Comments on: Ketamine recalls: More brands, more recalls in the pipeline, more questions http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: joanna http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-498764 joanna Sat, 18 Dec 2010 04:48:22 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-498764 Hello. My Sammy was lightly sedated with ketamine for lab work 3 days ago and since yeterday he is all agitated and I'm worried. He is eating but I'm just not happy with his behaviour. Is ketamine dangerous also in small doses for lab work ??? joanna. Hello.
My Sammy was lightly sedated with ketamine for lab work 3 days ago and since yeterday he is all agitated and I’m worried. He is eating but I’m just not happy with his behaviour. Is ketamine dangerous also in small doses for lab work ???
joanna.

]]> By: stinkypup http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-483917 stinkypup Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:33:32 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-483917 Makes me wonder if my healthy sled dog who died while being treated for fight wounds died under anesthesia because of a recalled product. Stinky - in Fairbanks, Alaska Makes me wonder if my healthy sled dog who died while being treated for fight wounds died under anesthesia because of a recalled product.

Stinky - in Fairbanks, Alaska

]]> By: Sandi K http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-482293 Sandi K Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:16:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-482293 Oh my, Sharon, thank you for pursuing this and letting us know. I am so very sorry for your loss. I hope that you are able to find a way to get necropsies compared, like you wrote above. Its all so very sad and my heart goes out to you. Oh my, Sharon, thank you for pursuing this and letting us know. I am so very sorry for your loss. I hope that you are able to find a way to get necropsies compared, like you wrote above. Its all so very sad and my heart goes out to you.

]]> By: Sharon Hancock http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-482290 Sharon Hancock Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:14:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-482290 The necropsy on the rescued black cat came back. The probable cause of death was an idiosyncratic reaction to anesthetic. There is no way to tell if it was the ketamine or if he would have had a reaction to any anesthetic. Pfizer is getting a copy of the report. We'll see what happens next. The necropsy on the rescued black cat came back. The probable cause of death was an idiosyncratic reaction to anesthetic. There is no way to tell if it was the ketamine or if he would have had a reaction to any anesthetic. Pfizer is getting a copy of the report. We’ll see what happens next.

]]> By: Sharon Hancock http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-482206 Sharon Hancock Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:43:43 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-482206 Cathy, I'm glad your Zia had so much love even though it was just for a short time. It's so difficult lose an animal who has become part of the family, particularly one so young. Zia will be with you always and will be waiting to see you again when it's time. I know both of us were trying to do the responsible thing. And I take some consolation from knowing the dead kitty had someone who cared about him. I did call the FDA and am still playing phone tag with a lady there. I want to see if there is a way to compare the necropsies of some of the animals whose deaths are linked to Teva ketamine. If I can get the FDA to do the comparison and anyone wants to share their info with the gov't, please email me at savemercycats@gmail.com. There are a lot of "ifs" there, but I'd like to prevent any more losses if possible. I'm not sure what else I can do. Cathy, I’m glad your Zia had so much love even though it was just for a short time. It’s so difficult lose an animal who has become part of the family, particularly one so young. Zia will be with you always and will be waiting to see you again when it’s time. I know both of us were trying to do the responsible thing. And I take some consolation from knowing the dead kitty had someone who cared about him.

I did call the FDA and am still playing phone tag with a lady there. I want to see if there is a way to compare the necropsies of some of the animals whose deaths are linked to Teva ketamine. If I can get the FDA to do the comparison and anyone wants to share their info with the gov’t, please email me at savemercycats@gmail.com. There are a lot of “ifs” there, but I’d like to prevent any more losses if possible. I’m not sure what else I can do.

]]> By: Cathy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-482006 Cathy Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:30:51 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-482006 Sharon, your comment above: "I recued the cat who died last week. I can’t help but think that he would still be alive if I hadn’t. He was supposed to go to a barn home after a few days of recuperation." Certainly understand how you're feeling. I too am still haunted by "what if" scenarios. If I had taken Zia to a different vet on a different day, etc. Same vet cleaned our other kitty's teeth and extracted a tooth several months before with no problem. My dear husband has told me repeatedly "you did the best you could; you were trying to take care of him" helps some. We still miss terribly our little Zia, a black rescue kitty with the sunniest and funniest personality you can imagine. Sharon, your comment above: “I recued the cat who died last week. I can’t help but think that he would still be alive if I hadn’t. He was supposed to go to a barn home after a few days of recuperation.”

