I had two different cats of different ages given Baytril for different reasons. Both of them died 2 weeks after being given the drug. They took the pills for one week. I watched and kept taking them back to the vet. I complained that I knew it was Baytril and was brushed off. With both of their lives ending in a final seizure. Take this drug off the market. I see way to many complaints all over the internet.
I am sharing a recent experience we had with our puppy - by pasting a letter I sent to our vet practice. Thanks for sharing your stories. I am angry at myself for not researching this medication before giving it to our dog. The good news is that Sammy is improving every day and we have seen no further seizures.
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RE: Sammy R
August 2,2016
Dear Office Management,
I am writing in follow-up to express concern about the care of our dog, Sammy, in your urgent care clinic. As discussed, Sammy was seen by Dr. U. on 7/24/16 for diarrhea and Dr. Y. for seizure on 7/25/16.
I have the following concerns:
Sammy was given a medication, Metronidazole, for treatment of diarrhea. Dr. U. did not discuss treatment options nor shared information about potential side effects of this medication. Of most concern, is the fact that this medication is known to have neurotoxic side effects, even at low doses. No potential side effects of this medication were listed on the “Home Care Instructions” I received at discharge.
2) When your medical team is prescribing any therapy, risks and benefits should be explained thoroughly so that pet owner can make an informed decision. Dr. U's failure to do this is simply unacceptable and substandard care.
3) Metronidazole is not recommended for use in young puppies. Sammy is 7 ½ months old. Given his age, why was this medication used as a first line approach for treatment of Sammy's diarrhea? Why weren't other treatment options offered and discussed with me?
4) I informed Dr. U. that I had given Sammy Loperamide during the night and that his diarrhea seemed improved the next day. Ironically, Dr. U. “scolded” me for giving Loperamide without calling to discuss first. Loperamide has few known side effects for Golden Retrievers. In effect, it is a much safer option than an antibiotic with known neurotoxic risks. I have consistently read in the literature “antimicrobial therapy and routine use of antibiotics in cases of acute uncomplicated diarrhea is strongly discouraged.” Antibiotics are specifically indicated only in animals with: confirmed bacterial infection, predisposition for bacterial translocation, and increased risk for sepsis. It would seem that prescribing Metronidazole as a first line approach for Sammy's uncomplicated diarrhea was completely unnecessary.
5) When Sammy had a seizure within 24 hours of initiating this therapy, I again took him to your urgent care center. Dr. Y. agreed that the medication should be discontinued, but felt that the seizure was an unlikely to be a side effect. As such, she focused on investigating possible toxins and liver disease.
6) I now know that neurotoxicity and CNS symptoms (including seizure) are well-documented side effects of Metronidazole. Dr. Y's decision to disregard the seizure as a possible medication side effect (despite the recent initiation of the medication within the preceding 24 hours) also resulted in a missed opportunity for Valium treatment. The literature states that it can take up to 2 weeks for neurological side effects from Metronidazole to resolve. This time frame is significantly reduced through the use of Valium therapy. I feel certain that Dr. Y did not even consider Valium as a treatment option for possible neurotoxicity/neuro side effects. Instead, Sammy spent the next week with lethargy, pacing, panting, confusion, and had TWO more seizures within the next 24 hours.
This experience has been extremely stressful for Sammy and our family. I have learned to never unquestioningly follow the recommendation of a vet without first doing my own research. Although it remains to be seen if Sammy's seizures and behavior changes were indeed a side effect from this medication, he is improving daily. Whatever the outcome, it does not excuse Dr. U's obligation to discuss risks of a therapy he prescribed.
Please use our experience as an opportunity to make changes to your urgent care practice.
I encourage the vets in your practice to review literature on the use of this medication and it's risks. All vets should also be aware of the recommendation for treatment of neurotoxic side effects with Valium which has been shown to facilitate a quicker resolution of symptoms.
“Most canines who develop neurologic signs secondary to metronidazole administration have received weeks to months of therapy, but toxicity after short-term therapy at relatively low dosages (<60 mg/kg/day) has been reported.”
