Solensia! - new arthritis injection

[jstie]

Our Eponine has had arthritis in her lower spine and shoulders. We started giving her a Dasuquin chew once a day about a year ago, which helped. Then she got stiffer and more painful, so she got one twice a day for a few months, and it helped. But then she didn't like them any more and wouldn't take them, even picking the pieces (cut up VERY small!) out of her food or not finishing her food. So a month ago, we started her on Adequan injections (I give them myself at home). When we talked with the vet then, she mentioned this new drug that was supposed to be a gamechanger, but not available in the US yet. Two weeks later, someone mentioned on a cat Facebook page I follow that it had JUST been released in the US. I happened to need to go in to the vet with my dog (broken dewclaw... :-( ), and my vet said, "I have something for you!!" And she handed me a vial of Solensia - she ordered it for us the instant she knew it had been released. (Do I have a fabulous vet or what?!) We gave 'Ponine her first dose on October 6. With the Adequan, she was noticeably improved - no more limping, eating well, just brighter and moving more easily. But within 48 hours of the Solensia injection, she was like a different cat! Out and about in the house, grooming herself (she had looked awful, but complained when I brushed her), and yesterday she actually RAN across the yard and BOUNDED up the steps! (Yes, we take her out for a supervised "constitutional" stroll once or twice a day in our fenced yard, for fresh air, stimulation, and to encourage her to keep moving a bit.) She has had absolutely NO side effects. We are SO pleased, and clearly, she is too. Vet told me we can continue the Adequan, as it works in a different way, but only need to do it twice a month. So... just wanted to share what appears to be a very happy success story. The Solensia ran $70 for a single dose, once a month, injected under the skin. For everyone with creaky, painful kitties, this might be an option to ask your vet about!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Good news for you! I am sure Solensia will be like all other treatments - work well on some cats and not as well on others.

Feeby (18+yo) has had arthritis for a number of years and did very well with Glyco Flex Plus chews for 3 years before she decided she no longer liked how they tasted. She refused Cosequin, Dasuquin, and Noden's. We tried gabapentin for pain, but that became a horror story to get her to ingest it. Despite the 'newness' of Solensia, and no studies on its impact on CKD cats, the vet suggested we go ahead and try it given Feeby's age. She had her first injection on 10/03.

While she is a bit more mobile than before, I had hoped for more - maybe wrongly since she is as old as she is. I was also wondering if it might just take longer for it to fully 'kick in'.

Do you think it is possible that Eponine is having such a positive reaction due to the combination of Adequan and Solensia? Whatever the reason, it is good to hear it is working for her!!!!

 

[jstie]

Hi. Good news for you! I am sure Solensia will be like all other treatments - work well on some cats and not as well on others.

Feeby (18+yo) has had arthritis for a number of years and did very well with Glyco Flex Plus chews for 3 years before she decided she no longer liked how they tasted. She refused Cosequin, Dasuquin, and Noden's. We tried gabapentin for pain, but that became a horror story to get her to ingest it. Despite the 'newness' of Solensia, and no studies on its impact on CKD cats, the vet suggested we go ahead and try it given Feeby's age. She had her first injection on 10/03.

While she is a bit more mobile than before, I had hoped for more - maybe wrongly since she is as old as she is. I was also wondering if it might just take longer for it to fully 'kick in'.

Do you think it is possible that Eponine is having such a positive reaction due to the combination of Adequan and Solensia? Whatever the reason, it is good to hear it is working for her!!!!

I suspect it may be the combination. When we gave her the Solensia shot, I asked if we should reduce / change / continue / stop the Adequan. Vet said the two drugs work to relieve pain from arthritis through different pathways, so it may be extra benefit to use both. But we're halving the Adequan for a couple of weeks and see if her status changes in any way, and then tweak accordingly. We just noted a rather dramatic improvement within a day or two after the Solensia with no other side effects, so wanted to share some early first-hand experience with it for others with arthritic kitties! Hope Feeby gets some benefit too. Good luck.

 

[nanniecat]

