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Trifexis and Convenia Mass Hysteria Is Losing Steam (Final Thoughts 2015 Continued)

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It seems that as this year has progressed, the smear campaigns of the heartworm and flea preventive, Trifexis, and long acting injectable antibiotic, Convenia, based on emotion, sensationalism, and not science; have died down.  Thankfully, with the exception of the minority of conspiracy devotees that will remain steadfastly unconvinced that veterinarians are complicit in a big cover-up of the mortal dangers of these medications to your pets in order to protect Big Pharma and our own profits; good sense and openness to real scientific evidence is winning the misinformation battle.

I find myself no longer having to waste precious lexam room time citing studies and my own in-hospital statistics to refute misinformation that pet owners have gotten online or through social media.  The truth is that veterinarians like Convenia simply because it ensures 100% compliance with treatment of infections, overcoming barriers to compliance, such as ability to medicate pets (cats and toy breed dogs can be especially difficult to orally medicate) or owners not completing an antibiotic course seeing an improvement and wanting to save the rest to avoid paying for a veterinary visit the next time an infection may arise.

With regard to Trifexis and other preventives like it, the margin on these medications in the age of an enormous online pet medication retailers that no small business can compete with, is very poor.  I could not care less if I sell a box of Trifexis or write a prescription for it.  The veterinary brick and mortar pharmacy is increasingly less profitable and is thus shrinking across the board in veterinary clinics and hospitals.   It make no sense for us to defend Trifexis over profit or protection of a veterinary pharmaceutical industry that tries to convince us to sell their products, then sell it at a huge bulk discounted rate to large retailers to whom we write a prescription for our clients to go buy it.

Next: The Veterinary Pharmacy Is Dying – So Veterinary Services Are Increasing (Final Thoughts 2015 Continued)

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3 thoughts on “Trifexis and Convenia Mass Hysteria Is Losing Steam (Final Thoughts 2015 Continued)

  1. Soledad says:

    My cat received a Convenia shot once last year for a bad tooth infection that required surgery while I was completely unaware of any controversy with this drug. The day after bringing her back home I read online about the dangers and freaked out. She did seem lethargic and developed a scab on the spot of the injection that lasted around 2 months, but otherwise, she was well and I don’t think she developed any real adverse reaction (she has never been much of an eater, so I don’t associate her anorexia with the drug, besides, she had 2 teeth removed). Now she has a skin infection and was prescribed Clavamox, which she unfailingly vomits, although I have tried giving it with food, on an empty stomach, ground up the tablet, mixed with water, just about anything I could think of. Since she is not holding her food down and has always been kind of a skinny cat, the vet suggested Convenia, but I am torn. I know it may be just massive scare-mongering and want her skin infection to clear, but am terrified of giving her Convenia as I know that if something happens to her, I’ll blame myself forever. However, I also know that she had it once and is still alive, so am really considering giving it to her. My vet runs a cat shelter and treats many feral cats and I trust her positive experience with the drug, but the online “testimonies” are just very hard to ignore.

  2. 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 called emotional, sensational, and not scientific.

  3. james davis says:

    I took my girl in for a dental. She had blood work days prior that came out perfect. She was incredibly healthy and had never had any other drug in her life. She was given Convenia and within 4 days, had to have an emergency feeding tube put in. Her new blood work showed just how damaging Convenia can be. It destroyed her liver, gall bladder and pancreas over the next month. Thousands of dollars and tens of emergency room visits, she died in my arms, the result of Convenia. I really don’t care how many vets swear that it’s safe, or marginalize me as a kook. It was literally the ONLY drug she ever had in 16 years of life and destroyed my daughter quickly and it’s unforgivable. The blood work doesn’t lie.

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