Diazepam as a Treatment for Metronidazole Toxicosis in Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 21 Cases Jason Evans, Donald Levesque, Kim Knowles, Randy Longshore, and Scott Plummer
J Vet Intern Med 2003;17:304–310
I would also encourage the urgent care vets to use a more conservative approach to treatment of uncomplicated diarrhea.
Most importantly, the vets in your practice should always discuss possible side effects and risks associated with a recommended therapy. The neurologic adverse effects of metronidazole are well documented in humans and companion animals. I can assure you if Dr. U. informed me that neurotoxicity and seizure were know (albeit rare) side effects, I would have opted for another treatment. I cannot overstate this point.
Investigate side effects before allowing your dog to have any drugs- We wonder why the vet doesn't provide a warning sheet.? Why doesn't the FDA require this with pet meds? Our loving 7 yr old welsh terrier- we believe had a toxic reaction to this drug- our vet had prescribed this- and gave her another dose of this as she was being released from an overnight stay-when we arrived home and placed her in the house- she immediately was having a bad reaction, going in circles under the table, along the wall-we picked her up-and held her she seemed to calm down, she then rested-So we thought she was o.k.- the next morning took her out to relieve herself-she acted like she was blind!!! . Now totally confused, wobbly, -took her for a 2nd opinion they confirmed that she was now blind- due to optic neuritis inflammation- and that we should see a specialist at the emergency clinic-Went to the ER clinic- they briefly looked at her-and the tech decided she wasn't serious enough-and that the earliest appt was the next day- by the time the specialists were able to see her-it was now 2 days later. This new clinic ran lots of blood work- for $1200.00- We found out she tested positive for Lymes Disease. As we began to investigate her conditions and symptoms on line- Under METRO we saw the warnings- which she had now developed-sudden blindness, Neurologic symptoms, head tilt, confusion. 1)Our first vet administered this on a empty stomach-suppose to be given with food- we now learned 2)Not to be given when Lymes disease is present-which we later found she had 3) she now also had new liver damage due to the steroids she was given too. We feel our dog was poisoned, and mis- diagnosed, in error. Looking back (too late)We wondered why she wasn't put on emergency iv's to flush this out of her system?
To make a long story short- we had to put our sweetheart to sleep.
After looking online-We also brought these printouts of warnings in to the emergency clinic-neuro Dr's attn-at our first appt- she dismissed all of our concerns- and said "Not Likely"
As a final note- We never had to take a pet for advanced care before-(and hope we never do again)-for we have lost faith in professional vet medicine. They instead insisted we restart this drug- and they wanted a liver biopsy, MRI and spinal tap-(that next night when our dog was crying out in pain (it was suggested she was actually not in pain??? perhaps instead- out of her mind- and not coherent?)We weren't going to allow her to be a lab rat-anymore- we knew we must take her back to our new local vet and put her down- For Ayre- No more sorrow no more pain- but we feel this was really botched up.
It would appear the 2 week regimen of metronidazole knocked out all the good bacteria in your dog's GI tract. If this were my dog I would do three things:
1 - keep up the daily oatmeal baths
2 - Alkalize the water first by offering 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 liter of water for 5-7 days [this is a crisis dose], and then after this time frame reduce to one half teaspoon per one liter of water as a maintenance dose.
3 - repopulate the good bacteria in the GI tract by offering probiotics. You can buy human brands of acidophilus such as DDS w/ FOS, or PB8 or Shiff's Digestive Advantage; you can also buy special doggy 'Forti Flora' - however I recommend getting 1 bottle/brand and then feeding it until gone and then switching to something completely different so many, many strains of bacteria are reintroduced to your pet's system.
