SHAWNEE, Kan., July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health is pleased to announce the launch of quellin™ (carprofen) soft chewable tablets to help alleviate the pain associated with canine osteoarthritis, one of the most common causes of chronic pain in dogs—affecting 20 percent of dogs older than one year of age.¹ quellin™, the first FDA-approved, meat flavored, soft chew osteoarthritis pain therapy for dogs, is designed to be easily accepted by dogs and provide pet owners with an easier method of administering the drug at home—most dogs readily take it right out of their hands, so there is no need for additional delivery aids, like pill pouches.

quellin™ is the first soft chewable formulation of carprofen, the leading veterinarian-prescribed, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for dogs.²  Formulated using patented soft chew technology from Bayer, the active ingredient is evenly distributed throughout each chew, which is given in half-tablet increments—and each chew is scored to aid in accurate dosing. These features, combined with a savory meat flavor, contain no animal proteins, and help deliver the dose prescribed for each patient without the need for additional delivery aids like pill pouches.

"Bayer's introduction of quellin™ provides veterinarians with a precise, savory and easy-to-use therapy that helps treat the pain and inflammation of canine osteoarthritis," said Cristiano von Simson, DVM, MBA, director, Veterinary Services, Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health. "Administering hard tablets can be difficult for some dog owners. This soft and tasty chew is easy to give and may encourage at-home compliance with prescribed dosing regimens."

quellin™ is available in 25 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg soft chew tablets veterinary prescription only. quellin™ may be administered as 2 mg/lb of body weight once daily or divided and administered as 1 mg/lb twice daily.

About quellin™
quellin™ is indicated for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the control of postoperative pain associated with soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries in dogs. For more information, visit quellin.com.

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CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. WARNINGS: Keep out of reach of children. Not for human use. Consult a physician in cases of accidental ingestion by humans. For use in dogs only. Do not use in cats. All dogs should undergo a thorough history and physical examination before initiation of NSAID therapy. Appropriate laboratory tests to establish hematological and serum biochemical baseline data prior to, and periodically during, administration of any NSAID should be considered.

About Bayer HealthCare
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 18.9 billion (2013), is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover, develop, manufacture and market products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 56,000 employees (Dec. 31, 2013) and is represented in more than 100 countries. More information at www.healthcare.bayer.com

Bayer (reg'd), the Bayer Cross (reg'd) and quellin™ are trademarks of Bayer.

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Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

¹ Budsberg SC, Caterson B, Marcellin-Little DJ, et al. (2005). Canine osteoarthritis: overview, therapies, and nutrition. Clinician's Brief. April(suppl):1-12.
² Data on file. Bayer HealthCare, Animal Health.

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SOURCE Bayer HealthCare