Our Eponine has had arthritis in her lower spine and shoulders. We started giving her a Dasuquin chew once a day about a year ago, which helped. Then she got stiffer and more painful, so she got one twice a day for a few months, and it helped. But then she didn't like them any more and wouldn't take them, even picking the pieces (cut up VERY small!) out of her food or not finishing her food. So a month ago, we started her on Adequan injections (I give them myself at home). When we talked with the vet then, she mentioned this new drug that was supposed to be a gamechanger, but not available in the US yet. Two weeks later, someone mentioned on a cat Facebook page I follow that it had JUST been released in the US. I happened to need to go in to the vet with my dog (broken dewclaw... :-( ), and my vet said, "I have something for you!!" And she handed me a vial of Solensia - she ordered it for us the instant she knew it had been released. (Do I have a fabulous vet or what?!) We gave 'Ponine her first dose on October 6. With the Adequan, she was noticeably improved - no more limping, eating well, just brighter and moving more easily. But within 48 hours of the Solensia injection, she was like a different cat! Out and about in the house, grooming herself (she had looked awful, but complained when I brushed her), and yesterday she actually RAN across the yard and BOUNDED up the steps! (Yes, we take her out for a supervised "constitutional" stroll once or twice a day in our fenced yard, for fresh air, stimulation, and to encourage her to keep moving a bit.) She has had absolutely NO side effects. We are SO pleased, and clearly, she is too. Vet told me we can continue the Adequan, as it works in a different way, but only need to do it twice a month. So... just wanted to share what appears to be a very happy success story. The Solensia ran $70 for a single dose, once a month, injected under the skin. For everyone with creaky, painful kitties, this might be an option to ask your vet about!

my old Placide just had her 3rd injection and the improvment is remarkable! tonite she is chasing me from room to room. what a DELIGHT! she, also, has had no side effects. it is a win win! for me it was the morning i woke up and she was asleep on the foot of my bed. #tearsofjoy

 

[jstie]

my old Placide just had her 3rd injection and the improvment is remarkable! tonite she is chasing me from room to room. what a DELIGHT! she, also, has had no side effects. it is a win win! for me it was the morning i woke up and she was asleep on the foot of my bed. #tearsofjoy

This is wonderful to hear! My vet said this drug could be a life-changer for many cats, and it's great to hear that it truly is helping some! Eponine sends her best regards and a high-five. Happy tears, indeed.

 

[alana0011]

I am anxious to try this for my two cats with arthritis. They get Adequan shots once a month, but the vet said they could also get Solensia, probably spaced about two weeks apart.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Feeby just got her second shot, and it does seem to have helped with her mobility. Nothing earth shattering, but an improvement.

 

[nanniecat]

Feeby just got her second shot, and it does seem to have helped with her mobility. Nothing earth shattering, but an improvement.

so happy for Feeby! placide showed the most significant progress after the 3rd shot. not jumping high but enuf to make her happy. i called Zoetis this morning abt the vocalization but they dont think it is caused by the med. 2 vets told me they think she "feels better" . i am thinking of skipping a dose to c if it stops? but to c her moving and walking so well gives me pause. so do u think it is worth it???????????

 

[nanniecat]

I am anxious to try this for my two cats with arthritis. They get Adequan shots once a month, but the vet said they could also get Solensia, probably spaced about two weeks apart.

i also do adequan but nobody said to time it out. thnx for that. i will talk to her vet. i dont really want to keep bringing her to a vets offc for all these monthly shots. it is stressful on her

 

[jstie]

i also do adequan but nobody said to time it out. thnx for that. i will talk to her vet. i dont really want to keep bringing her to a vets offc for all these monthly shots. it is stressful on her

Ponine just had her second Solensia injection on the 6th. We're doing one Solensia and one Adequan injection each month, spaced two weeks apart. She is much improved. My vet is letting me do the injections myself at home. I've nursed several cats through kidney disease, with regular administration of subcutaneous fluids. Many vets will teach you how to do fluids or how to give insulin shots for diabetes. So if your kitty handles this regimen okay - tolerating the meds and letting you torture her - maybe you could ask your vet if you could do that? Would save everyone a lot of stress and a few bucks! My vet had me sign a disclaimer that I understood that the medications would normally be administered by a veterinary professional, but that I understood and accepted the risks of doing it myself. Good luck - hope she continues to do well!

 

[FeebysOwner]

so happy for Feeby! placide showed the most significant progress after the 3rd shot. not jumping high but enuf to make her happy. i called Zoetis this morning abt the vocalization but they dont think it is caused by the med. 2 vets told me they think she "feels better" . i am thinking of skipping a dose to c if it stops? but to c her moving and walking so well gives me pause. so do u think it is worth it???????????

I haven't seen any increase in vocalization from Feeby since starting these shots, so not sure if that could be a side effect of Solensia or not - I didn't read anything about it that I can recall. I am not sure what I am going to do after 3 shots as this drug is so new, they really don't have much in the way of studies that go past 6 months, and most are based on 3 months' use.

My vet suggested them because of Feeby's lack of mobility, her refusal to take most joint supplements, and her total rejection of gabapentin for any kind of pain she might be having. At the ripe old age of 18+ yo, I think the vet thought her quality of life - if improved by Solensia - was more important than worrying about any possible negative long-term effects. Of course, Feeby is also hyperthyroidic and has CKD, so I am sure that factored into the vet's thought process.

