[Corky/Max]

Just got this in an email! Sounds good!?

Leaks No More HomeoPet (Pet Supplies - Pet Health - Health Care - Homeopathic)

[franticfitz]

I just lost my 3 year old Greyhound to Proin.

He was prescribed Proin because we had been having recurring problems with him urinating extremely slowly, and also constantly leaking. Other than these two issues, he was as healthy as could be. We had a couple urinary analysis done, one with a catheter and neither of them came back as having an issue. We also had x-rays done to see if there was any sort of blockage such as kidney stones, but nothing was found either. They gave us some anti-inflammatory drugs to try out, but these did not help. So, after a couple months of dealing with him leaking everywhere we asked if there was anything else that could help, so they gave us the Proin.

We came home after the vet visit and gave him 1 Proin and took him on a short walk. After that I fed him his dinner and watched tv with him on the couch. He got up it looked like he was having hiccups. I came over to him and he was a little bit cold. I then decided to take him to the vet we got our prescription from to have him checked out. They were closed by the time we got there. He seemed to be doing ok at that point, no more hiccups and he felt warmer too. So we took him home and declared he was under observation. I kept him on the couch with me and he was comfortable for about an hour. He repositioned a couple times, but nothing out of the ordinary. He then started to pant, but it was a very odd looking pant, a lot more exaggeration with his mouth, and at times it looked like he was trying to throw up but couldn't. We then decided he had to be taken to the vet again to be checked out. I grabbed the leash, but this time he didn't get up. I thought maybe he was tired and so I picked him up and tried setting him on his feet. Nothing but dead weight. I then carried him down to my car and sped him to the nearest emegency vet as it was now around 11:00pm. The closest one to us was 20 minutes away. We made it there and had him rushed into the emegency room. They had to place him on a ventilator because he was not able to push air with his diaphragm, he was strictly pushing air with his mouth. They took x-rays from 3 angles to see if there was any sort of blockage and there wasn't. We told them the only thing out of the ordinary was the Proin. They went through the side effects and called poison control and said they had never heard of a dog losing control of their respiratory system. The company who makes Proin actually picked up the bill for the call to poison control, is this normal or are they just trying to get on my good side? They kept him sedated and on a vent until early the next morning. They removed the tube after he woke up to see if he would start breathing on his own. He didn't, and he still didn't have any control of anything past his neck either. They attempted this one more time in the afternoon, but he still couldn't breath on his own. We had to have him put down to end his suffering.

They told us they could not tell what had caused such a rapid decline. They said it could have been caused by a tick, but they could not find any bites or ticks on him. They said it could have been from some kind of trauma to the neck. They defended Proin as much as they could though. They said by now the effects of Proin should be out of his system. The only thing that points to Proin are his increased blood pressure and heart rate. To me, it had to be Proin, we did nothing out of the ordinary besides giving him that one pill. I've lost my Mr. Mercury and I'll always miss him.

[cherylmartin]

Oh no! I am so extremely sorry for your loss. I truly am. You are not alone. It is such a tradgey that we continue to lose our babies to ProIn.When you are able, please join in the fight to have this vicious drug taken off the market. Reply here or contact me at my listed email. PLEASE. I can't do this alone.

Cheryl and her Angel Jasmine

[Twiggy]

Dear FranticFritz-

I just read your post about the death of your greyhound Mercury, to Proin. I was in your shoes just a week ago when our grey Twiggy died after having 2 doses of Proin. Please know that you truly are not alone.

I have found since Twiggy's death due to Proin that vets easily make excuses and generalizations when it comes to Proin--in fact the very vet who prescribed the drug to Twiggy called me the other day to tell me how sorry he was for our famiy's loss and that he doubted very much if Proin contributed to it! An example of this is right here in this thread - there is a post by a dr.dan1960, who I assume is a vet and refers in his post that the other posts in this thread are nothing more then anecdotal (not necessarily true because not backed by facts.) This arrogant attitude that they know better because they have not seen with their own eye's a dog dying from Proin is frustrating and inexcuseable.