Ketaconazole
Antibiotics
With the office visits costing so much with every trip ( $38.00 To $52.00 a visit) I could never save up enough money to pay for the treatments they kept needing. (Seniors have a hard time trying to just pay for their pets food. I do without many times so she can eat. ) and, I feel I have to keep trying to help her and not give up on her she is my Love, a Big part of my life. Now with over $7,800 in credit card bills and watching her die, I'm beyond depressed. I can't find the strength to put her to sleep. The Saddest part about it too, is, the disrespect I felt from the office staff because I would ask about the cost of each test and why it was needed, and sometimes the test were just crazy to do. And always, always in a rush to get you out, and won't talk to you. I have never felt so lost and low in being a human being as I did in my Vets office. They all acted so insensitive to the deep love I had for my cat and made me feel like I was cheap and just a crazy cat person and wanted service for nothing. I feel I will Never try to own another pet and Not because I don't think we need to help our animals , but, because I 'am going to Refuse to EVER support another Vet in my life time. I have Learned a thing or to about them through all of this. Most of them have a need to take a serious look at their morals, and learn Money isn't Everything, and realize humans have brought on this over population of animals and put their life in harms way and we owe it to them to help them. You would think a Vet would be a lot more caring, but, they are not, it's a very sad state for those of us that do care, but, have to suffer so much trying to help them. I have Lost a Big part of myself because of my resentment about This So Called Profession of doing it for the animals. A loving Pet owner deserves more respect because of their Love for their pets. So many pets are abused so very bad.
Metronidazole
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
Allergy Shots
I have been monitoring her intake as her stomach has been swollen since the shots. She has also had a very loose stool since the shot. I have given her 2 kinds of medicines for bacteria in the stomach since this happened.
I am really worried about her since I read the other readers comments about the side effects of allergy shots. I will NEVER take her to this vet again. I think they over dosed her. I am going to find another vet probably in another state as the vets here in Oklahoma seem to have no clue what they are doing. I had a 2 year old bull terrier die in November because he started having seziures. The vets here had no idea why...I just don't think these people are interested in anything but getting your money. No more allergy shots for my dog. I will find an alternative solution.
Ivermectin
The mixture was given to me from a kennel in Louisiana. BEWARE, Ivermectin is very strong in small doses and is very hard to give to a small dog, but at this time my dogs are doing well on it and it IS NOT recommended for COLLIE BREEDS.
FOR ANOTHER NOTE.... my full blooded Siberian Husky had a toxic reaction to it as well. She started walking like she was drunk and weak, had shallow breathing and at one point she quit breathing. I researched and found that this was a definite side effect from Ivermectin. I took her off it immediately and put her back on a monthly pill from the vet. The pill still has Ivermectin, it says so on the packet, but the dosage is so miniscule compared to my personal mixture. I do believe however in my personal opinion only, that her hyperactivity had some cause in her having a reaction. My other 10 dogs are doing well and haven't had any side effects and none have never tested positive for worms of any kind.
Ivermectin
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
Ivermectin
Cortisone
Cortisone
Steroids are often prescribed to suppress allergic reactions to things, the most common of which is a food allergy. Therefore it is infinitely better to try changing your pet's diet. There is a lot of information about this on the web...but many people believe that animals are not meant to eat grains, which is widely used in dog and cat foods. I now believe it is the source of many problems for cats in particular. It led my cat to getting IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) which led the vet to prescribing Presnisolone (steroid) which she has been on the last 2+ years. Steroids suppress the animal's natural immune system and my cat apparently got a kidney infection sometime and I think didn't have the ability to fight it...that's why I'm dealing with now. ugh. Poor thing...she is weak and now on steroids and antibiotics. (You have to wean them off steroids slowly...)
Prednidale
Cortisone
Fipronil
Antibiotics
WARNING!
Please note the following : The FDA have again updated the warnings on this class of so called ' antibiotic'. because of our advocacy, this time confirming that are indeed associated with disabling & potentially permanent side effects of the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves, & CNS all which can occur together in the same patient, I know so, I exist in this horrific world every day along with many others. The FQs should only ever be used as a last resort drug, when all other suitable antibiotic options have been tried & all have failed due to the serious risks they pose.