 

[moonlitwoods]

My 15-year-old babe, Nova, got her first injection of Solensia for OA on 12/16/22. She showed immediate improvement. Brighter expression, better general mobility, more playful, able to jump more easily. All of it so positive I was thrilled. It was like getting my girl back.

But then I started reading more about the drug and have become concerned. There's not much history to this drug treatment in cats, so there's no information on the long-term effects it may have on our beloved cats. All the studies I have been able to find were clinical trials that included only two treatments, and in some cases only one treatment. How could they possibly know if it is safe long-term with only two injections? Worst of all, in the Conflict of Interest/Ethics section of each study I read it was revealed that the studies were written by contributors employed by the drug's manufacturer. Not exactly objective research, and a likelihood that some of the less positive aspects of long-term treatment were either untested for a reason or glossed over. They're trying to sell this drug, after all.

My point is, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) plays an important role in a lot of other physiological systems, so injecting our kitties with an anti-NGF drug like Solensia may or may not have some unintended negative consequences that have not been made clear.

I'm not a vet, or even a scientist. Just a loving pet owner who would do anything for her babe. I wanted to share my concern with others who are trying Solensia for their cats. It's difficult to make a good decision when there's so little data on its effects. Talk to your vet about what consequences there might be with long-term use of an anti-NGF monoclonal antibody drug.

 

[FeebysOwner]

M moonlitwoods , I have an 18+yo who has now received 3 injections (one per month) of Solensia. If I can find it again, I will share the article I had found that said most tests were conducted for 3 months, with a few going out to 6 months. I know it is new but at risk of repeating myself, given Feeby has over time rejected 4-5 different joint supplements, and we tried gabapentin - which was a total bomb with her - so, I didn't feel like I had much choice. Her mobility is so much better as she is no longer restricting her movements by confining herself to one room.

I almost thought about trying Adequan first, but then read numerous injections are needed before it can be reduced down to once a month. It is a totally different type of 'pain' reliever and does have joint supplement properties, unlike Solensia. It has been around quite a bit longer as well. There are members on this site that have used it and have been pleased with the results. Perhaps, you would want to look into it as a potential alternative.

If your cat would eat them, you could try Glyco Flex Plus, which is a joint supplement 'treat'. Feeby willingly ate them for 3+ years, and they did help her as well. But, for whatever reason, she decided she no longer liked the taste - probably because they contain green lipped mussels. They also contain glucosamine and chondroitin as well as MSM. If she would have continued to eat them, I would not have tried other joint supplements, or ended up resorting to Solensia.

FWIW, I will tell you my vet says she feels very comfortable in prescribing Solensia and believes them to be safe. So far, she has been pretty straightforward about most meds and treatments, either pro or con.

 

[TootsRx]

I'm also a little nervous about Solensia after digging into it. But, Bandit will be 20 years old in March. I'm hoping this will give her a better quality of life before any undiscovered "long-term" adverse reactions pop up. She also has CKD. She has an appointment tomorrow morning for her first injection. I love reading about the positive results other cats have had! I definitely don't expect Bandit to jump on anything. I think I would have a heart attack if she did! But, I would love to see her walk a little better and maybe play with the laser pointer again. I just want her to be pain-free, and she is absolutely awful with any oral medication. I do have transdermal pain meds that I apply to her ear. But, they really don't seem to do much. Crossing our paws for good results on Solensia!

 

[nanniecat]

M moonlitwoods , I have an 18+yo who has now received 3 injections (one per month) of Solensia. If I can find it again, I will share the article I had found that said most tests were conducted for 3 months, with a few going out to 6 months. I know it is new but at risk of repeating myself, given Feeby has over time rejected 4-5 different joint supplements, and we tried gabapentin - which was a total bomb with her - so, I didn't feel like I had much choice. Her mobility is so much better as she is no longer restricting her movements by confining herself to one room.

I almost thought about trying Adequan first, but then read numerous injections are needed before it can be reduced down to once a month. It is a totally different type of 'pain' reliever and does have joint supplement properties, unlike Solensia. It has been around quite a bit longer as well. There are members on this site that have used it and have been pleased with the results. Perhaps, you would want to look into it as a potential alternative.

If your cat would eat them, you could try Glyco Flex Plus, which is a joint supplement 'treat'. Feeby willingly ate them for 3+ years, and they did help her as well. But, for whatever reason, she decided she no longer liked the taste - probably because they contain green lipped mussels. They also contain glucosamine and chondroitin as well as MSM. If she would have continued to eat them, I would not have tried other joint supplements, or ended up resorting to Solensia.

