caused the anorexia, which has led to the anemia, but it’s extremely difficult to tell and neither my vet or I am jumping to conclusions. Further, another one of my cats and my dog have been treated with Convenia, with absolutely no problems of any kind.

    Since my kitty has started eating a little more (and I’ve got a request in to my vet regarding the appetite stimulants mentioned above — thank you!), we’re taking a conservative wait-and-see approach. Convenia will be completely out of his system by the end of January; if he doesn’t show remarkable improvement in weight and continued improvement with the anemia, then we’ll do a bone marrow biopsy and look for cancer/anemia. If that’s negative, only then will I point to the Convenia and file an Adverse Drug Report with the FDA.

    I’m very sorry for those who have lost their doggies or kitties and believe that Convenia was the cause; I encourage you to file an Adverse Drug Report with the FDA (it’s easy to do, just google it).

  20. tanya says:

    Its too bad there is so much bad press about Convenia. It works for rabbits which are extremely sensitive to antibiotics so hard to treat. My vet has used it 4 times on my rabbits and it worked like a dream. The only other alternatives for rabbits are Baytril which never seems to work and Bicillin injections every two days. Convenia is better, it does the same thing as Bicillin but only one shot that lasts 7-9 days in rabbits, so much better than any alternative. My rabbits have had no stomach upset from it and it works. My vet also said he used Convenia on a whole rabbitry – 12 rabbits with fly strike and all of them recovered. None of them had gastric distress from it either.

  21. Angie S. says:

    Thank you so much for this article. My male cat, “Boo”, was not eating well, so I took him in for a general checkup. The vet noted that Boo’s throat was sore, and gave him an injection of antibiotics. When I got home I saw “Convenia,” on the bill and read the article by that “other” vet. I was panicked and sick with what she wrote. I watched Boo like a hawk for days, obsessing about his health. Instead of declining, his nose turned pink, his eyes were shiny and he slowly started eating more than ever. He was more playful and alert. It has been a month and my Boo is still eating better than ever. Thank you also pointing out the other articles by the same vet….she thinks that dry cat food is the equivalent of poison also. I’ve fed by cats dry food for the past 35 years and with one exception, they’ve lived long lives. It pays to do more research. By the way, any medication can harm cats, dogs, and humans….it can also cure them. I can’t eat green beans, cabbage and blueberries. I wouldn’t write an article saying that they ALWAYS cause hives and welts on everyone else.

  22. Mary says:

    My healthy 9-year old female Golden Retriever was given a Convenia injection for a simple UTI. The vet failed to disclose any of the horrible side effects of this drug. First off he used it off label, this drug is for bacterial skin infections. I brought her in 14 days later for the 2nd injection. He failed to test her urine before giving the 2nd injection which the manufacturer’s label states is necessary. She was at the emergency vet for 6 days and she had 8 blood transfusions. She experienced 7 out of 14 side effects which included SEIZURES, DEATH, hemolytic anemia, acute pulmonary edema, vomiting, diarreha and inappetance. Five weeks later she could not walk or stand; we were told she had fluid around her heart and had a blood clot to her spine and we lost her. Had the vet followed the manufacturer’s label directions we may not have lost her. A complaint has been filed with the State Vet Examiners board and also the American Veterinary Asso. Once they investigate I hope he loses his license or at the very least, gets suspended. NOTHING can bring our dog back.

  23. Quantumnerd says:

    Sorry it’s a no for me, my cat had this shot, and went into a lethargic state, and luckily when I googled the shot before he showed signs of anything, I saw all the warnings against it. I ordered probiotics immediately and started him on that, it literally took about two months for my cat to be the same before the shot. My friend took her cat in two days ago and they gave him Covenia and today he started seizuring! This drug according to the FDA is only to be used for Abscesses. I think that’s what saved my cat, he had an abscess. They gave Covenia to my cat for a UTI. I will never use this ever.

  24. Sheila says:

    My cat got Convenia and Dexamethasone injections on Wednesday. Beginning Sunday, she has had diarrhea (and pain while pooping). We changed her to an easy-to-digest food on Tuesday, and she’s still having diarrhea today (Friday). There has to be a better way to treat her chronic sinus infections.

  25. Yes, you cat is very lucky to be alive. My poodle became sick with days of taking Convenia. I will always find out about the drugs before they are given to my pets. It is awful but drug companies put profits above the lives of people and their pets.

  26. Ashley says:

    My cat just received a Conevia shot & medrol & on the 3rd day she was vomiting all night. Took her in today to the vets & the vet gave her a anti-nausea shot. She is still acting very sick & I’m soo scared she is not going to make it. After she vomited she immediately went to eat again only to throw it up. She ate again & threw up. Since then she has not gotten sick but she’s an outdoor cat so I’m not sure if she’s throwing up outside. I’m so scared. Last night she meowed at me all night but I didn’t know what she wanted. So it’s now day 4 & she is ill still. I’m scared the conevia will keep working & she will die. I don’t know what to do. She had full bloodwork done today & results come back tomorrow. If there’s a vet that can give me a consultation I’d be happy to pay & talk to an expert. I love this cat dearly. I found her outside 2 years ago & after a year of petting her on my late walks she one day found where I lived & climbed a tree to get in my bedroom & never left. She’s everything to me.

  27. kathy says:

    My 12yr old cat was lethargic & stopped eating so I took him to the vet where she diagnosed he had pnemonia. Didn’t know at the time, but she injected Convenia. She told me he would be fine, well, I barely made it home before he became limp & breathing heavily. I got him in the house & within 10mins (30 counting driving time) he was gone. I’m sick & heartbroken over this. Had I known what she was giving him, I would’ve refused it.

  28. carol says:

    I have treated my cats with Convenia in the past with no problems. I have a cat with a respiratory infection right now, who got the shot 3 days ago. I may need to take him to the vet again because he is no better…may even be getting worse…but I don’t blame the vet for recommending the Convenia first, as my cat is extremely difficult to pill. That being said, there is ALWAYS a possibility of an allergic reaction to ANY medication you give your pet…or yourself, for that matter. My husband ended up in the hospital for 5 days due to an allergic reaction to a commonly used antibiotic…we just didn’t know he was allergic. It’s awful for those who lose a pet or whose pet suffers because no one was aware of the allergy…how would you be? But I also think it has successfully treated many pets and it has it’s place.

  29. Julie Jeschke says:

    Dr. Welton needs to take the reports of adverse reactions to Covenia more seriously. We are all learning the insidious connection between Big Pharma with their sales pitch, donations to medical and vet schools, etc. and the effect it is having on the judgement of doctors and vets. Our cat has had a serious reaction of Covenia. Doctor or vet knows best needs to be taken with a grain of salt! Please report problems with Covenia to your vet and ask them to file a report with the FDA and make a report yourself so that this drug can either be taken off the market or a warning is required to be given to pet owners before it is given.