I have relayed to my new vet who cared for Twiggy in the end what my old vet who prescribed the Proin said to me about doubting it had anything to do with her death and he told me he was not surprised at the vets attitude--he also told me that Proin did indeed kill Twiggy - he witnessed the inhumane death that she suffered--thankfully my new vet is willing to research Proin and what happened to Twiggy and try and get the word out to Veterinarians. I told him I don't think that many vets truly care that Proin has this adverse reaction in many dogs and he told me, "They better care, if they are treating dogs they better care about what they give them."

I realize that many vets use this drug and have never seen the adverse reactions that are happening, many of them give it to their own dogs and it works fine, but if vets truly were made aware of the horrific death that this drug can and does cause in many dogs then I would hope they would stop using it.

One would hope that vets are as ethical as any doctor in any profession and that they would, "FIRST DO NO HARM!"

Please go to the site that I paste below-it is a thread I posted in GreyTalk when Twiggy was in the throes of dying from Proin. The posts from other greyhound owners with similar stories is enlightening.

Help! Any Info On The Drug Proin Reaction Needed - Greytalk - Adopted Greyhound Forum. A discussion forum for greyhound dog owners.

[cherylmartin]

Yes, ProIn is a killer drug but you are not made aware of these facts until it happens to you.Yes, it helps 70% who take it, but the other 30% DIE from it, like Jasmine, Twiggy and Mr. Merc and others. Our vets should advise US of alll and any adverse reactions, our vets should be knowledgable enough to know NOT to give it if certain pre existing conditions are there-but some don't or even refuse to acknowledge the fact that adverse reactions exist or can occur. And that is wrong! Manufacters of this drug, Pegasus Laboratories, should be made aware of this and since they quoted to me, they are pet owners and would never injure or harm any animal, need to stop making this. If this drug, according to FDA, is not fit for human consumption (Dexatrim) for it caused stroked in humans, then it should it is not fit for our pets to consume and must be taken off the market.

Cheryl and Angel Jasmine

[Tessa]

My mini pin is 13 1/2 . She has been taking DES for many years now to treat her incontinence. It seemed to work quite well.

However in the past year she has been having major problems walking without falling.

I went to my vet but my old vet is no longer practicing (she is very ill) and I saw a new vet. She pretty much told me that DES was a really bad drug to keep my dog on and that there was another drug that she preferred, and felt it to be very safe without any problems. This drug is Proin(phenylpropanolamine).

I don't know if anyone her ever experienced this with their dog but the day after she started using the Proin she was vomiting and going diarrhea and the skin on her chest was bright red. I stopped the meds and put her on a bland diet, with the thinking that she had a virus.

It took he about 4 days to stop going diarrhea and I gave her the medicine again. Well the next day diarrhea again.

I called the vet they told me to stop the meds and I am now waiting for a call back.

Do you think this is a coincidence, or is it from the Proin? I am leaning to wards the latter.

I guess she was better off on the DES.

[cherylmartin]

IT IS THE PROIN!

I hope your baby will recover. Mine did not.

and I quote from FDA website: "If you do not file a complaint with the FDA...you're giving the manuracturer ammunition to use against you. They can claim there are so few cases of adverse reactions...nothing needs to be done. When you don't file, you stack the statistics in the manufactueres favor. Don't depend on your vet's office."

It only takes a few minutes to file

Tessa, please do this for your min pin and the other Angels at The Rainbow Bridge

Cheryl and Angel Jasmine

[Corky/Max]

If you read the other 95 posts in this thread--I would think you would have your answer!!! Not only would I stop the Proin FOREVER!! but I wouldn't go back to the other drug you mentioned either!! I know there is at least one site to click on in this thread (I posted one myself) that tells about natural SAFER methods! Even if these weren't suitable to you ----Do you want a 'live' dog that pees or one that is going to drop dead soon from poisonous meds?! As a last resort--Use diapers or train your dog to pee on newspapers or in a litter box if need be!! Take her out more--let her spend more time outside if possible. Better than not having her at all!
And it sounds like you have a 'bad' vet---How any vet can prescribe these killer drugs is beyond my comprehension. Uncaring, ignorant, or greedy--or all 3! Hope a new informed, caring generation of vets gets here soon before most of the dogs have been killed off!!!

