Solensia! - new arthritis injection

[ForTheLoveofPinkie]

ForTheLoveofPinkie hello, and welcome!


For a blind kitty who might also have a little hearing loss, she sounds much less like having any dementia and a whole lot more like a cat who has learned to handle her physical disabilities rather well.


If she's underweight, I think that instead of increasing treats/snacks you and she would be better off to increase her food or add another meal for her. Has her vet checked her thyroid and her blood pressure?

Speaking of vets, my vet told me that he never says this, but he considers Solensia a miracle.

I think there's little doubt she has a touch of hearing loss as well, and she has learned to handle her blindness fairly well. Unfortunately, there's also little doubt that she has a neurological disorder and some dementia. She'll sometimes come out to the den and simply pace in a circle without making any apparent needs known. Sometimes I'm good at guessing what she wants, other times not so much. As for feeding her, we feed her as much as she's willing to eat 4 times per day with multiple snacks in between and after. The snack times were originally only twice per day, however since she's gone on steroids every other day, we let her snack (which is sometimes an extra meal though we call it a snack) whenever she wants. Yesterday she was coming out about once an hour for a time until she ate something she found more palatable. We have what is probably one of the largest and more diverse collections of cat food and treats in private hands in North America. And yes, the vet has checked her for everything, and just last month we were assured she's quite healthy, aside from being blind, slightly underweight, arthritic and very old. Thank you for the concern and the welcome.

After completing significant research on the drug in additional locations where it's been on the market for much longer than here in the US, (Australia and in Europe) my wife and I have reluctantly decided against using this drug. Whilst I have some experience with monoclonal antibodies being a migraineur and taking some of the newer class of drugs myself, this particular drug shows a similar pattern to the drug that killed our dog several years ago; it seems to work great for those for whom it's going to work, right up to the point that it doesn't, and then it tends to have rapid onset of very tragic consequences. And / or it does work somewhat for a shot or two, and then again, very quickly turns fatal after another injection. Fortunately it does seem to work well for most cats, and it appears that you know quickly if your cat will benefit from it. But we're very hesitant after seeing people lose their cats after using Solensia.

 

[white shadow]

ForTheLoveofPinkie - I've sent you a personal message

 

[neely]

Carleton got his first Solensia injection this past Monday. The vet was apprehensive when it first came on the market and she wanted to do more research before recommending it. Fast forward, she said most of the other cats who are on it have reported a positive experience. However, she said some people felt it wasn't until a second injection that they noticed any signs of improvement .

Iris had her second injection a week ago, and sadly, I can see no change in her behavior to indicate that Solensia is helping. And the apparent side effect--crying and pacing--was worse with this second shot. After the first shot, she cried and paced for about 8-9 hours. This time, it was double that amount of time and then with decreasing frequency over the next two or three days. She's back to normal (waking me up between 3-4 a.m. to let me know she's used the litter box ).

Given her seeming lack of response to Solensia and her discomfort/distress after she gets the shot, I don't think we'll continue with it. I wish it had helped.

Are you using something else to help with Iris's arthritis symptoms?

As I said earlier in this thread, she started howling soon after the 1st injection, and we have since recognized that was likely a coincidence, as it continues today and she hasn't had a Solensia injection since this past April. But, she also started acting itchy after the 3rd injection and once we stopped, the itichiness subsided, so I do contribute that to the Solensia. I wanted to try again anyway, but my husband thinks at her age and her health conditions that the itchiness would be more bothersome overall than the mobility problems.

Now that you mention it Carleton has been jumping on our bed repeatedly at approx. 4:00 - 4:30 a.m. every morning. No howling just jumping on and off the bed for about 1/2 hour. My husband asked me why I thought he was doing this but I didn't think it could be the Solensia especially after only one injection.

What have you been using since Feeby stopped receiving Solencia since last April?

 

[FeebysOwner]

What have you been using since Feeby stopped receiving Solencia since last April?

Essentially nothing, other than buprenorphine for pain to try and address whatever she may be feeling not only from arthritis but from her other ailments as well.

 

[Tobermory]

Are you using something else to help with Iris's arthritis symptoms?

