Why is my dog lethargic and weak after Convenia for tooth infection?

Hello there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. Convenia (Cefovecin) is a very safe antibiotic to use. I have only ever seen an adverse reaction in one patient of mine out of hundreds I have administered this drug to. The antibiotic may have made him nauseous at first and he may be completely fine now, which is likely what happened. A reaction can be delayed (known as a type 4 hypersensitivity) and this can take several days before you notice any symptoms of a reaction. I would just monitor for now and if in the next few days you notice he is not himself, I would have the veterinarian recheck him to ensure he is ok. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help further!

There are many possible causes of lameness and an injectable antibiotic given under the skin would be very unlikely to cause it. Injuries, joint pain from fever, spinal/nerve pain and foreign bodies such as splinters would be more common. A full physical exam and xrays would be recommended and may also determine the cause of the poor appetite and vomiting

Convenia is extremely safe. I have been using it for MANY years with not one side effect. Of course side effects are possible with any medication and there is no way to know which animal may or may not react to a certain product. The chance of your dog having a severe reaction is extremely slim. Please be careful reading people's biased information on the internet. Their pet may have had underlying kidney or liver issues prior to the Convenia administration. Their pet may have had a severe underlying condition that caused the death and it had nothing to do with the Convenia. When something goes wrong people always look for something to blame even if there is no direct causation. Please discuss this more with your vet. If you do not trust your vet's recommendation maybe you should see a second opinion from another vet that has all your dog's medical history. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

While it is true that Convenia is labeled for the use of skin infections, it is also used off label for other diseases in pets, such as upper respiratory infections, UTIs, or bacterial infections. I would caution about what you read online about it, as many of things you read may be sensationalized, exaggerated, or simply untrue. Drug use in animals is closely regulated, and if there was a concern with a particular drug killing animals, then it would not be used. Any drug has it's side effect, and any drug can cause an allergic reaction in an animal potentially leading to death, but it's a good drug to use when you want an animal to have antibiotics in their system for up to 14 days without having to worry about getting an animal to ingest pills. If you do have concerns as to why your vet chose to use this drug on Frida Katio, I suggest you speak to them, and they can explain why they made this choice. Unfortunately, without seeing her in person, I can't say if this was a good choice or not, so speaking with your vet is the best option for you.

Most antibiotics can potentially cause diarrhea but if Misty had a skin infection she needed antibiotics to improve. Ask your vet if a probiotic could help. Convenia and antibiotics in the same class have been reported to cause immune system diseases, but there is no specific life threatening complication of Convenia that I am aware of. If the articles you read did not cite specific research I would not be too concerned - people often blame medications for problems that are actually unrelated, and anyone can publish an article online hat makes claims that are not backed by research.

Yes, lethargy can be a side effect of Clavamox, and it could also be a side effect of Higdon from feeling so ill from bronchitis. He should start feeling better in a couple of days from the antibiotic, so if he is still lethargic in another 72 hours, I would take him back into the vet for an exam.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the picture you provided, it appears as though his right side of his face is swollen. I am assuming he has a tooth root abscess. The antibiotics help but do not fix the problem. The infected tooth likely needs to be extracted. The tramadol can cause sedation and to be honest, I feel that tramadol does not provide adequate pain relief. I typically use a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug such as carprofen or meloxicam. Additio al to that I will use Methadone at a low dose as well. If he is sedated and quiet, I would recommend asking for an anti inflammatory drug rather than tramadol. You also have to realize that tramadol does not reduce inflammation so any swelling associated with inflammation will not resolve with tramadol. I would get him scheduled for a dental cleaning to have this properly treated and consider switching medications for better pain relief. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.