  30. I took my Shih-Tzu to the vet today.06/14/16, she is six years old and has been feeling very bad to three days. Took her in this afternoon and he did an exam.They did exam, gave herconvenia, Dexamethasone So 4mg/Ml, did a CBC/Chem-10/lutes and gave her a B12 3000mcg 100ml injection….Now he tells me to call him tomorrow for results of test…..Her name is Bunni, and she is my little girl, and a big part of my life…….I was not informed at the time about this drug, and since we don’t know what her medical problem is, I am scared to death….The only thing he told me is that he gave her an antibiotic inj.that would last for two weeks .And that he gave her the steroid inj.and to call him tomorrow about the blood work…Lord forbid if this has harmed her…She was a very healthy sweetheart,and if I have done her harm,I just don’t know what I will do.Will follow up after tomorrow….

  31. Connie says:

    Yes, most vets use convenia and do not ‘see’ the side effects. Just look at yourself in this post and the comments, people are claiming that convenia caused problems, and you are off looking for other causes, maybe it was the anesthesia, etc..

    most vets refuse to acknowledge that it is an issue. I have talked to several regarding the KNOWN issues with this drug, and all of them have ‘never heard of a problem’ and ‘never seen a problem’. Well to not hear of it means you are hiding your head in the sand, isn’t it? There are so many reported problems you would have to be blind not to see them. http://www.catinfo.org/?link=convenia

    Many doctors believe the drug is being used too liberally. It is for skin conditions and abscesses only. It isn’t labeled (nor studied) for UTI, URI, and other types of infections. Vets want to use it because it is convenient and because you have the best owner compliance with it.

    This post alone is more about owner compliance than anything else. The owner chose to give a different antibiotic and things didn’t get better. (Clavamox for a URI? really? whose head is in the sand now?) and you tried something else. Did you impress upon the owner that the cat needed to eat? Developing Hepatic lipidosis is something you should have warned the client about. It is about not eating, not about the wrong antibiotic.

    Do you warn clients when giving them antibiotics about the side effects? do you impress upon them that if they feel the side effects are hindering quality of life that they need to try something else? What would you have done a few years ago before the advent of convenia?

    Blaming the client for not wanting to use the newest meds out there is wrong. So many drugs make it to market and once they are being used en-mass you find side effects you couldn’t have imagined in clinical trials. The human drug market is full of such drugs.. wonder drugs that are prescribed to thousands of patients and they end up being killers.

    I am not a fan of convenia. It was given to one of my cats without my permission and I was livid. I can easily pill my cats and owner compliance is not an issue with me. The vet didn’t even ask if I was okay pilling my cat, he was so jaded he just assumed everyone would prefer not to do it. Fortunately, my cat was fine, but I watched her like a hawk for two weeks just to be sure. There are times when the drug is an absolute wonder.. cats who can not be pilled – like ferals… or who would end up with a poor quality of life if you tried, but this NEEDS to be a discussion you have with your client. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! if the cat or dog has a reaction to convenia, there is no ‘just stopping’ the medication, like you did with the clavamox in the example above you provided. You have to provide expensive supportive care until the pet is able to recover. Minimize the risks of convenia all you want, the risks are there just read the label but discuss them with your clients. That way when they run into a (according to you) know it all they will have the knowledge of your take on the drug to defend their choices.. and you’ll have a much better educated clientele.

    • Dr. Roger says:

      This post is a glaring example of an argument made on the basis of little clear working medical or pharmacological knowledge, data or how the FDA works. Labeling has nothing to do with the safety of a drug, but instead the spectrum of antimicrobial activity that was demonstrated during the FDA trials and approval process. Since Convenia is a third generation cephalosporin, a class of antibiotics known for especially strong activity for bacteria that tend to infect the skin, this was the FDA focus for efficacy. Once approved, however, given the very high expense of FDA approval for additional labeling, most pharmaceutical companies do not resubmit for additional labeling, even though many cephalosporins, Convenia included, have strong activity against many respiratory and urinary tract infections. Thus, off label use is common in every branch of medicine for many antibiotics. Labeling has nothing to do with safety, but all about efficacy that is necessarily proven during FDA trials.

      Regarding ignoring anecdotal tales from people I do not know on the internet with pets I never once examined or reviewed lab data, I would not be any kind of scientist if I took at face value every tale of disease or death that an owner has decided must be ascribed to Convenia, I would be no scientist at all. I base my observations on my own patients with whom I have a doctor-client-patient relationship, know their health history, and have follow up and retroactive data to base my observations, which have determined that after thousands of injections of Convenia, I have come across one case of lethargy that passed within 48 hours. Compare that to other commonly used antibiotics, Clavamox, Baytril, Clindamycin, Zeniquin; Convenia clinically is exceedingly safer.

      But don;t take my word for it, look at the safety data sheet yourself. Scroll down to the minimum toxic concentrations per species. You will note that concentrations are > 2000 – 3000 mg/kg in most cases….the canine and feline dose is 8 mg/kg.

      https://www.henryscheinvet.com/Content/SDS/045533.pdf

      The toxicology data supports its safety as does the FDA trial data, as does the clinical experience of any veterinarian I know. And Convenia is not new, but was released in early 2008.

      • DWK says:

        I see a LOT of “no data available”.

      • Barbara Morgan says:

        Fighting with many vets about Convenia is pointless – pet owners simply need to say no! Vets do not want to give up the profits from Convenia or the perks from the drug reps! Let’s be honest, Convenia was designed to be used for dermatology in dogs however it is being wrongly used as a broad spectrum antibiotic due to it’s cost and shelf life. Vets purchase Convenia as a concentrate with a 56 day shelf life (the FDA increased the shelf life from 28 days to 56 days in 2012). The drug is very expensive so the vets don’t want to throw it out – instead they use it when they shouldn’t and they lie to customers so they don’t lose money. (And yes, a vet I met socially actually admitted this to me.) The FDA has received reports about Convenia but they do nothing. Vets don’t care because they want the money – why else would they force Convenia on pets with owners who are more than willing to medicate them? It is up to pet owners to spread the word – always say no to Convenia!

        • Dr. Roger says:

          The conspiracy tone of this comment is beyond hilariously absurd and shows an immense ignorance of the veterinary profession. The truth about Convenia is that we do not have to go out of our way to use it up…the clients (especially the owners of felines that are notoriously difficult to orally medicate) love it so much, we can hardly keep it on the shelf. My hospital goes through two bottles a week (and amazingly, no one gets sick from it, imagine that!). Here’s what is does do, however, it clears gram positive bacterial infections in ALL TISSUES very well.

          Your focus on its labeling being for skin being as an issue also illustrates your ignorance of antibiotics and the approval process of the FDA. FDA trials and testing are expensive. Thus, once a company gets FDA approval for a certain condition, the company almost never goes back to take on the expense of getting additional labeling. The reason it works do well for skin infections is because as a third generation cephalosporin class antibiotic, it has great efficacy against gram positive bacteria, which is the class of bacteria that constitutes most skin infections….hence its initial focus on labeling You know where else dogs and cats get gram positive infections? Everywhere! Repiratory, urinary tract, GI, ocular, etc., etc., etc..so dam straight we use it for infections in other regions of the body. It is called extra label use, a very common occurrence in both human and veterinary medicine.

