Studies now show it may not be the miracle drug we are told it is.
New studies have been released recently with new information about the growing number of possible side effects of the drug Beransa (or Librela in the US and Europe).
It has been categorised as a pain medication to help reduce the pain in the joints of the body from arthritic pain and inflammation. It does this by blocking the nerves in the joints from creating what's called a nerve growth factor (NGF).
On the Drug Companies Website for Beransa and Librela (ZOETIS) it states that the side effects are “possible mild irritation at the injection site” and “Hyper-senstitivty reactions have been reported very rarely and symptomatic treatment should be administered accordingly”.
So seemingly mild and nothing to be concerned about right? Well not exactly….. Since the release of the medication in Europe (Feb, 2021), Australia (May 2022) and then the USA (May 2023) other significant side effects have been reported to the FDA.
The known side effects NOW currently listed on the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) website which were released in a letter to ALL registered veterinarians listing possible side effects as:
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incontinence,
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excessive urination,
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losing ability to urinate,
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ataxia (wobbliness),
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paralysis,
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seizures
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death (YES DEATH).
These are nerve related side effects because of the way Beransa works (it is a nerve growth blocker which stops the nerves from sending messages through to the body).
So definitely a cause and effect relationship of the medication there, and certainly enough side effects that should give us a reason to pause and reconsider using it for our furry loved ones. But, if this wasn’t concerning enough there are more recent developments.
What has been EXTRA concerning recently is the dramatic increase in the number of cases that have had bad reactions to the JOINTS in the body, where there is evidence suggesting that it is causing accelerated joint breakdown and destruction.
Where Beransa is being used for joint pain due to arthritis, in some cases it seems to be causing the rate of arthritis development to increase dramatically. Meaning IT IS CAUSING ARTHRITIS TO DEVELOP VERY FAST (known as Rapidly Progressing OsteoArthritis or RPOA). Not just quicker over a period of years, but incredibly fast over a period of months.
A journal article was released last week publishing an analysis that has been done by a panel of veterinary specialists. This report was to focus on 3 main things:
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The adverse side effects reported on Librela (Barensa in Australia) to the reporting bodies,
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How many cases were reported in comparison to other drugs,
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Determine if there are any links between the cases to suggest the medication is the cause and if it is a concern for other dogs that are on the medication already.
The results were NOT good…..
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4746 cases reported of musculoskeletal adverse effects (limp, joint swelling, joint destruction, bone fractures).
2. Number of cases reported are 9-times more frequent in Librela (Beransa) -treated dogs than the COMBINED total of dogs treated with the comparator medications. Thats a staggering amount of cases reporting side effects severe enough.
3) Conclusion of the review : “A review of 19 suspected musculoskeletal adverse events (MSAEs) by an 18-member expert panel unanimously concluded a strong suspicion of a causal association between bedinvetmab (Beransa) and accelerated joint destruction”.
Figure 1: Elbow Joint arthritic changes that occurred from 23 injections.
Figure 2: Note the bone changes where the arrows are located over the time. Also note the bone dissolving just above the metal plate. This occurred over approximately 6 months.
Why did they only review 19 cases out of 4746? Well a couple of reasons: 1) only a small number of cases took x-rays and MRI scans before the injections began, and not all of them were scanned afterwards.
Additionally, it seems the company that makes Beransa and Librela have been doing some sketchy stuff in the background.
When a veterinarian or Health practitioner files a case report of adverse side effects, oddly it does not go to the governing body of FDA or TGA, it goes to the Drug company that makes the medication.
Out of the 4746 cases sent to ZOETIS 80% of cases were excluded from the analysis as the labelling of the side effects by the company was confusing and inaccurate. For instance: if there was a case that was showing severe joint and bone breakdown, it may have been filed as “non-serious arthritis” with an outcome of recovered/resolving”. By doing this with the reports they were getting from veterinarians and Health Practitioners, it has been making it unclear and difficult to see correlations with the cases. I wonder why they might be doing that??
And it seems the company already knew that the use of these injections has been known to cause joint destruction BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED. This medication was initially trialled in humans back in 2015, but due to the concerning amount of cases where there was rapidly progressing osteoarthritis and joint destruction the release of the injection for humans was stopped as “further studies and investigations were necessary”.
It was shelved: no further trials, and no release of the medication for humans. But guess who it was trialled on next? You guessed it: dogs and cats. And this time apparently it was deemed safe for use and was approved for release.
And here we are today.
So a WARNING TO ALL YOU PET LOVERS OUT THERE: Be VERY careful and really take time to consider the risks involved if your dog or cat is on Beransa, Librela or Solencia (cat version). They may be getting a reduction in the pain they're experiencing from arthritic joints, but there could be a significant cost.
ALSO if your vet is suggesting the use of Beransa for a regular limp or even a spinal injury, IVDD, or for a younger dog I’d highly recommend NOT to use it.
Not only are the side effects concerning, the effect of blocking Nerve Growth Factor is not good when you are wanting their bodies to heal. They need the nerve growth factor to get better, and if the drug is blocking it, they won’t heal. Use other methods, other medications, or other natural joint and spinal supplements instead. There are other options that can be just as effective in relieving pain but without the risks and side effects. In my humble opinion the risk is too high.
Neil Barnsley | Animal Holistic Therapies
References:
Musculoskeletal adverse events in dogs receiving bedinvetmab (Librela).
Front. Vet. Sci., 09 May 2025
Sec. Anesthesiology and Animal Pain Management
Volume 12 - 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1581490
Serious joint-related adverse events in randomized controlled trials of anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies.
Hochberg, MC. Osteoarthr Cartil. (2015) 23:S18–21. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.10.005
_8.-beransa-pack-insert.pdf - Safety information of Beransa pack given to veterinarians.
