Nino L
My 3 year old Rottweiler Luka was put on this drug in February this year as recommended by the Vet. Not knowing side effects from the drug as there was no info inside or outside the packet supplied by the vet. We noticed he had bloody diarrhoea and then bloody nose , lethargic, vomiting., We booked to see vets
On the 17th of April the vets carried out a blood test. He was prescribed course of antibiotics. I went to collect his pills from the vets On the 18th and was called to her office I was informed that his platelets were Low which was a shock to me as Luka was so strong and vibrant, I was told that he needed to go to the hospital asap, where an appointment was made the following day. On the day of the 19th took Luka to the hospital and had a discussion with the consultant . My wife had told the consultant most of his history which was not much as he very rarely need to see the vets apart from his annual booster. My wife also stated that he was on apoquel because he was chewing his paw, we told the consultant all we now know was side affects of this drug and Looking at the notes from the vets and unknown to ourselves they called apoquel obviously concerned and unsure. Back to the hospital now it took 3 people to hold Luka as they took him away that’s how strong he was . He did not have a harmful bone in his body such a sweet boy within 3 days the hospital killed him.
The following day I googled aproquel and could not believe what I was reading. I made an appointment with the consultant at the hospital and gave her all the evidence I found from different sites including this one.
I look at the consultant in the eyes and told her between the vets and yourselves you killed my dog, her eyes was watery trying to say she done all she could. Trying to cure a problem that we now know was a side effect from this drug.
They put doses of steroid into him and god knows what else the gave him a chemo drug and a blood transfusion
We went to see Luka and he was in his kennel on the floor I knelt down to his face and called his name, he look at me and bearly lift his tail to wag it I kissed him All over and he was lying there panting exactly with no rhythmic pattern my wife and daughter also knelt down and kissed him all over he also had eye contact. My wife said he should be put to sleep but we did not get any professional advice from the consultant. They left him there for another 8-10 hrs where we had a phone call at 4.15 in the morning saying Luka had deteriorated they also knew that we lived more than 30 minutes away they said the time it would take to get down he would be gone. Got there at 4.50am obviously too late. We feel so much guilt it’s unbearable my wife gave him the pill and I drove him to his death totally distraught that we lost our sweet boy. We now have to get our cockapoo tested as she took the same drug.