          And perks from drug reps??? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          I do not even know my Zooetis (the company that manufactures Convenia) drug rep’s name or even if he/she is male or female. Hard to get those “perks” you speak of without even knowing who my rep is! This is always my all time favorite of anti-veterinarian conspiracy theories…the nefarious big pharma kick backs that have us all living high on the hog. Lol!

          You truly have no idea what the hell are talking about.

          • Alesia says:

            THNAK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Angry and upset people really love to comment. The cocspiracy ones are the funniest to me. Upset pet owners have proven to be some of the worst. I’ve come to realize that grief makes people point blame and negativly question EVERYTHING.

          • RV says:

            Explain my case, My cat was administered Convenia twice in a row, after 14 ddays I had to take another UTI test(directed by vet), and test showed he still has a “UTI”. Vet also said I did everything right, but before I could ask him what usually caused the UTI? he booked out the door to get this 2nd round of injection. So I paid over $150 for an injection that doesn’t seem to work. Next 14 days my cat took the 2nd test and it came up as similar results. The vet actually gave me a dumbfounded look and tried to talk me into another antibiotic. So I went to another clinic and researched on this myself and A UTI literally means urinary tract INFLAMMATION, not infection…thus there is no bacterial infection involved but if you want to check, ask your vet on this make sure they tell you very detailed on the analysis. I had to tell the other clinic and they told me that he has a FCI. What most cats have is a FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which are just crystals buildup in the urine and can cause irritation and pain, and eventually will get bigger and cause inflammation if left untreated. If your cat only has a FCI, you can give your cat plenty of fluids so he/she can pee the crystals out. I also recommend giving mostly wet canned food. This has worked for me a lot more than the Convenia shot. I support Convenia only when it is used for skin infections(as it is advertised) and according to the insert, it tells you exactly what bacteria it works with which is only few species listed in abcesses. https://mega.nz/#!De4lGazK

            • RV says:

              ….And I’m just saying, I support the use of Convenia only when it’s absolutely necessary, well in my case with the first vet,my cat didnt even need it, …he had an minor case of FCI, and no bacterial infection shown up to be needing an antibiotic(the other clinic has told me)

          • Bill says:

            Take the needle out of your arm, dipshit.

  32. Jean Frederick says:

    Our dog had a Convenia injection for an infection on his leg that he kept licking at. One month later he had surgery to remove a lump on his shoulder. He had another Convenia injection in case of infection. After that it was all downhill including no appetite, lack of energy(sleeping most of the time) and anemic. Within 3 weeks we had to make the decision to put him down as he could no longer walk and didn’t eat at all and slept all the time. I did not know the affects of Convenia as no one ever told us. I blame ourselves for the loss of our beloved dog. And I blamed the Vet for not telling us what was happening. Said she didn’t know what was wrong. Even had us do an ultrasound to see if they could find anything, which they didn’t. We miss our precious dog who would have been 12, two weeks after he died.

  33. Belinda Boeck-Caballero says:

    I took my 3 year old, 15 pound, perfectly healthy cat in for a UTI. She was administered a dose of .68 Convenia. …..within 5 minutes, she was dead. Apparent heart attack according to the vet. Nothing was mentioned about adverse reactions to this drug. My husband and I are heartbroken. My baby, Maybelle, did NOT deserve to die.

  34. Jim Adams says:

    Our cat had a chronic nasal infection for about 2 years. Giving oral Clavamox was difficult and we stopped trying. The infection continued, but the cat was eating normally, was active, and showed no signs of discomfort except his occasional sneezing.

    Our doctor recommended Convenia, to be administered in 2 doses, 14 days apart. Within 2 days of the first injection, the runny nose seemed to have disappeared. However, at the very same time, the cat began to lose his appetite. Since the nasal infection seemed to be gone for the time being, and the cat’s food intake was drastically reduced, we decided against the second injection.

    By 12 days after the first injection, the cat had stopped eating altogether, and would occasionally moan with discomfort. We decided that the humane thing to do would be to put him to sleep.

    There seemed to be a correlation between the Convenia and the cat’s fatal loss of appetite. In view of this, I would not recommend using Convenia, but rather try to find another way to administer Clavamox orally.

    • Me says:

      Sorry about your cat Jim, but a lot of times URIs in cats aren’t gone when the outward symptoms disappear, and the cats will seem to improve when they have actually developed pneumonia and need more antibiotics. Also, cats that have lost their sense of smell (a virus or infection can cause this even if the cat isn’t stuffed up) won’t eat for the fact that in their mind, if it doesn’t smell like food, it isn’t food, and not eating for a few days can cause cats to develop a potentially fatal condition called hepatic lipidoses. Your cat should have been examined for pneumonia and been put on supportive therapy like an appetite stimulant before failing to eat became a problem, or feeding tube after failing to eat for so long.

  35. Juli says:

    Our vet gave my beloved baby girl (bichon) the Convenia injection for a UTI – never advised me before hand (I would never have allowed an antibiotic injection-I always question antibiotic use in general) and they told me she’d start feeling better in 2 hours (that was 11am on Friday) she got worse all night & am & died at 10:30am Sat of enlarged heart & fluid on the heart – never had issues before & recently had blood work etc. I know it was from the drug. I asked them what side effects to watch for & they said “none really”. My 12 year old (other wise healthy beautiful Bichon would be here today if I hadn’t gone to that vet. I feel they are responsible for at least negligence and the drug is ultimately responsible for her death. I’m beside my self, she was more then a pet. Vets should NOT be allowed to inject your fur baby with anything that you haven’t signed for, specifically after given accurate risks information. We should be allowed to sue however SO heartbreaking that no matter what I can’t get the ONLY thing I want back, my normally healthy baby girl

    • RV says:

      There are side effects, please read the inserts. And my cat survived but had diarrhea and less appetite. My cat didn’t even need the antibiotic shot as he never had a bacterial infection to begin with. A vet told me most cats had FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis. Link to the insert for Convenia: https://mega.nz/#!De4lGazK

  36. Bridget says:

    My cat has received Convenia several times with no ill effects. He’s been suffering from an upper respiratory infection, cold-like symptoms, etc. I was afraid of using it again because of the reports I heard, but in desperation, I went ahead and got it for him again because he was suffering and couldn’t breathe. I tried many things first. After a day or two of getting the Convenia, his symptoms starting clearing up. It’s 1 week now, and he is doing great. I’m so relieved for him. It seems like it is an unusual reaction to have it kill a cat, because my sister and mom have both had it given to their cats as well with positive results.

