Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Sorry, that was just a typo and should read 1ml, not 10ml. Have corrected it.
FDA New Treatment for Osteoarthritis for Cats
- Thread starter tiffmaxee
- Start date
- Status
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
That's great news Eliz that she's improving and even jumping up onto your bed after only three weeks, fingers crossed she keeps improving as i'm sure she will.
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
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Dallas boy
Member Since 2021
I'm so happy I found this page! Dallas' vet recommended this for him, but warned me that it is a new drug so there are a lot of unknowns. I've been reading up on it, but couldn't find much on how it could affects a diabetic kitty with kidney disease. If this works on Dallas, I think it could really improve his quality of life. We have A LOT of stairs in the house, which he uses very slowly and won't play with his toys for more than a few seconds before laying back down or limping away. And thank you @Teetee (UK) for giving us monthly updates! I am looking forward to trying this on my boy.
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hi Tee, how kind of you to think of us.
No 'further' improvement so far that I can see. And I am wondering if the injection is lasting a full 4 weeks... But, it's still relatively early days, I guess...
Is Duke still doing well on it? I do hope that he is.
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
Hi Tee, how kind of you to think of us.
No 'further' improvement so far that I can see. And I am wondering if the injection is lasting a full 4 weeks... But, it's still relatively early days, I guess...
Is Duke still doing well on it? I do hope that he is.
Hi Eliz
I'm sure she will improve as time goes by, as you say it's still early days.
Perhaps you can't see any further improvement as yet but i'm sure she will be in less pain now.
We have also noticed that the injection doesn't quite last the full month because we can see him slightly struggling up the stairs towards the end but otherwise he's doing really well on it, thanks for asking.
He has his next injection on Friday.
Dallas boy
Member Since 2021
Dallas just had his first injection today. Fingers crossed it'll help him!
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
Good luck Dallas, i hope it works for you. Stairs, what stairs.Dallas just had his first injection today. Fingers crossed it'll help him!
Keep us updated on his progress Michelle as i'm sure that when it eventually arrives in the US there will be quite a few on here interested.
Dallas boy
Member Since 2021
I definitely will! He is close to remission and a kidney cat. He had bloodwork done yesterday and will get more in 6 months. I will share that as well in the lab section of my SS
Virginie & Chewie (GA)
Member Since 2022
Love reading these great experiences! My 4 kitties are 15-16 and 2 struggle with arthritis pain, the other 2 still okay so far. Adequan helps a bit but not as much as we had hoped, so I’m keeping a hopeful eye as well on Solensia. Thanks everyone for sharing how your kitties are doing on it <3
Dallas boy
Member Since 2021
It's only been a week since I've given Dallas his first injection and I already see a difference. He's jumping on the window ledge again, runs down the stairs without limping afterwards and will leap off the bed and couch. His front paw will still shake at times, but who know if that's even caused by arthritis.
Edit: I should add it isn't affecting his BG numbers. He is still on his way towards remission!
Edit: I should add it isn't affecting his BG numbers. He is still on his way towards remission!
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Yay! Great news that there is already some improvement!
Alicia2022
Member Since 2022
I was told today that our vet clinic (small, rural) is awaiting a visit from a pharm company representative regarding Solensia next week, which most likely means that the drug will be approved in the US in a month or so.
MaryB
Member Since 2022
that’s amazing news!!
I’m on the email list to be notified when it arrives to the US… I hope it’s soon. Keep us posted.
My Chloe is 14 and does well with weekly Adequen and acupuncture visits but would like to try this new treatment too
Alicia2022
Member Since 2022
So, I see that one forum kitty has received a Solensia injection last week! https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/finally-some-good-news.269064/#post-3004423
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
Yes. It’s finally available in the United States. What about Canada? @Wendy&Neko ?
No clue, don't currently have a cat with arthritis. Anyone who is interested should contact their vet.
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
I’m glad you don’t know then (meaning I am happy your cats don’t have arthritis.). I just thought you may have heard it through the grapevine or read something. Sorry.