[Mr. Vega]

This is most likely what the OP found on VIN. This is directly out of Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook - a book that every veterinarian owns (so you don't really have to accept a negligence claim from your vet in the event that something bad happens due to this drug). If you're unsure of some of the mechanisms or whatever in the description, just ask and I'll explain them.

Phenylpropanolamine HCl

Prescriber Highlights

Sympathomimetic used primarily for urethral sphincter hypotonus

Caution: glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders or hypertension

Adverse Effects: restlessness, irritability, hypertension, and anorexia

Drug Interactions

Chemistry

A sympathomimetic amine, phenylpropanolamine HCl occurs as a white, crystalline powder with a slightly aromatic odor, a melting range between 191°-194°C, and a pKa of 9.4. One gram is soluble in approximately 1.1 ml of water or 7 ml of alcohol.

Storage/Stability/Compatibility

Store phenylpropanolamine products at room temperature in light-resistant, tight containers.

Pharmacology

While the exact mechanisms of phenylpropanolamine's actions are undetermined, it is believed that it indirectly stimulates both alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors by causing the release of norepinephrine. Prolonged use or excessive dosing frequency can deplete norepinephrine from its storage sites, and tachyphylaxis (decreased response) may ensue. Tachyphylaxis has not been documented in dogs or cats, however, when used for urethral sphincter hypotonus.

Pharmacologic effects of phenylpropanolamine include increased vasoconstriction, heart rate, coronary blood flow, blood pressure, mild CNS stimulation, and decreased nasal congestion and appetite. Phenylpropanolamine can also increase urethral sphincter tone and produce closure of the bladder neck; its principle veterinary indications are because of these effects.

Uses/Indications

Phenylpropanolamine is used chiefly for the treatment of urethral sphincter hypotonus and resulting incontinence in dogs and cats. It has also been used in an attempt to treat nasal congestion in small animals.

Pharmacokinetics

No information was located on the pharmacokinetics of this agent in veterinary species. In humans, phenylpropanolamine is readily absorbed after oral administration and has an onset of action (nasal decongestion) of about 15-30 minutes and duration of effect of approximately 3 hours (regular capsules or tablets).

Phenylpropanolamine is reportedly distributed into various tissues and fluids, including the CNS. It is unknown if it crosses the placenta or enters milk. The drug is partially metabolized to an active metabolite, but 80-90% is excreted unchanged in the urine within 24 hours of dosing. The serum half-life is approximately 3-4 hours.

Contraindications/Precautions

Phenylpropanolamine should be used with caution in patients with glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders or hypertension.

Reproductive/Nursing Safety

Phenylpropanolamine may cause decreased ovum implantation; uncontrolled clinical experience, however, has not demonstrated any untoward effects during pregnancy.

Adverse Effects/Warnings

Most likely side effects include restlessness, irritability and hypertension. Anorexia may be a problem in some animals. Rare reports of "stroke" have occurred in dogs given therapeutic dosages of phenylpropanolamine.

Overdosage

Symptoms of overdosage may consist of an exacerbation of the adverse effects listed above or, if a very large over-dose, severe cardiovascular (hypertension to rebound hypotension, bradycardias to tachycardias, and cardiovascular collapse) or CNS effects (stimulation to coma) can be seen.

If the overdose was recent, empty the stomach using the usual precautions and administer charcoal and a cathartic. Treat symptoms supportively as they occur. Do not use propranolol to treat hypertension in bradycardic patients and do not use atropine to treat bradycardia. Hypertension may be managed with a phenothiazine (e.g. acepromazine--very low dose such as 0.02 mg/kg IV or IM). If phenothiazines do not normalize blood pressure, consider using a CRI of nitroprusside. Contact an animal poison center for further guidance.

Drug Interactions

Phenylpropanolamine should not be administered with other sympathomimetic agents (e.g., ephedrine) as increased toxicity may result.