  37. DWK says:

    I operate a cat sanctuary for feral cats (I am also a biologist, with an additional masters in biochemistry)and at first I was quite elated about Convenia as feral cats can be quite difficult to dose. I am no longer so enthusiastic. I have had four ferals receive Convenia injections, one for an infected cat bite, two for URIs and one for after tooth extraction. Three of the four cats died shortly after receiving the Convenia injection. None of the three fatalities were anticipated. It should be noted that Convenia is a long-acting drug that can remain in the body as long as two months. Any animal can be sensitive to a drug and now some veterinarians are no longer using Convenia as they have pointed out that there is no way to reverse the action of the drug after it is administered. I no longer view Convenia as an option except as a “last ditch effort.”

  38. DWK says:

    “Contraindications

    CONVENIA is contraindicated in dogs and cats with known allergy to cefovecin or to β-lactam (penicillins and cephalosporins) group antimicrobials. Anaphylaxis has been reported with the use of this product in foreign market experience. If an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis occurs, CONVENIA should not be administered again and appropriate therapy should be instituted. Anaphylaxis may require treatment with epinephrine and other emergency measures, including oxygen, intravenous fluids, intravenous antihistamine, corticosteroids, and airway management, as clinically indicated. Adverse reactions may require prolonged treatment due to the prolonged systemic drug clearance (65 days).”

    If you do not know if your pet is allergic to the drugs involved, the dose can be fatal. This information is from the manufacturer.

  39. Sheila says:

    My ragdoll cat received one injection of Convenia for a chronic sinus infection. It gave her diarrhea for days. This was very difficult to deal with (considering her fur is soooo long) not to mention how miserable the poor cat must have been. I won’t be giving it to her again.

  40. Me says:

    My cat has had convenia and didn’t have any troubling reactions but he was lethargic and the issue was that with all of his other problems…kidney problems, FIV, etc, I couldn’t tell if the lethargy was from those or the convenia. I have been fortunate that I can usually get antibiotics in to him. Most of them, in powder form, he doesn’t seem to be able to taste, so I sandwhich it between two Small pieces of deli turkey and roll it up and then cut it into pieces, and he gets that at the times he is most likely to eat… Right when he wakes up in the morning and / or when I get home from work. Because of his other health problems, sometimes he also gets an appetite stimulant called mirtazipine. These are small pills that he only takes 1/4 of and once every few days, and if I can get some of it in to him, 15 to 30 minutes later he will eat just about anything and I can get the rest of his medication in to him. I have had to pill some of my other cats though and some cats are just so hard to get medication in to that convenia would be more approriate.

  41. Susan says:

    Does everyone understand that Convenia is a long acting version
    Of the rocepherin shot people get at the doctors office
    Look up the generic name on both

  42. Ryan says:

    Just wanted others to know there is another side of the story. I have 2 cats that have received convenia shots. One of the cats had the shot three times, over a 7 month period, due to a severe upper respiratory infection. His last shot was Sept 2015. He never had any side effects and he is a happy healthy boy. The other one had the shot once and expect for a little diarrhea there were no other side effect. I would not hesitate to give them the shot again if they needed it.

  43. Darkshaman says:

    CONVENIA and upper respiratory. Ok the CONVENIA healed her Gum infection and blister on her upper lip, almost miraculously>
    HOWEVER about 30 hours after the shots, CONVENIA and Depo-Medrol, she began sneezing violently and almost non stop irratation of mouth, nasal, respiratory, and eye’s.
    Veteranarian didn’t seem to know why or what to do, because there is nothing that can be used to nulify CONVENIA once administered.
    Here are my personal findings. Feline Herpes is VERY common in cats, and it affects the upper repiratory system. CONVENIA, only serves to agitate the herpes condition in cats.
    As soon as i boiled some water and raised the humidity, she immediately got relief from the sneezing attacks. So i went to walmart and got a warm mist humidifier…
    I hope this helps many of you! Believe me i was in a panic saying to myself OMG why did i let them do those shots… I mean i thought she was going to die and it was my own fault.
    GET A HUMIDIFIER if you have CONVENIA, or Depo-medrol shots on your pet. Save your pet alot of discomfort!
    That being said, the shots DID heel her other issue with her gums and lip blister, fast and very effective, with NONE of the listed side effects for either drug happening to her.
    They need to add as a side effect “Sneezing violently” and why and how to avoid it….

    • Nancy says:

      I am now currently dealing with my cat sneezing and having a runny nose 3 days after the shot. He did not have an upper respiratory infection before the shot, I had taken him to the vet for digestive distress. When he was a kitten, he did have 2 bouts with an upper respiratory infection that he picked up at the shelter I adopted him from. Not a problem again until now. Glad to read your post so that I can understand what’she going on. I started using my humidifier for him before I read your post as this is what I had to do for him as a kitten. So far, his appetite and energy level is fine and I hope it stays that way. I usually ask more questions of vet’s and doctors about medicines but didn’the this time as it was an emergency in the middle of the night. I hope he gets through this and I hope your cat is well, too. I hope all the cats and dogs that are treated get and stay well. I think all vet’s should explain the risks and benefits before giving this shot.

    • Barbara Morgan says:

      We used Lysine as a daily supplement for my cat with Herpes. You just mix a little powder in water and add it to their food daily. Famciclovir was another option.

  44. Desiree says:

    Like many people on here, I lost my cat to Convenia. He was completely healthy except for constipation and scratching. He went to the vet for an enema and allergy shot and for whatever irresponsible reason, was given Convenia and died 6 days later. I’m so over vets defending this drug when there are hundreds of people online who are talking about it killing their animal. We know our animals better than anyone! This vet is an irresponsible idiot for writing this article and the reason why so many of us have lost our animals due to this drug.

  45. Frank Stewart says:

    We had a very healthy 1yr old cat with inflamed claw bed. Convenia was administered (we were not given a choice of other options). The cat now has lethargy, wheezing, alopecia (a candybar size rash on his belly that won’t go away), and inflammation of the bladder (he is having trouble peeing). We are on day seven.

    Cats a dogs are very different in size and their reactions to these drugs. Don’t be afraid to ask your vet for options. Unless the cat’s life is in jeopardy, I don’t think the side affects are worth the risk.

  46. Alicia says:

    Dr. Roger, thanks for writing this. It’s nice to see a factual article, not scare-tactic hyperbolee. My cat has been treated twice with Convenia for skin infections, and it has worked incredibly well both times. I too have read the information (or rather misinformation) that’s out there. I asked my vet some questions, was reassured, and it’s not been an issue. I’d rather treat my cat with this than wonder if she’s getting all of her oral antibiotic, since I have to give it to her mixed in food. Any treatment given has risks and possible side effects. I wish people understood there’s no way to avoid that, other than not give any meds, ever, It saddens me that this one has seemed to be singled out.

    • Barbara Morgan says:

      Read the other posts and count your blessings – you got lucky! Convenia is a terrible drug and that is based on my personal experience!

