Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Librela™: What Recent Research Means for Your Dog

Librela™ (bedinvetmab) has quickly become a popular and promising treatment option for managing osteoarthritis (OA) pain in dogs. As a monthly injection targeting nerve growth factor (NGF), it offers an innovative way to relieve pain without daily medications. But as with any new therapy, real-world experience and data are essential for fully understanding both its benefits and potential risks.

Two recent publications in Frontiers in Veterinary Science shed important light on the safety of Librela—and what it means for veterinarians and pet owners.

Study Highlights: Adverse Event Patterns with Librela™

A research article by Farrell et al. analyzed post-marketing adverse event reports for bedinvetmab. The team used a method called disproportionality analysis to compare the rate of musculoskeletal adverse events in dogs treated with Librela against other osteoarthritis therapies.

The results showed a higher-than-expected rate of musculoskeletal issues in dogs on Librela, including:

• Rapidly progressive osteoarthritis
• Joint instability or collapse
• Muscle atrophy
• Lameness not responding to standard treatment

These signals align with prior alerts from the FDA and other regulatory bodies and highlight the need for greater awareness and monitoring when using this medication.

A Clinical Perspective: Commentary from Dr. Curtis Dewey and Me

In response to this important study, Dr. Curtis Dewey and I co-authored a letter to the editor offering a clinical viewpoint on these findings.

While we recognize that Librela has been helpful for many dogs with OA, we emphasized that clinicians must stay vigilant and consider the full context when recommending this treatment. In our commentary, we highlighted several key takeaways:

• Patient selection matters: Not all OA cases are the same. Dogs with pre-existing neuromuscular conditions or advanced instability may be at higher risk.
• Owner education is critical: Pet parents should know what to watch for—sudden worsening lameness, reluctance to move, or neurologic signs should prompt immediate re-evaluation.
• Monitoring protocols should be in place: Structured follow-up after injection helps detect early warning signs and allows for timely intervention.

What This Means for You and Your Pet

As a sports medicine and rehabilitation veterinarian, I understand the need for both pain relief and joint preservation. Librela remains an option in my toolkit, but it must be used thoughtfully, with full transparency about potential outcomes.

These recent publications don’t suggest that Librela should never be used—but they do reinforce the need for:

• Informed, shared decision-making
• Thoughtful patient selection
• Vigilant follow-up care

Veterinary medicine is always evolving, and part of our responsibility is adapting to new information to protect the pets we care for.

If you have questions about Librela or if you’ve noticed changes in your pet after treatment, I encourage you to reach out. Whether it’s discussing alternative therapies, assessing new symptoms, or simply reviewing your options, we’re here to help.

To schedule a consultation, call 301-926-3300 or email SportsMed@VRAVet.com.

You can also view the original research here and our editorial response here.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1581490/full

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1628681/abstract