Certainly understand how you’re feeling. I too am still haunted by “what if” scenarios. If I had taken Zia to a different vet on a different day, etc. Same vet cleaned our other kitty’s teeth and extracted a tooth several months before with no problem. My dear husband has told me repeatedly “you did the best you could; you were trying to take care of him” helps some. We still miss terribly our little Zia, a black rescue kitty with the sunniest and funniest personality you can imagine.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-481959 Christie Keith Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:35:41 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-481959 Marlene, I don't know why, of all the products listed as having problems in the initial "observations" by the FDA reported <a HREF="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/ORA/ORAElectronicReadingRoom/UCM162070.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a>, the butorphanol and ketamine were named in the Sept. 4 "distributor level" recall. I do know that the veterinarian-level recall of Dec. 22 that was expanded on Dec. 29 was initiated, and this whole thing became public, because of reports of five cat deaths that may have been associated with the recalled ketamine. But at this time we don't know what happened to those cats, either. Marlene, I don’t know why, of all the products listed as having problems in the initial “observations” by the FDA reported here, the butorphanol and ketamine were named in the Sept. 4 “distributor level” recall.

I do know that the veterinarian-level recall of Dec. 22 that was expanded on Dec. 29 was initiated, and this whole thing became public, because of reports of five cat deaths that may have been associated with the recalled ketamine. But at this time we don’t know what happened to those cats, either.

]]> By: Sharon Hancock http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-481955 Sharon Hancock Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:53:50 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-481955 Cathy, I'm so sorry about your Zia. I know how difficult his loss must be, particularly when he was a healthy boy and it came so unexpectedly. As of now the necropsy on the young tomcat hasn't determined the cause of death. Tests are continuing. I'm not expecting a definitive answer, but it would be helpfull if we could compare the necropsies of all the cats thought to be affected. A common factor might be apparent. So far we have three male cats on this page who may have had an adverse reaction to the drug, but I don't see how gender could be a contributing factor. I'm grasping at straws like everyone else, looking for any links. I recued the cat who died last week. I can't help but think that he would still be alive if I hadn't. He was supposed to go to a barn home after a few days of recuperation. Cathy, I’m so sorry about your Zia. I know how difficult his loss must be, particularly when he was a healthy boy and it came so unexpectedly.

As of now the necropsy on the young tomcat hasn’t determined the cause of death. Tests are continuing. I’m not expecting a definitive answer, but it would be helpfull if we could compare the necropsies of all the cats thought to be affected. A common factor might be apparent. So far we have three male cats on this page who may have had an adverse reaction to the drug, but I don’t see how gender could be a contributing factor. I’m grasping at straws like everyone else, looking for any links. I recued the cat who died last week. I can’t help but think that he would still be alive if I hadn’t. He was supposed to go to a barn home after a few days of recuperation.

]]> By: Marlene http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-481880 Marlene Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:03:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-481880 Is there any information on why butorphanol is being recalled as well? I see it linked in the SFGate article but cannot find anything of it. Also, if Telazol is a combo of ketamine and another drug, should Telazol be considered as part of the recall as well? Is there any information on why butorphanol is being recalled as well? I see it linked in the SFGate article but cannot find anything of it.

Also, if Telazol is a combo of ketamine and another drug, should Telazol be considered as part of the recall as well?

]]> By: Cathy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/31/ketamine-recalls-more-brands-more-recalls-in-the-pipeline-more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-481712 Cathy Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:49:09 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=11301#comment-481712 I wrote on Jan 4 that our two year old male kitty Zia died during a routine dental procedure last July. He was given ketamine, diazepam, and atropine. We don't know if the lot# involved in the recall was given to him. Here is more info on what happened -- don't know if ketamine contributed to this or not. A necropsy was done. He died of pneumothorax, a collection of air in his chest cavity. His lungs collapsed. According to the vet, the procedure went fine with vitals normal. When he started coming out of the anesthesia, the vet tech noticed swelling under throat and felt subcutaneous emphysema. At that point ISO was off and he was on oxygen only. Vet's report outlines the steps they took but he went into cardiac arrest within moments. Necropsy did not find any lesions or tearing anywhere to explain why this air leakage occurred. Nor did he have any trauma or any symptoms that would have predicted this. Intubation was "non-traumatic." No organ damage was seen and he was "in good nutritional and good post-mortem condition." So, even after the necropsy, we still have questions on what happened to our sweet boy. I wrote on Jan 4 that our two year old male kitty Zia died during a routine dental procedure last July. He was given ketamine, diazepam, and atropine. We don’t know if the lot# involved in the recall was given to him. Here is more info on what happened — don’t know if ketamine contributed to this or not.

A necropsy was done. He died of pneumothorax, a collection of air in his chest cavity. His lungs collapsed. According to the vet, the procedure went fine with vitals normal. When he started coming out of the anesthesia, the vet tech noticed swelling under throat and felt subcutaneous emphysema. At that point ISO was off and he was on oxygen only. Vet’s report outlines the steps they took but he went into cardiac arrest within moments.

Necropsy did not find any lesions or tearing anywhere to explain why this air leakage occurred. Nor did he have any trauma or any symptoms that would have predicted this. Intubation was “non-traumatic.” No organ damage was seen and he was “in good nutritional and good post-mortem condition.”

So, even after the necropsy, we still have questions on what happened to our sweet boy.

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