  47. Rose says:

    At this point I don’t know what to believe anymore. My elderly cat has done fine all these many years up until a couple months ago when a tumor that she had for 2 years started bothering her. She licked the fur clean off and ripped it open, and after getting her up-to-date with her long overdue rabies shot we took her to a hospital vet. He briefly examined her tumor, said it was infected, then offered to give her an antibiotic shot (Convenia) and an anti inflammatory shot (Meloxicam). We were not told what either of these drugs actually were until they handed us the receipt with their names. He never said anything about Convenia nor its side effects/risks, but was more than happy to explain that surgery was a big risk due to her age. He also talked us into buying a bitter apple spray to make her stop licking her wound but that was a horrible idea that failed miserably. Just like dogs, you really can’t teach an old cat new tricks.

    So far it’s been over a week since her injection and her tumor has stayed the same size while her wound appears to be getting worse(?). Her appetite seems to be fine and she isn’t being lethargic yet, although I’m not sure how her feces is. Just tonight, she’s started tremoring badly which has me concerned.

    I have very mixed feelings, because while I know my cat’s already near the end of her rope with what I personally believe is cancer it absolutely breaks my heart reading that Convenia has ruined the lives of younger to even baby pets! I never wanted to give my cat anything that would end her life sooner than necessary, but I’m now very saddened to think that Convenia will be the torturous nail in her coffin far worse than cancer ever could be.

    I don’t think Convenia was a misdiagnosis in my particular situation since this is an infected exposed tumor, but after reading up I have to agree that it is absolutely ridiculous to prescribe Convenia for anything other than skin infections and abscesses. I pray for my cat’s healing/survival through this potentially dangerous drug.

    I hope that people will learn from all these stories to ALWAYS ASK WHAT A DRUG IS BEFORE LETTING A VET GIVE IT TO YOUR PET!!! Unless you are in an absolutely dire situation where time matters, you should be allowed to learn about what drug you could be putting into your pet. Same advice applies for regular people doctors, too. Better to be safe than sorry because you can’t always trust your vet/doctor, some care (but aren’t perfect) and some just want a paycheck.

  48. Dave Keown says:

    My best Buddy “Jake” was given a shot of Convenia on 5/23/2015
    He died 4 hours later.
    Jake was one of the best dogs and most loved dogs I ever seen.
    If their is anything to all of this talk about this drug ( it must be taken off of the market.
    If anyone has any prove on this please contact
    me @ 317-374-0518-Dave

  49. Y says:

    So glad I decided to look this up. Won’t be giving my dog this shot. Not worth the risk. Not at all!

  50. Renata says:

    My cat had a adverse reaction to Convenia. I reported it to the company, who agreed they had seen all of this symptoms in the studies, said they were really sorry and that there was nothing but supportive care that could be done. My vet kept insisting it was the underlying liver issue. Since my cat was asymptomatic before the shot and experiencing nausea, throwing up, having diarrhea, walking into walls & refusing to eat within 22 hours after the shot, this was ridiculous. I kept him alive by staying up with him for three nights in a row, feeding him probiotics, baby food and water with an oral syringe, then having a new vet come to the house and give him fluids three times. It’s been 31 days and he seems to be doing beautifully, but I won’t relax until the 65 days have passed. This drug needs to be taken off the market, period. Evidently a class action suit has been tried, but so many vets are using it off label Pfizer can get away with saying it was not approved for such use. That said, I’m willing to try again. Please, please report your adverse reactions to the company and file a report with the FDA. I’m waiting until the two months are up to do the latter. I will call the numbers that people have listed here, but feel free to email me at renatad4@yahoo.com

  51. Kim Koon says:

    Is Convenia safe to use for a dog with a suspected UTI but also has chronic renal failure?

    • Barbara Morgan says:

      Convenia is never safe! My cat Winnie was a cuddly stray cat who showed up at my door one day. Diabetic and FIV positive he became an indoor only cat eating a low glucose diet and getting one unit of Lantus insulin twice a day. Winnie was stable and doing well. I took him to the vet for his bi-annual check up which included a physical exam, full bloodwork, urinalysis and fecal analysis. Every test came back normal. A week later he developed a URI (Upper Respiratory Infection.) I took him back to Eastern Animal Hospital where Dr. Susan Warner-Jones ( a person who should not be a vet in my opinion) gave him a shot of Convenia without my consent. I didn’t know Convenia existed. I thought Winnie would be given Clavamox in the liquid form which is the standard treatment for URI’s n cats. Instead Warner-Jones gave Convenia and I know she didn’t ask because she knew I’d say no and she wanted the $60 she charged me for the shot! Within a day my Winnie my horribly sick and his liver values were through the roof! I took him back to the vet who pretended to have no idea it could be anything she had done. Then to an emergency hospital and then to another emergency animal hospital with an internal medicine team. Winnie’s prognosis was grim. He wasn’t eating, his blood work had gotten worse and I was devastated. We did a needle biopsy of his liver which was normal. Sent blood work out to test for everything we could think of and everything was negative. The only possible culprit according to the internal medicine team as well as my consults with three other vets was Convenia. We put a nasal feeding tube in. We hooked him up to round the clock fluids, Denamarin supplements, vitamins and monitored him 24/7/ Winnie spent three and half weeks in ICU being treated with all of this non-stop supportive care. The initial hospital stays were $16,000 but Winnie lived. In the midst of Winnie’s treatment, I called Pfizer to ask for help with Winnie’s vet bills. I spoke with someone that I consider to be a truly horrible person; a veterinarian named Dr. Hillyard. She said Pfizer refused to accept any responsibility and refused to help with Winnie’s vet bills. Dr. Hillyard did say that Pfizer would be happy to do an autopsy if he died. I was disgusted and I remain disgusted. Winnie lived for another 4 years but he suffered from the recurring bouts of chronic pancreatitis which added to the enormous sums Convenia has cost me. The use of Convenia shortened my cat’s life and affected the quality of his life. The use of Convenia was very damaging financially and it caused a huge amount of stress. Pfizer didn’t care, Zoetis doesn’t care, the FDA doesn’t seem to care so pet owners need to know and care! I believe Pfizer is an evil, unethical company and Convenia should be pulled off the market! I now tell pet owners all the time – don’t fully trust your vet and always say no to Convenia!

  52. Kim Koon says:

    Also Convenia(and all other medications would have to go through the kidneys so wouldn’t it be advisable to stay away from such a strong antibiotic? Maybe use a milder antibiotic if necessary since Chronic kidney failure plays a part? And is there not a possibility that Convenia could put the dog from chronic kidney failure to acute kidney failure if the dog does not respond well to Convenia since the dog has never had convenia? Thanks for any help.

  53. Clay Smith says:

    Our healthy schnauzer had an injection of Convenia, and is now having her third blood transfusion in the ICU with severe anemia, after having extreme auto immune reaction to it. Her blood work was 100% normal the day of the injection, so I am certain this was the cause. She has no other illnesses that would cause such a rapid decline of red blood cells and platelets in such a short time span. STAY AWAY FROM THIS DRUG.