Has anyone checked about side effects or deleterious effects from the data from overseas? Our tough old boy Lamborghini has been arthritic for a while; we've given him step stools and ramps and things around the house to help him get up and down to his favorite places, like the big windowsill and the sofa. But it's sad to see how slowly he sits and lays himself down, and how stiffly he walks. He's gone through bladder sludge issues, and hyperthyroid (treated and ended up hypothyroid), borderline diabetes, F.O.R.L. (he's now toothless except for one fang and three lower front teeth), maybe kidney issues developing, and we're not sure how much of his cognitive skills he still has. Although hubby and I have joked that making him able to jump on the kitchen counters again is NOT something we want to enable, it would be good to see him able to move comfortably again. But I wouldn't want to do it at the expense of some other part of his health, he's been through so much in his 15 years.
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
@Teetee (UK) your Duke is on Solensia, and you monitor his blood values pretty closely. Can you comment on the above question?
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Hi, my girl is diabetic and only has one functioning kidney, and that kidney has impaired function. She also has chronic pancreatitis and high BP.
My cat-only vet told me that Solensia has no effect on BG levels (I've seen no change), and doesn't affect kidneys. She did say that it can cause loose poops in some cats. But since my girl is prone to constipation that seems to have possibly been a benefit for us, as her poop is now about 'normal'...
...I've also read a few places online that Solensia 'may' help with other pain including pancreatitis pain. But I have found it hard to find definitive information about this in cats. ...But if that's the case that could be a great benefit for my girl...
Eliz
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
Hi @Gracie85, sorry for the late reply @Suzanne & Darcy@Teetee (UK) your Duke is on Solensia, and you monitor his blood values pretty closely. Can you comment on the above question?
I can only say what i have said on my previous posts on this thread that the Solensia has transformed Dukes life and it has had no side effects on him at all, unless you can call jumping up on the table a side effect.
He's been on the Solensia since February and his quarterly blood readings are just the same as they were before he started and it has had no effect on his BG's at all.
How's Bonbon doing @Elizabeth and Bertie, it's been 4 months now since she started her treatment.
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
Thanks, Tee. I knew you had a great report on Solensia to share. That’s why I tagged you.
Butters & Lyla
Member Since 2020
Hey Suzanne! I hope you're doing well. I'm in Canada and Frunevetmab / Solensia has been available here for several months although there wasn't a lot of supply in the beginning. That seems to have been resolved.
Butters has received four doses so far and will get her fifth in about two weeks. She was the first patient to be given it at the veterinary practice we go to
, but now they have many cats who are on it.I was going to do a thread about our experience with it but found this thread so I'll do it here for anyone who is interested.
TL;DR: It has been a game changer for her. The Queen went from a couch potato to running around and jumping and being extra demanding and is living her best life once again.
The long, detailed story:
Because Butters is a hot mess (she has....issues
), her vet said he wanted me to bring her in for a full exam before she got her first dose, review her chart and everything she is on to make sure we weren't going to miss anything. And he wanted to administer it himself the first time. We discussed how it was still a risk but she was at a point where she was barely moving, limping and I was carrying her up and down the stairs. Not a great QoL. I decided the potential benefit outweighed any risk for her.The vet gave her the first dose that day and then said absolutely I can give it to her at home going forward since it is just administered subcutaneously. The dose size is 1 mL (that's the dose for cats 7kg and under, I believe), which is a lot of fluid as someone else mentioned so prepare yourself for that especially if your cat is like Butters, i.e., not particularly cooperative about anything. I kept her busy with a giant plate covered in ground up kibble the she could lick up.
It took me a few seconds to get the full dose into her. You need to use a larger needle than you do for insulin. The clinic gives me 25g needles with the vial. It does not sting, though it is cold since it is stored in the fridge.
There was no change in Butters in the month after the first dose. Oh, except she did have a bit of GI upset for the first two days after receiving it
. That can happen. Other than that, I thought maaaaaybe I saw her walking a little bit better or maybe it was just my active imagination. If you look at the studies, it is not uncommon for it to take 56 days for it to really start to work. If you're going to try it, then stay the course if you don't see a magical change in the first month.About one week after her second dose, I started to notice a change. Nothing major, but she was definitely moving around and jumping a little bit more than she had been. Her baseline was that she would barely move around and only jump on and off the couch without issues, so I guess what I was seeing was a big deal for her. I did think that the medication waned toward the end of the month, though. She seemed to move slower again.
A week after her third dose is when I saw a huge change. One day she just started bounding around the house like a maniac, running up and down the stairs, jumping onto places she hadn't jumped onto in probably a year like the table and higher chairs. Zero hesitation when she jumps or moves. Grooming herself much more than she had been. She became a completely different cat and is clearly much more comfortable. I filmed her running up and down the stairs and sent it to her clinic. The vet told me his other arthritic feline patients are also experiencing very positive results.
