Convenia Injection side effects?

vikinggirl34

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I had my kitty to the vet 11 days ago for a ruptured anal gland and she was given a shot of antibitotics "Convenia Injection" that lasts 14 days.  I have noticed neurological twitching and her head actually shaking the one day.  Now today it seems like the right side of her face isn't working properly.  Seems like the muscles aren't working on the right side.   They don't seem totally paralyzed or anything but just weak, I would guess??  Anyone experience this from a side effect of meds or otherwise??
 

stephenq

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I had my kitty to the vet 11 days ago for a ruptured anal gland and she was given a shot of antibitotics "Convenia Injection" that lasts 14 days.  I have noticed neurological twitching and her head actually shaking the one day.  Now today it seems like the right side of her face isn't working properly.  Seems like the muscles aren't working on the right side.   They don't seem totally paralyzed or anything but just weak, I would guess??  Anyone experience this from a side effect of meds or otherwise??
Convenia is generally quite safe, but side effects rarely occur and their is no reversing drug for it.  I would contact your vet.
 

white shadow

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Convenia is generally quite safe, but side effects rarely occur...................
Many members here would disagree.

Here is one - lengthy - thread which receives frequent new reports of adverse reactions: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/244226/convenia-side-effects/90

Here is the US product insert: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/convenia/documents/convenia_pi.pdf

At the top of the centre colum there, you'll find this: (you probably need to use the magnifier at the top there - the " + " zoom function at the top of the black area/margin....I used 160%)
ADVERSE REACTIONS:

Cats

FOREIGN MARKET EXPERIENCE:

The following adverse events were reported voluntarily during post-approval use of the product in dogs and cats in foreign markets: death, tremors/

ataxia, seizures, anaphylaxis, acute pulmonary edema, facial edema, injection site reactions (alopecia, scabs, necrosis, and erythema), hemolytic anemia, salivation, pruritus, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and inappetance.

https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/convenia/documents/convenia_pi.pdf
Yes, report what you are seeing to the Vet right away......more importantly, keep an eagle eye on her and, if her overall condition worsens, (and if it were me) I'd be taking for emergency care without delay.

Many cats do OK with this drug......many, though, experience adverse reactions - to varying degrees.

I would also insist that my Vet report this to the FDA.

I hope she stabilizes.
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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The vet I used for my last cat, being a "Gold Member" of the AAFP, flatly refused to ever use this injection on any cat.

I echo others here who have encouraged you to contact your vet straightaway.

Sending good wishes to your kitty :vibes:
 
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vikinggirl34

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thanks for all the input.  I am keeping a very close eye on her.  I'm sick to my stomach about it.  The vet is currently closed but will call first thing in the morning.  I'm definitely going to ask about it being a side effect of the Convenia injection.  I was just thinking that any adverse side effects would have occurred within the first few days of injection.  She is also getting Neo Predef powder on her rear end "sore" - she does have an e-collar on and is not able to lick it but I wonder if the powder may be giving her a bad reaction also?
 
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solomonar

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Well. I do not confuse direct side effect with remote secondary effects of a particular med or food.

While direct side effect are impacts of the med following its (often to complex and not completely known) metabolism, remote indirect impact could be mediated by anything else than metabolism of the med itself, such as excessive licking or whatever. I agree there is (according to my humble and limited knowledge)  less info about remote secondary effects, but in following precaution, they shall be considered.

Whether assessing such secondary effects are a job of vet or cat behaviorist of even of the cat owner, I cant say.

My cat experienced modification in feeding habits after being treated by antibiotcs, which can be only hardly related to their metabolic impact.

====

Briefly, humans offer feed-back during treatment and can be instructed to follow a certain lifestyle pattern while being treated. For cats, we cant do so. So there is no consistent feed-back. If we add the well-known elusive nature of cats, we get an image that shall make us to carefully look at treatment protocols including such secondary effects. 

Also I would be very careful about "boxing effect" of the meds - namely giving one med to decrease the secondary impact (or side effect) of the previous one, which at tis turn causes new secondary effects and so on.

Primum non nocere. 
 