  54. Jane Graff says:

    My elderly cat was given Convenia for an infection and died hours later. I feel that the vet should know better than give a Convenia injection to an elderly cat. It was fatal and I am heart broken. The vet gives me this BS that he was old and ill and would died anyway. Imagine a vet speaking like that?
    Her palliative care sucks. I feel that the cat would have lived longer if given tablets or something more regulated. I would be interested in joining a civil lawsuit.

  55. Jane Graff says:

    The vet gave my elderly cat a Convenia injection and he died shortly after. I feel the vet should know better than administrating this to an elderly cat. Deathly.

  56. Jane Graff says:

    The vet said, “He was old and sick and would die anyway.” Real compassionate.

  57. Donna says:

    I’ve had multiple cats dosed with Convenia…URTI, post surgery etc. without an issue. That’s not to say that there can’t be issues with the medication but there can be side effects with any medication. People die from reactions to medications including antibiotics… should we stop prescribing a drug class that has revolutionised medical treatment? I understand what its like to lose pets, and I completely understand wanting to blame something or someone. I think it’s important to discuss your concerns with your vet rather than base your opinion solely on what you read on the internet

  58. Michelle Ryan says:

    Just want to say, I’m one of the few…that so far, my kitty has been feeling MUCH better since the shot almost 12hiurs ago. He was coughing up or sneezing blood, and had very labored breathing. As I type this he is drinking water and eating, and finally shows signs of recovery. Went to the vet, let them give the shot, and saw these comments and was hysterical crying thinking I brought sure death on my cat. I can’t say if he will recover from his illness, he is 15 and getting on in years, but while at first I was freaking out, I have hope he has turned a corner and is finally recovering. Will keep y’all posted, hopefully.

  59. Barbara Morgan says:

    My cat Winnie was a cuddly stray cat who showed up at my door one day. Diabetic and FIV positive he became an indoor only cat eating a low glucose diet and getting one unit of Lantus insulin twice a day. Winnie was stable and doing well. I took him to the vet for his bi-annual check up which included a physical exam, full bloodwork, urinalysis and fecal analysis. Every test came back normal. A week later he developed a URI (Upper Respiratory Infection.) I took him back to Eastern Animal Hospital where Dr. Susan Warner-Jones ( a person who should not be a vet in my opinion) gave him a shot of Convenia without my consent. I didn’t know Convenia existed. I thought Winnie would be given Clavamox in the liquid form which is the standard treatment for URI’s n cats. Instead Warner-Jones gave Convenia and I know she didn’t ask because she knew I’d say no and she wanted the $60 she charged me for the shot! Within a day my Winnie my horribly sick and his liver values were through the roof! I took him back to the vet who pretended to have no idea it could be anything she had done. Then to an emergency hospital and then to another emergency animal hospital with an internal medicine team. Winnie’s prognosis was grim. He wasn’t eating, his blood work had gotten worse and I was devastated. We did a needle biopsy of his liver which was normal. Sent blood work out to test for everything we could think of and everything was negative. The only possible culprit according to the internal medicine team as well as my consults with three other vets was Convenia. We put a nasal feeding tube in. We hooked him up to round the clock fluids, Denamarin supplements, vitamins and monitored him 24/7/ Winnie spent three and half weeks in ICU being treated with all of this non-stop supportive care. The initial hospital stays were $16,000 but Winnie lived. In the midst of Winnie’s treatment, I called Pfizer to ask for help with Winnie’s vet bills. I spoke with someone that I consider to be a truly horrible person; a veterinarian named Dr. Hillyard. She said Pfizer refused to accept any responsibility and refused to help with Winnie’s vet bills. Dr. Hillyard did say that Pfizer would be happy to do an autopsy if he died. I was disgusted and I remain disgusted. Winnie lived for another 4 years but he suffered from the recurring bouts of chronic pancreatitis which added to the enormous sums Convenia has cost me. The use of Convenia shortened my cat’s life and affected the quality of his life. The use of Convenia was very damaging financially and it caused a huge amount of stress. Pfizer didn’t care, Zoetis doesn’t care, the FDA doesn’t seem to care so pet owners need to know and care! I believe Pfizer is an evil, unethical company and Convenia should be pulled off the market! I now tell pet owners all the time – don’t fully trust your vet and always say no to Convenia!

  60. Cheryl DeShields says:

    My beautiful cat was given convenia on this past Friday & quickly went down hill. It was given due to passing blood in her urine which cleared up but the adverse affects are slowly KILLING her. At present shes lying in front of me struggling to take her last breath.

  61. Cheryl DeShields says:

    My beautiful & wonderful BABY crossed the rainbow bridge at 1:43pm today. Thanks to the Convenia Shot. Killed on this day.

  62. Judi says:

    A friend of mine had a very recent experience involving Convenia.

    His 4-year old female cat apparently had a urinary tract infection [UTI]; she was otherwise a healthy cat. The cat was taken to a vet [not her regular vet], who as a first-line approach gave her an injection of Convenia.

    Within a couple of hours the cat had become “a zombie”—extremely lethargic and not eating or drinking. The cat’s health rapidly deteriorated and two days later she had to be euthanized. The severe reaction was clearly caused by the Convenia injection.

    I understand there are many far less risky options to deal with a UTI in a cat, and Convenia appears in any event to be touted primarily for ‘skin infections’. Plus Convenia stays in the body for a long time, as opposed to other non-injectable drugs that the body can get rid of quickly.

  63. Stevie Shepeard says:

    I wish I had read this before I went to the vet with my precious cat. Maybe Tony would have made it, who knows?

    Just last week I took poor Tony to the vet to get checked out because he wasn’t eating very much. The vet did a blood test and heart worm test. Said everything looked pretty good, just might have a little bacteria in the liver. Nothing big and a little antibiotic would clear it up.

    The vet gave Tony some fluids and then injected him with some antibiotics. She then told me the antibiotics would work for 14 days. I was like, “Really, 14 days?”. She said if he wasn’t eating normal in 3 days to let her know, but she would check him out again in 2 weeks.

    I felt relief because little Tony was going to be ok. We celebrated at home.

    The next morning I found little Tony at deaths door. He was paralyzed and crying out in pain. He was covered in his own body fluids. It was very sad. And within 12 hours of getting the Convenia antibiotic shot, Tony was dead.

    I’m normally very careful about researching the options before going forward, but this time I just trusted the expert. I wasn’t even told the name of the antibiotic or given any other options.

    I don’t know that Convenia killed Tony, but after reading these comments I would have likely tried a different course. Hope my story can help you ask better questions and make a better decision.

  64. Nancy Wahl says:

    It is unfortunate that most people repeat what they are told/read on social media without doing the research. Anectodotal tales of “my cat got Convenia and DIED” are so troublesome because lay people are making assumptions that are then perceived as fact. I’ve been a nurse with human patients for over 40 years, and I hear the same thing from humans – equivalent to “I broke my leg 1 hour after getting the drug, the drug caused me to lose my balance”…
    I’ve used Convenia in several of my own animals with zero problems, and I am a member of a 501(c)3 charity supplying 2 local spay/neuter clinics with Convenia for use with free roaming cats. It is literally a lifesaver for these cats, and we’ve seen not only the improvement of wounds, but URI and UTI as well. I would never suggest there would never be a problem – even a single aspirin can cause tremendous problems for a human, certainly a powerful antibiotic that is injected and lasts so long would be a risk. But spreading anecdotal incidents without anything to back up the suspicions is simply wrong.