We are two weeks out from dose five now and the med has kept her consistently moving and seemingly pain-free. She gets nothing for pain now. There was no further GI upset from the med, either. It has been amazing and I hope that more feline-specific drugs for other diseases will be developed given this one seems to be so successful.
From what her vet told me, it sounds like the exact number of days that Solensia lasts can vary a little from cat-to-cat. Some cats seem to get an extra week duration out of it, whereas others show signs of it waning earlier. I'm allowed to adjust her dosing frequency. So if she is still going strong and shows no signs of the effects waning on day 30, I can hold off on giving her the next month's dose until I see a sign that it may be waning, and then give it to her. However, I've chosen to stick to giving it to her on the same day every month. I'm just mentioning it for anyone who is interested, as a possible point of discussion with your vet.
Butters gives Solensia four paws up, 13/10, and highly recommends that owners of all the kitties out there suffering from osteoarthritis discuss Solensia with their vets
.
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
Lyla! I’m so happy to from you! I’ve missed you. I am really happy to read this report on Butters. I’ve thought about you many times, but I felt like you had your hands full with Butters and I didn’t want to bother you. Thanks for writing such a detailed description about your experience with Solensia. I think it will help a lot of others with their fur babies.Hey Suzanne! I hope you're doing well. I'm in Canada and Frunevetmab / Solensia has been available here for several months although there wasn't a lot of supply in the beginning. That seems to have been resolved.
Butters has received four doses so far and will get her fifth in about two weeks. She was the first patient to be given it at the veterinary practice we go to
I was going to do a thread about our experience with it but found this thread so I'll do it here for anyone who is interested.
TL;DR: It has been a game changer for her. The Queen went from a couch potato to running around and jumping and being extra demanding and is living her best life once again.
The long, detailed story:
Because Butters is a hot mess (she has....issues
The vet gave her the first dose that day and then said absolutely I can give it to her at home going forward since it is just administered subcutaneously. The dose size is 1 mL (that's the dose for cats 7kg and under, I believe), which is a lot of fluid as someone else mentioned so prepare yourself for that especially if your cat is like Butters, i.e., not particularly cooperative about anything. I kept her busy with a giant plate covered in ground up kibble the she could lick up.
It took me a few seconds to get the full dose into her. You need to use a larger needle than you do for insulin. The clinic gives me 25g needles with the vial. It does not sting, though it is cold since it is stored in the fridge.
There was no change in Butters in the month after the first dose. Oh, except she did have a bit of GI upset for the first two days after receiving it
About one week after her second dose, I started to notice a change. Nothing major, but she was definitely moving around and jumping a little bit more than she had been. Her baseline was that she would barely move around and only jump on and off the couch without issues, so I guess what I was seeing was a big deal for her. I did think that the medication waned toward the end of the month, though. She seemed to move slower again.
A week after her third dose is when I saw a huge change. One day she just started bounding around the house like a maniac, running up and down the stairs, jumping onto places she hadn't jumped onto in probably a year like the table and higher chairs. Zero hesitation when she jumps or moves. Grooming herself much more than she had been. She became a completely different cat and is clearly much more comfortable. I filmed her running up and down the stairs and sent it to her clinic. The vet told me his other arthritic feline patients are also experiencing very positive results.
We are two weeks out from dose five now and the med has kept her consistently moving and seemingly pain-free. She gets nothing for pain now. There was no further GI upset from the med, either. It has been amazing and I hope that more feline-specific drugs for other diseases will be developed given this one seems to be so successful.
From what her vet told me, it sounds like the exact number of days that Solensia lasts can vary a little from cat-to-cat. Some cats seem to get an extra week duration out of it, whereas others show signs of it waning earlier. I'm allowed to adjust her dosing frequency. So if she is still going strong and shows no signs of the effects waning on day 30, I can hold off on giving her the next month's dose until I see a sign that it may be waning, and then give it to her. However, I've chosen to stick to giving it to her on the same day every month. I'm just mentioning it for anyone who is interested, as a possible point of discussion with your vet.