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vikinggirl34

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I called the vet this morning from work and left a message for one of the vet techs to get back to me being the veterinarian wasn't in.  I wanted an answer asap so I ended up calling the pharmaceutical company that makes Convenia to ask if it could be a side effect.  They took my info and made a case number.  She did mention about the neurological side effects such as ataxia - tremors.  So I'll take it that it  probably is a side effect.  I will keep a close eye that it isn't something else wrong.  My husband was off work today so he kept a close eye on her.  No changes.  When I got home I took the E-collar off being the wound has healed enough now.  She was very happy about that
She darted through the house.  She seems ok with the exception of the right side of her face.  She's eating, going to the litter box, grooming herself and was running like crazy for a while like I mentioned.  She's still loving as ever. 


I will continue to monitor her.  (As if I don't stare at her enough already
)  I've always been very attentive to my "children"....What better to look at than a cat??  Nothing I can think of
 
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Brian007

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I read numerous reports on the negative side effects of convenia when doing research for another thread just the other day.  I would not recommend its use.  Insist on another antibiotic next time.  Convenience does not necessarily mean superior.

And as @LTS3  states, it stays in the body for two months, although is only effective as an antibiotic for two weeks.  

Keep a close eye on her, do your own internet research, and ask advice from another vet, or even a email or phone a university vet hospital about her side-effects.

I wish her better   
 
 
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vikinggirl34

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Brian007 (guessing a James Bond fan - or maybe just coincidence
) - I agree that she's got some kind of palsy (Bell's would be the closest people equivalent) and I am hoping that it's just temporary.  I just looked at her and saw her right eye shut fully for the first time while she was sleeping....


I had to do some research....I love to investigate and this is what I'm finding is the main active ingredient in Convenia..... "Cefovecin"  <see link below>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cefovecin

Soooooo... which leads me to the my next point.... Cefovecin is a class of drug "Cephalosporin" which can be neurotoxic in people (or pets) that don't have the best kidney function.  Cat's kidney function can decline with age.  My cat is 11 1/2 going on 12....a senior from what we know....she may be older...we got her slightly "used" -- kidding....She was 8 years old or so when we adopted her from the shelter.

Cephalosporins are usually considered relatively safe antibiotics; however, serious neurological adverse effects can occur following administration.1-5 Manifestations of cephalosporin-induced neurotoxicity may include confusion, disorientation, twitching, somnolence, myoclonus, and seizures, particularly in patients with reduced renal function.6,7 Here we discuss the mechanism, risk factors, and management of cephalosporin-induced neurotoxicity.

excerpt taken from the following website:

http://www.patientcareonline.com/articles/cephalosporins-how-minimize-risk-neurotoxicity

Palsy would be a neurological side effect I imagine..anything that affects your central nervous system can cause a range of symptoms...I speak from personal experience being I have M.S.

I will keep updating on her condition for all those interested.
 
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cindycrna

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I like the IDEA of Covenia. In practice, I don't like it. While I have had cats have it and do just fine. Leonard, my FIP cat, got terrible itching from it and was crying and distressed at about 5 days out. It subsided but like someone said, it is in their system 2 months. I won't use it again.
 

solomonar

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To the time someone points me to a clinical study on cats (other than the itsy-bitsy statistical correlations), I would be very reluctant in using a new antibiotic for vet purposes.

Of course, when the cat faces life-threatening condition, anything goes to save the cat. This is the old (and 99% of the time neglected) question of risk management. 

We are obsessed by meds. Our modern society thinks "one pill - one disease cured". We want powerful pills to do the job. Although this may sound to general, it is also applied to Convenia as well. Think: is there any other simple way, is there any other softer med to the same? Do not think: because it is new, it is of course better. This is not logic.

When I visit my physician I always tell him: Could you please prescribe me one, maimum two medicins, the cheapest ones you can think? Can I do anything else in addition to the pills to cure myself?

One may call this "holistic medicine" if so whishes. In fact is nothing more than minimizing risks (again , not only side effects but overall remote impacts considered - impacts are not really described in the prospectus of the med).
 
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cindycrna

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I do think Covenia can be a God send with feral communities. Catch and release programs where you only have one chance to catch the kitty.
 
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furrypurry

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It hurt my heart to read about your cat having these issues.  We had Convenia once and will never again.  My Jaspurr was like a zombie for at least 10 days.  I cried my eyes out because I thought I had lost my cat forever.  I had never even heard of this med until afterward when he started acting strange and I began my internet search for answers.  I cannot tell you the relief I felt when he finally came around and started acting like himself again.  I hope your kitty is doing better.  I said a little prayer for you.
 

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My cat has in her record and placed on her cage when she had surgery- no convenia- she went into anaphalactic shock with it one time at the ER.
 
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