    • Bobbie says:

      You are making some pretty big assumptions. My cat was healthy and had been recently checked before the shot of the Convenia that nearly killed him. Full bloodwork, urinalysis and fecal – all normal. He got a URI at the vet’s office so we went back in for Clavamox. Instead they gave Convenia and within 24 hours he was at death’s door! More bloodwork showed incredibly compromised ALT, ALP, Bilirubin – all of which were normal the previous week. Ultrasounds, more blood tests, needle aspiration of liver for biopsy…we checked everything with a team of round of the clock ER staff plus Internal Medicine docs. There was one explanation that everyone concurred on – an adverse reaction to Convenia. Maybe you’ve had good luck with the drug, maybe your charity is getting a grant or some other assistance from Zoetis so you want to give them good press. I got ZERO assistance from Zoetis or Pfizer and I did EVERYTHING that could possibly be done to determine what was wrong with my cat and to save him. I have the documentation and I will never stop warning people against Convenia because it is NOT worth the risk!

  65. Dr. Jon R Hays, MD says:

    I am an ER doctor, and have several pets – mostly cats, and I’ve also worked as a medical expert for several law firms. I write this for no gain, and have no interest in Convenia, or in either of the parent drug companies.

    Convenia is a neither an inherently good nor a bad drug, it’s just a drug. What needs to be considered about the drug is it’s spectrum of use. It should also be considered, in dealing with anecdotal cases, that a good deal of the animals receiving this medication were all ready either sick, very sick, or even septic. It is also clear that EVERY drug carries side effects and risks. If, for example, one were to read about specific case studies of Reye’s Syndrome, you would likely have NEVER given an aspirin to a child or anyone else, yet millions of doses of aspirin were given over the years without bad outcomes. Did a child who was given aspirin ever die after receiving it? Absolutely. Was it due to the aspirin? Likely not. Do we now use aspirin for routine fever control? No – we have a better drug, acetaminophen. Does it have any adverse effects? Yes – and it has likely killed 1000x more children than aspirin ever could have, due to accidental overdoses and hepatic toxicity.

    The key here is we have to realize when and where to use what medicine, and realize that there are risks with any medication. Older, proven antibiotics should be given when they can. There ARE indications for using Convenia, but it should be used with great care and consideration. An animal who has extreme difficulty taking medications or being handled, or a stray are good examples.

    I would probably not give Convenia to my older cats, who I know can take Amox or Amox/Sulbactam if really needed. I do have one cat however that only I can handle, and she is extremely hard to pill/dose. For her, Convenia was a God-send for a UTI.

    I do worry, however that the product can be over-used and misused – just as every other antibiotic almost certainly ever has. We ARE getting better, though, and we have learned some hard lessons about the overuse of antibiotics. This is why you see a professional, your Veterinarian, and you place your trust in them. You must remember though, that bad outcomes happen no matter the best of intentions.

    As for myself, I am thankful that we live in an age where we can sometimes save our loved ones – both the furry ones and those less so, with these medications. We must be judicious, however, in their use, and must remember that at some point, there is no effective treatment, and it wasn’t the fault of the last medication used that our loved one died.

    My heart goes out to any of you who have lost pets for any reason – they take a piece of you when they go, but in measure, they leave more than they take. I hope you all stay healthy!

    A doctor from Missouri

    • Bobbie says:

      My 8 year old cat was healthy and had been recently checked before the shot of the Convenia that nearly killed him. Full bloodwork, urinalysis and fecal – all normal. He got a URI at the vet’s office so we went back in for Clavamox. Instead they gave Convenia and within 24 hours he was at death’s door! More bloodwork showed incredibly compromised ALT, ALP, Bilirubin – all of which were normal the previous week. Ultrasounds, more blood tests, needle aspiration of liver for biopsy…we checked everything with a team of round of the clock ER staff plus Internal Medicine docs. There was one explanation that everyone concurred on – an adverse reaction to Convenia. Maybe you’ve had good luck with the drug, maybe your charity is getting a grant or some other assistance from Zoetis so you want to give them good press. I got ZERO assistance from Zoetis or Pfizer and I did EVERYTHING that could possibly be done to determine what was wrong with my cat and to save him. I have the documentation and I will never stop warning people against Convenia because it is NOT worth the risk! I hope that you will not give Convenia in your practice in the future.

    • RV says:

      Why was Convenia administered to my cat twice in a row and my cat still has a “UT INFECTION” as my vet puts? It turned out my cat only had Feline Idiopathic Cystitis. I paid $150 for a drug that isn’t so compatible to my cats condition. What’s odd is my Vet’s response when i told him everything i do(he asked some questions) and he said “donxt worry, you did everything right” and before I could ask him what usually causes a UT infection, he hurridly said he’ll get the injection ready & left the office only to be returned to a nurse that took my cat to the backrooms. The vet actually gave me a dumbfounded look by the 2nd UTI Test and tried to talk me into another antibiotic type. So I went to another clinic instead and researched on this myself and A UTI literally means urinary tract INFLAMMATION, not infection…there is no bacterial infection involved so I don’t get how some vets can still be that gullible to administer antibiotics anyway?. but if you want to check, always ask your vet on this make sure they tell you very detailed on the analysis, also ask your vets the name and manufacturer of the drugs before you say “ok” to it. Do research on these drugs first. My Vets commonly would never tell me the name of the drugs until I see it printed on the receipts. I had to tell the other clinic and they told me that he certainly has a FCI. What most cats have is a FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which are just crystals buildup in the urine and can cause irritation and pain, and eventually will get bigger and cause inflammation if left untreated. If your cat only has a FCI, you can give your cat plenty of fluids so he/she can pee the crystals out. I also recommend giving mostly wet canned food. This has worked for me a lot more than the Convenia shot. I support Convenia only when it is used for skin or REAL bacterial infections(as it is advertised) and according to the insert, it tells you exactly what bacteria it works with https://mega.nz/#!De4lGazK

    • RV says:

      My cat only had the runs and slightly less appetite, but still I feel there are better ways to deal with a vet so that this malpractice of over using/misusing isn’t so much. So it was my fault for not asking if there’s any other options available & the pros/cons, or asking the names of the drug so I can research the possible side effects.