Butters gives Solensia four paws up, 13/10, and highly recommends that owners of all the kitties out there suffering from osteoarthritis discuss Solensia with their vets
Howiesmom
Member Since 2020
Howie just got his 2nd shot of it last Friday. I believe I saw some positive change after his first dose (or maybe it’s just me!) but he seems perkier and less ornery. My vet said he has lots of arthritis in his hind quarters and he seems less irritable when petting him back there. I am not allowed to give it myself (jealous of Lyla!) but that doesn’t sound uncommon from others’ experience. Howie is the first patient for my vet to get Solensia (I think 2-3 more have in this past month) and they are anxious to hear how he does with this 2nd dose. Howie and I also give it 4 paws up!
Suzanne & Darcy
Member Since 2020
Hi Tracy! You too! I’m happy to hear from you and to hear about Howie’s improvement already. I hope you are well. How about updating on this thread after another shot or two - to et us know hw it is going?
Howiesmom
Member Since 2020
Today (5 days post 2nd shot) I saw him RUN out of his potty box! I wouldn’t call it Zoomies by any means but I haven’t seen him move faster than a slow trot for more than a year!Hi Tracy! You too! I’m happy to hear from you and to hear about Howie’s improvement already. I hope you are well. How about updating on this thread after another shot or two - to et us know hw it is going?
MaryB
Member Since 2022
That’s AWESOME!!!!
so happy to hear this and for your baby to have the zoomies! He must be feeling better!
I just spoke to my vet yesterday in South Florida who states she expecting her shipment anytime (says it’s just kinda like a lottery system as to who gets it) so praying it’s soon!
keep us posted on more progress!
SassyCat04
Member Since 2022
I've never heard of this one. I have a nearly 14 year old Tonkinese male and back in May we noticed he just was getting grumpy which is so not him. He's been on gabapentin for years for other reasons than pain management. His vet started him on Onsior 6mg for about 2 weeks (it's not a daily pill) as a trial and wow what a change! So now he's on that every 4th day. It's kinda pricy at $126 a box. It averages a bit over $4 a pill but it makes him feel so much better! So - if you've got a chronic pain kitty you may want to check out the Onsior. I did some looking and by far the cheapest place for me was Costco - it takes them about a week to get it in, but the vet's price was about $6 a pill so it's worth the wait.
tiffmaxee
Member Since 2013
I believe Onisor can be hard on the kidneys. This medication is very new with less side effects. It’s worth asking your vet. @SassyCat04
SassyCat04
Member Since 2022
Yes she did mention that. His kidneys are perfect. She said when we started this we would have to be willing to do his blood work every year which I have done their whole lives any way and at his age she might want to do it every 6 months which I have zero issue with.
MaryB
Member Since 2022
My Chloe is getting her FIRST solensia injection today. Her vet got her supply in and she will be the first one blessed to take the injection. I am so excited! I’ve been following the stories here for a while of good news with it. I’m looking forward to seeing her progress!!
I forgot to ask the vet… I’ll call back Monday… but am I still supposed to be doing Adequan weekly with that too?
I forgot to ask the vet… I’ll call back Monday… but am I still supposed to be doing Adequan weekly with that too?
Howiesmom
Member Since 2020
That is wonderful news! Welcome to “being the first club” at your vet clinic. Howie goes for his 3rd injection next week and I can really see a difference. I also can tell when it’s starting to wear off and it’s time for the next one as he’s a bit more squirmy. Keep us in tabs on here of how it goes!
MaryB
Member Since 2022
Hello, so far at week 2 honestly it seems like maybe there is some slight improvement… definitely not worse which had previously been happening. I’m hopeful still.
I do notice this last week several instances of diarrhea not sure if that’s related or not.
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
My (cat-only) vet told me that loose poop 'can' be a side effect of Solensia. ...My girl Bonbon has always been prone to constipation, and in her case a slight loosening of the poop has actually been an advantage...
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
How's she doing with the Solensia Eliz?
Kahluasmom
Member Since 2021
I have a question....my vet just got her first supply of Solensia. She's thinking that it might be good for my civvie, Mouse. Mouse has a terrible time with constipation. She suspects its arthritis that is causing it. Mouse is currently on Adequan and Gabapentin. Poor girl had yet another enema last Thursday and hasn't pooped since. Even with Miralax twice daily and fluids. Anyone have Solensia help with constipation?
Teetee (UK)
Member Since 2019
Hi Maria,
@Elizabeth and Bertie mentioned in a previous post that it does help her cat Bonbon with her constipation issues.
My cat Duke also suffers with constipation issues and the Solensia made no difference with him, so he's still on Miralax twice daily which thankfully keeps him regular.
