A recent update from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) warns of illnesses and deaths in pets exposed to topical pain medication containing Flurbiprofen. Flurbiprofen is a Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can cause serious illness or death in exposed dogs or cats. Pet owners are advised to make sure their pets cannot gain exposure to these topical pain meds.
Symptoms of NSAID poisoning vary according to species, dose and speed of metabolism, but all dogs and cats are susceptible. Dogs and cats with underlying kidney disease or a history of gastrointenstinal bleeding are at a greater susceptibility. Symptoms can include: fever, sluggish behavior, loss of appetitie, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, loss of bladder control, abnormal heart rhythms and in more serious cases, coma or death. If you suspect your pet could have been exposed to a topical pain medication containing Flurbiprofen, or other NSAIDS, see a veterinarian immediately.