  66. Fur Mom says:

    My 8 year old cat had a Convenia shot in September for an upper respiratory infection. She was healthy before this. Her appetite steadily decreased after getting this shot. I thought she was just being finicky. Seven weeks later, she was in acute kidney failure. She was hospitalized twice at her regular vet office and treated with IV fluids and antibiotics. They suspected either infection or lymphoma, but the lymphoma biopsy came back negative, and showed necrosis in her kidney cells. She has since been hospitalized at an emergency/ specialty clinic due to Anemia and respiratory distress. She received a blood transfusion at the specialty vet. When I first brought her home after the third hospital stay, I had to carry her to her litter box for several days. She was hardly able to walk. I am currently keeping her alive at home with syringe feedings, probiotics, vitamins, Chinese kidney herbs, and prayers! She has improved, but every day is a struggle for her. I am happy that she can now walk to her litter box and can jump up on the couch:) My girl almost died, and she will have chronic kidney failure for the rest of her life.

    I don’t know for sure that Convenia is to blame, but my suspicion is raised after reading so many stories about negative experiences with Convenia. I know for sure I will not allow my pets to have this shot ever again. I have also warned all of my friends.

  67. Bobbie says:

    Convenia is a terrible and dangerous drug that should NOT be on the market! I spent my entire 401K to save my cat after an adverse reaction to Convenia. He lived five more years with Chronic Pancreatitis (which he did not have before the Convenia attacked his liver) which cost even more money. My baby was worth it but I resent being forced to spend the money because of a bad drug made by a greedy company and administered by a greedy veterinarian! Do yourself a favor and always say no to Convenia!

  68. RV says:

    Why was Convenia administered to my cat twice in a row and my cat still has a “UT INFECTION” as my vet puts? It turned out my cat only had Feline Idiopathic Cystitis. I paid $150 for a drug that isn’t so compatible to my cats condition. What’s odd is my Vet’s response when i told him everything i do(he asked some questions) and he said “donxt worry, you did everything right” and before I could ask him what usually causes a UT infection, he hurridly said he’ll get the injection ready & left the office only to be returned to a nurse that took my cat to the backrooms. The vet actually gave me a dumbfounded look by the 2nd UTI Test and tried to talk me into another antibiotic type. So I went to another clinic instead and researched on this myself and A UTI literally means urinary tract INFLAMMATION, not infection…there is no bacterial infection involved so I don’t get how some vets can still be that gullible to administer antibiotics anyway?. but if you want to check, always ask your vet on this make sure they tell you very detailed on the analysis, also ask your vets the name and manufacturer of the drugs before you say “ok” to it. Do research on these drugs first. My Vets commonly would never tell me the name of the drugs until I see it printed on the receipts. I had to tell the other clinic and they told me that he certainly has a FCI. What most cats have is a FCI Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which are just crystals buildup in the urine and can cause irritation and pain, and eventually will get bigger and cause inflammation if left untreated. If your cat only has a FCI, you can give your cat plenty of fluids so he/she can pee the crystals out. I also recommend giving mostly wet canned food. This has worked for me a lot more than the Convenia shot. I support Convenia only when it is used for skin or REAL bacterial infections(as it is advertised) and according to the insert, it tells you exactly what bacteria it works with https://mega.nz/#!De4lGazK

  69. Silvi says:

    My cat was administered Convenia recently before her passing. Interesting, I found out about the side effects of the medication the day of, but after the injection. Something told me to just look up/research this poison and bam…I came across several sites reporting issues with the med. My turn to warn the public… This medication made my cat extremely lethargic, not wanting to eat for days-I had to force feed her, force food into her month w/ a syringe, her back limbs shaking. She experienced a syncope half a day after. She hid in the closet for days not wanting to eat. Horrible medication and experience for the animal and owner. I also want to say that this medication was administered to my cat for a UTI infection, but there was no infection. The UTI was caused my cancer, so the vet was not able to diagnose properly and treat the condition and I believe my cat’s passing was not coincidence and my pet did not pass too long after this Convenia shot, like I said about 30 days after. This site helped me immensely. The shot is really lethal as the animal’s health may not be at 100% and this medicine is too much, it goes into their blood right way and cannot undo it. Another toxic Big Pharma drug. Should be recalled. To all animal owners, use another safer antibiotic on your pet, believe me, you never want to experience a loss of your pet due to a medication. Even if your pet survives the hell, the side effects are real and no joke, my cat went thru severe side effects. If you used Convenia–please give your pet probiotic for the next several days. Again, there is no coincidence, Convenia is lethal, toxic and not a great medicine at all. It took about 5 days or so for my cat to gradually want food, but unfortunately, she succumbed and this medication helped her to succumb as it alters the pet chemistry. Thanks to all these wonderful people that reported problems, that my cat experienced as well and the owners sooner or later found out the sad truth.

  70. Z Zhang says:

    Well, doctor, I feel sorry for your arrogance and indifference to your patients. Please just cool down a moment from your extreme enthusiasm about this “miracle drug” to think it over, you may be able to realize that the very selling point of this drug: its slow turnover and long lasting effect, already tells you about its danger. Even the product description from the distributor themselves included multiple severe adverse effects reported by the foreign market experience. Even if these severe effects happens to only 1 in 1000 individuals, tell me, doctor, how are you going to be able to clear the drug from this unlucky patient in time to save its life? For you, that may be a rare and unfortunate incidence in your career. But for the pet owner, this will be a complete tragedy and unamendable loss. What’s worse, from the number of testimonies I read, the occurrence of adverse effects may be far greater than 1 in 1000. At the very least, if these adverse effects are already included in the product description, do you, as a DVM, not have the responsibility to inform your pet owners about the possibilities before administrating the drug? Why are you so proud of your irresponsible practices? How could you feel so righteous about casting these testimony aside without a second thought and labeling them “conspiracy”? What do us pet owner have to gain to taint the name of a drug? We just want our pets to be safe and treated with responsible attitude.

  71. Sandra says:

    My cat died 10 days after receiving a convenia shot.She stopped eating or drinking,lethargic, unable to walk.Several calls to the vet,who kept saying it is normal that she has no appetite and to force feed.I tried as much to force feed (food and water)but she took very little.My plea to the vet went unanswered.She was taken to another vet but it was too late…we lost her 2 days ago.This is one of the most heartbreaking experience.MY ADVICE TO PET PARENTS,DO NOT ALLOW VET TO ADMINISTER CONVENIA TO YOUR PET.

  72. Bob says:

    My cat Shadow just died April 18, 2021, I believe as a direct result of Convenia. She was brought to vet with slight limp. Vet said small scratch or wound on leg. She was given Convenia despite no sign of infection. Brought her home all seemed ok, little lethargic but eating and drinking. Didn’t notice anything really unusual until 9 days later. She was wandering aimlessly. Rushed to Vet Hospital. She was completely blind, blood pressure was 220 and kidney damage. This drug should not be on the market. It is overused out of pure greed for vets and Zoetis. It is a tragedy.

  73. Bill says:

    It’s not a conspiracy theory when you have 1000 cases staring you in the face.Seeing Zoetis’ paid shills with the little “DVM” after their name is disgusting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

—————————————————————

The Space Coast Pet Podcast

—————————————————————

Read Dr. Roger’s Latest Book!

The Man In The White Coat: A Veterinarian's Tail Of Love

—————————————————————

VISIT OUR PARTNERS