FWIW, I will tell you my vet says she feels very comfortable in prescribing Solensia and believes them to be safe. So far, she has been pretty straightforward about most meds and treatments, either pro or con.

i am happy to hear the solensia is working! we r no longer doing the adequan. my understanding is adequan does have joint supplement properties? "

• It significantly slows down cartilage damage and stimulates its repair.
• It increases the lubrication of the joints and boosts mobility.
• Its anti-inflammatory properties make it ideal to combat degenerative joint disease."

but my personal experience, is that it did nothing for my Placide. she is still getting the Solensia shot and she continues to improve. she is also now taking 50mg gabapentin 2x daily. (an increase) at 19 yo, she is running down the halls. she had one really wonky leg but it seems to have straightened out and it no longer turns inward when she walks. in Dec she had a complete blood test and ultrasound and everything was very good. so i would say the solensia if not affecting her system? every cat responds differently to drugs. i am just glad it is working for her
and for Feeby!

 

[nanniecat]

My 15-year-old babe, Nova, got her first injection of Solensia for OA on 12/16/22. She showed immediate improvement. Brighter expression, better general mobility, more playful, able to jump more easily. All of it so positive I was thrilled. It was like getting my girl back.

But then I started reading more about the drug and have become concerned. There's not much history to this drug treatment in cats, so there's no information on the long-term effects it may have on our beloved cats. All the studies I have been able to find were clinical trials that included only two treatments, and in some cases only one treatment. How could they possibly know if it is safe long-term with only two injections? Worst of all, in the Conflict of Interest/Ethics section of each study I read it was revealed that the studies were written by contributors employed by the drug's manufacturer. Not exactly objective research, and a likelihood that some of the less positive aspects of long-term treatment were either untested for a reason or glossed over. They're trying to sell this drug, after all.

My point is, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) plays an important role in a lot of other physiological systems, so injecting our kitties with an anti-NGF drug like Solensia may or may not have some unintended negative consequences that have not been made clear.

I'm not a vet, or even a scientist. Just a loving pet owner who would do anything for her babe. I wanted to share my concern with others who are trying Solensia for their cats. It's difficult to make a good decision when there's so little data on its effects. Talk to your vet about what consequences there might be with long-term use of an anti-NGF monoclonal antibody drug.

thnx for the info! it was used extensively in europe and canada prior to fda approval in the usa. i had been tracking the drug for over a year. i had not heard anything negative from any of the cat owners. all seemed pleased with the results.

 

[profcat]

This is great to hear! Our cat who has some degenerative arthritis in her back hips is getting her first injection this week!

 

[nanniecat]

thnx for the info! it was used extensively in europe and canada prior to fda approval in the usa. i had been tracking the drug for over a year. i had not heard anything negative from any of the cat owners. all seemed pleased with the results.

do

My 15-year-old babe, Nova, got her first injection of Solensia for OA on 12/16/22. She showed immediate improvement. Brighter expression, better general mobility, more playful, able to jump more easily. All of it so positive I was thrilled. It was like getting my girl back.

But then I started reading more about the drug and have become concerned. There's not much history to this drug treatment in cats, so there's no information on the long-term effects it may have on our beloved cats. All the studies I have been able to find were clinical trials that included only two treatments, and in some cases only one treatment. How could they possibly know if it is safe long-term with only two injections? Worst of all, in the Conflict of Interest/Ethics section of each study I read it was revealed that the studies were written by contributors employed by the drug's manufacturer. Not exactly objective research, and a likelihood that some of the less positive aspects of long-term treatment were either untested for a reason or glossed over. They're trying to sell this drug, after all.

My point is, Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) plays an important role in a lot of other physiological systems, so injecting our kitties with an anti-NGF drug like Solensia may or may not have some unintended negative consequences that have not been made clear.

I'm not a vet, or even a scientist. Just a loving pet owner who would do anything for her babe. I wanted to share my concern with others who are trying Solensia for their cats. It's difficult to make a good decision when there's so little data on its effects. Talk to your vet about what consequences there might be with long-term use of an anti-NGF monoclonal antibody drug.

i hve been concerned since reading this. i have tried to research ngf but dont understand. do u have any idea what the consequences r? do u have any info??????? i worry abt my baby all the time!

 

[profcat]

Scientist here (PhD). It is quite common for drug manufacturers to fund research on their drugs. This is not a red flag at all. Research is expensive and drug companies are the ones with the money for the long development process and a vested interest in the drug working properly. The way they know the long-term effects from a relatively short study is bc the science behind the medication builds on existing research on monoclonal antibodies and specifically the growing research on anti-NGF monoclonal antibody drugs for pain relief.

My girl got her first injection today. I'm so happy she has something to help her OA!

 

[nanniecat]

Feeby just got her second shot, and it does seem to have helped with her mobility. Nothing earth shattering, but an improvement.

how is feeby? did she get her third shot?