Phenylpropanolamine should not be given within two weeks of a patient receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

An increased chance of hypertension developing can result if phenylpropanolamine is given concomitantly with indomethacin (or other NSAIDs, including aspirin), reserpine, tricyclic antidepressants, or ganglionic blocking agents.

An increased risk of arrhythmias developing can occur if phenylpropanolamine is administered to patients who have received cyclopropane or a halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetic agent. Propranolol may be administered should these occur.

Doses

Dogs

For urethral sphincter hypotonus:

1. 12.5-50 mg PO q8h (Labato 1988), (Polzin and Osborne 1985), (Bartges 2003a)

2. Using the time-release 75 mg capsules: Dogs weighing less than 40 lbs: 1/2 capsule PO daily. Dogs 40-100 lbs: 1 capsule PO daily. Dogs weighing >100 lbs: 1.5 capsules PO per day. (Label information; Cystolamine® --VPL)

Cats

For urethral sphincter hypotonus:

1. 12.5 mg PO q8h (Labato 1988), (Polzin and Osborne 1985)

2. 1.5 mg/kg PO q8h (Bartges 2003a)

3. 1.1-2.2 mg/kg PO bid-tid (Lane 2003)

Monitoring Parameters

1) Clinical effectiveness; 2) Adverse effects (see above); 3) Blood pressure, if possible

Client Information

In order for this drug to be effective, it must be administered as directed by the veterinarian; missed doses will negate its effect. It may take several days for the full benefit of the drug to take place. Contact veterinarian if the animal demonstrates ongoing changes in behavior (restlessness, irritability) or if incontinence persists or increases.

Dosage Forms/Approval Status/Withholding Times

Veterinary-Labeled Products:

Phenylpropanolamine Chewable Tablets: 25 mg, 50 mg Proin® 50 (PRN Pharmacal), Propalin®(Evsco); (Rx). For use in dogs.

Phenylpropanolamine Timed-Release Capsules: 75 mg Cystolamine®(VPL); (Rx). For use in dogs.

Phenylpropanolamine oral solution: 25 mg/ml in 60 ml bottles, Proin Drops® (PRN Pharmacal) (Rx); 50 mg/ml in 30 ml and 100 ml bottles, Propalin® Syrup (Evsco); (Rx). For use in dogs.

Human-Approved Products:

Note: Because of potential adverse effects in humans, phenylpropanolamine has been removed from the US market for human use.

Phenylpropanolamine may also be known by the following synonyms: (+/-)-norephedrine, dl-norephedrine or PPA.

[Rescue Momma]

Hello all,
I'm so very sorry to hear of the sad stories of those of you who have lost your beloved family members. My heart goes out to you.

I found this site because I went online to research Prion. Thank god I did!
Thank all of you for your input and advice.
After reading this forum I had to post here and tell you of my experience with Prion so far. It has not been as traumatic as some of you have had but enough to make me see there is something wrong with giving my babies Proin.
I have been giving my youngest female Lil Bit Prion on and off for almost 2 weeks. She is about about 4 years old and is a Besenji/Boxer mix.
I called my vet the other day because I have been having trouble getting her to take them.
And when I do get it down her she is acting very lathargic and not herself. She NEVER lays still and everything is an adventure to her. He said that usually in his experience the dog may tend to be more excitable than normal but not lethargic. I was supposed to give her 2 tablets of 25mg a day about 12 hours apart.
I did not give her any for a few days to see if there was a difference and there was. I have been giving her one tablet a day and it doesn't seem to be as bad.
My vet said he could do the hormone therapy and has had good luck with it. Well after reading this she won't be doing that either. I'm going to the store tonight and get some soy milk and see what happens. Her incontinence has not been terrible and we will find a way to work around it rather than take a chance with her health.
This has been a real eye opener for me and again my condolences to those of you who have had pets lost.
As some of you stated that all of the losses may not have been Proin related but I for one am not taking any chances. Especially after her acting so different when I give it to her.

Thank you all again and god bless