Again, & I cannot stress this strongly enough, Please, do NOT take this so called ' antibiotic' unless you will die without it. Please google fluoroquinolone toxicity / FQAD ( fluoroquinolone associated disability ) for more information on this worldwide atrocity. You can find stories of pets who have suffered injuries from these so called antibiotics here. Http://www.floxiepets.com Https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm500143.htm
Temaril P
The drug you are giving your dog contains prednilisone, a form of prednisone which is a steroid. The panting/feeling hot all the time leads to tanking up on water/excessive drinking. Some might consider it a normal side effect as it is very common. If your dog must be on steroids expect continued panting and perhaps offer a fan for her that she can use to cool off when she wants. One concern is to cut down on the dose too quickly; steroids doses should be gradually tapered down to avoid steroid withdrawal symptoms [weakness, joint pain, fatigue]. Due to excessive thirst you will need to make sure you factor in extra potty breaks to avoid accidents in the house. Keep in close contact with your vet if you remain concerned. Have you gotten to the bottom of why your girl is having allergic reactions?
Cortisone
Nexgard
Sorry you are going through this. I can only offer this; if it is an oral systemic, daily activated charcoal for the duration of the effectiveness of the medicine may help bind it out of the system; neutralize some of the toxic effects. I would also fill out an adverse event FDA medication form and file it. I do know that homeopathic Thuya 30c is given to help reverse adverse effects of vaccinations. A call to a naturpathic vet could also be good.
Nexgard
If this were my dog I would give activated charcoal - found in tablet form at the drugstore or health food store, with each meal and perhaps a couple of extra times a day in a treat. You might also consider a homeopathic remedy for poisoning - please google and read what may apply to your situation.
Flea Medication
Medrol
Changes in behavior is one side effect of the Medrol - you might tell your vet right away of the changes you are seeing in your dog. Possible remedies to counteract the steroid might be bentonite clay and activated charcoal - find it in the health food store and dose as for an adult human, and provide plenty of fresh water.
Antibiotics
I have experienced seasonal allergies in my dogs before along with dogs with food sensitivities. I had one who only had problems in the fall, like your dog, and I have had others who seemed to be sensitive to the mold in the lawn during the spring thaw, and others to the pollen from certain trees. I have gotten them through with prednisone, and antibiotics when they blew up and got infected - no fun! Prevention is almost as much work as effecting a cure when you have a sensitive dog. What helped my pack was:
1) top quality groceries and NO grains/corn in the diet, no diets with artificial anything/dyes/added colors, no doggy junk food
2) alkalizing the drinking water with baking soda on a rotating schedule
3) Ted's Borax protocol for dogs [borax in drinking water] on a rotating schedule
4) oral supplements to reduce inflation - turmerc, yucca and quercetin
5) boosting the immune system with colostrum from health food store
6) reducing allergens in the environment - neutral laundry soap and house hold cleaners
7) frequent bathing in Ted's Mange Remedy when dogs seemed 'itchy'
8) benadryl - if you know an episode is heading your way sometimes dosing ahead of time can avert an allergic reaction
9) prednasone/steroid shot - when I am out of ideas and my pet is suffering, I will use them.
The key is to keep looking for solutions until you find one that works. I would start with the diet and I would not hesitate to rotate protiens - so fish protien for one bag, next bag I buy is chicken diet, then the bag after that is beef diet, and so on. NO doggy junk food - which is pretty much any dog treat on the market. I use cubed swiss cheese for treats [yellow cheese is colored with annatto which some dogs are sensitive to]. I would also have an allergy dog on a limited vaccination schedule / no more vaccines.
Good luck and let us know what works for your pei!
Antibiotics
If anyone needs an antibiotic. You should use Colloidal silver. The best quality.
This can be given internally and sprayed on externally. I never use anything else for my 4 dogs and 3 cats. For any type of infection.
I would also, recommend using original, baby shampoo, to bathe in. Followed by, in the final rinse. half water/half white vinegar. And, leave it on to dry.
Feed only raw. Food causes a lot of allergies. And, skin issues. Etc.