I suppose it's each cat is different as to how they react to it.
As i have said in my previous posts Solensia has transformed Dukes life massively and even if it doesn't help Mouse with the constipation issues it's worth trying for the arthritis issues alone.
MaryB
Member Since 2022
hi,
My Chloe had some loose poops even diarrhea for a bit after her shot. I have also heard GI can be a side effect from others here but I’m not sure it is everyone though.
We finally were able to get our old Lamborghini in for his first shot of Solensia just before Christmas. Within a couple of days he was up and walking around more (mostly he just eats and sleeps). Even managed a fast-walk chase of one of the younger cats who had pissed him off! He still looks old and stiff, but his being up and walking around more must mean he's feeling somewhat better right away!
Hubby had been joking we needed to change his name from Lamborghini to Edsel, but if he's had this much improvement in less than 2 weeks, he may just get to keep his name.
Hubby had been joking we needed to change his name from Lamborghini to Edsel, but if he's had this much improvement in less than 2 weeks, he may just get to keep his name.
Larry and Kitties
Member Since 2009
Here is some info to help determine the cost:
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Cats should be dosed by weight range according to the Dosing Chart (Table 1) below. Cats are given the full content of 1 or 2 vials based on body weight to target a minimum dosage of 0.45 mg/lb. (1 mg/kg) body weight, administered subcutaneously once a month. Aseptically withdraw the total dose into a single syringe and administer immediately. The product does not contain a preservative. The full content of each vial is for single use only. Once punctured, contents of the vial should be used immediately and any remaining solution should be discarded. Table 1.
Dosing Chart
Weight of Cat (lb.) Weight of Cat (kg) Volume Number of Vials*
5.5-15.4 2.5-7 kg 1 mL 1
15.5-30.8 7.1-14 kg 2 mL 2
*1 mL frunevetmab injection per vial
https://www2.zoetisus.com/content/_assets/docs/solensia-pi.pdf
This place
https://discountpetmeds.com.au/solensia-7mg-vial-2s/
sells 2, 1ml vials for $90
If the vet administers the injection you have to add their cost and the weight of the cat also determines the cost.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Cats should be dosed by weight range according to the Dosing Chart (Table 1) below. Cats are given the full content of 1 or 2 vials based on body weight to target a minimum dosage of 0.45 mg/lb. (1 mg/kg) body weight, administered subcutaneously once a month. Aseptically withdraw the total dose into a single syringe and administer immediately. The product does not contain a preservative. The full content of each vial is for single use only. Once punctured, contents of the vial should be used immediately and any remaining solution should be discarded. Table 1.
Dosing Chart
Weight of Cat (lb.) Weight of Cat (kg) Volume Number of Vials*
5.5-15.4 2.5-7 kg 1 mL 1
15.5-30.8 7.1-14 kg 2 mL 2
*1 mL frunevetmab injection per vial
https://www2.zoetisus.com/content/_assets/docs/solensia-pi.pdf
This place
https://discountpetmeds.com.au/solensia-7mg-vial-2s/
sells 2, 1ml vials for $90
If the vet administers the injection you have to add their cost and the weight of the cat also determines the cost.
Our vet charged us $81 for the injection, total--medication and giving the injection. They have what they call "technician visits", so if your pet is current on exams and vaccinations and things, and it needs its yearly shots or a medication injection like this solensia, it's handled by a technician on a walk-in basis, and costs less than an appointment with the actual vet.
Larry and Kitties
Member Since 2009
How much doses your cat weigh (did it require 1 or 2 vials.) the number of vials required should effect the price.
One vial. He's about 14-1/2 pounds
Elizabeth and Bertie
Member Since 2010
Some vets will let you inject at home... Mine does. And I read somewhere in some info about Solensia (can't find it now) that this may be possible for clients who are already injecting diabetic cats, for example.
If you can inject at home you can save quite a bit....
Cost for me in the UK is £91 for two vials from Viovet (including postage). That's plus prescription cost from my vet of £14, and that allows me to buy 4 x 2 vials (8 months supply).
If you can inject at home you can save quite a bit....
Cost for me in the UK is £91 for two vials from Viovet (including postage). That's plus prescription cost from my vet of £14, and that allows me to buy 4 x 2 vials (8 months supply).
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Howiesmom
Member Since 2020
I pay $88/month for the Solensia and the injection charge from my vet.
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