I was giving Iris 150mg of gabapentin a day for pain, 50mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening. But I lost her at Thanksgiving. Everything was such a struggle for her, and she was miserable so our vet helped her cross the Bridge while we held her one last time. So hard to lose her after more than 19 years of companionship.

 

[neely]

But I lost her at Thanksgiving. Everything was such a struggle for her, and she was miserable so our vet helped her cross the Bridge while we held her one last time.

I'm so sorry that Iris went to the Bridge but completely understand how difficult it is to see her suffer and want to help ease her pain. Please accept my sincere condolences and deepest regrets.

 

[neely]

Carleton got his second Solensia injection last month and is due for his third but we haven't seen any noticeable difference. Plus he was itching under his chin and had an irritation there. Since it has been a month from the second shot he is no longer itching and the area that was affected under his chin has completely cleared up. I spoke to the vet and we both agreed a third injection would not be helpful for him.

 

[TootsRx]

Carleton got his second Solensia injection last month and is due for his third but we haven't seen any noticeable difference. Plus he was itching under his chin and had an irritation there. Since it has been a month from the second shot he is no longer itching and the area that was affected under his chin has completely cleared up. I spoke to the vet and we both agreed a third injection would not be helpful for him.

Aww... That's unfortunate that he's having the skin irritation side effect. The benefits were most notable to me after Bandit's third injection. She's had 16 so far and will be 21 years old next month. She's doing awesome!

 

[candie]

my cat got solensia and I been reading it could kill a cat now I'm worried about my cat because of reviews. Please tell me of there are success stories and alternatives if possible.

 

[Mac and Cats]

my cat got solensia and I been reading it could kill a cat now I'm worried about my cat because of reviews. Please tell me of there are success stories and alternatives if possible.

My cat has been on it for about a year and a half. She does MUCH better with it. There were some issues with joint swelling after about a year, but we could never confirm if it was related to Solensia or something else. We took her off of it for a few months and put her on steriods to help with the swelling (she is no longer on steriods and the swelling will probably never fully go down) and she did awful without it. Because of how miserable she was without it, we decided to put her back on it. I consulted 3 different vets about this. I will say, I would recommend having a few staircases or something around the house to help your cat get up and down easier because due to the fact that they feel better, they can cause injury by doing things they shouldn't (like jumping off a high bed or something). Overall, it has greatly improved her life. She now actually moves from place to place in our house and follows me around like she used to.

 

[candie]

I recently got a bed frame and it makes my bed ground level so she can easily get on and get off.
No more jumping for her so it has helped her.
I'm in this group and one said solensia killed her cat.
So that's why I am worried.

 

[Twylasmom]

The vast majority of cats can take Solensia and experience little to no side effects. The most common side effect is an allergic reaction. Twyla received a monthly injection for 17 months which greatly improved her quality of life. She also had asthma, kidney disease with only one functioning kidney, hyperthyroidism, a heart murmur and high blood pressure as pre-existing conditions before starting Solensia. In the end her remaining kidney failed and she also became anemic and I had to let her go last month. While it could be possible that Solensia could have caused worsening of her kidney disease it is much more likely that her kidneys had reached their natural end, as she experienced a rapid decline over the last four weeks of her life.

There are risks with any drug, for both people and animals, and those should be considered when agreeing to any treatment plan. It is also important to take anecdotal stories of “X drug killed my cat” with a grain of salt and look at research studies on the drug instead. Unless a person has a necropsy on the animal these claims cannot be 100% proven. Certain drugs, such as Convenia, do have more serious side effects that can lead to death, so it is important to ask questions.

 

[candie]

I think the convenia shot caused my cat vestibular disease. Probably should have asked about it

 

[jstie]

I’m the original poster on Solensia with our cat Eponine. I am happy to say that at nearly 17, she is very much still with us after almost two years, and doing amazingly well, with monthly Solensia injections the whole time. She has had zero issues with the Solensia. Twice a day (weather permitting), my husband takes her out for “Ponine’s constitutional,” a slow amble from one corner of the yard back to the back door, which might include a few minutes basking in the sun and contemplating bird feeder activity. Just a little fresh air, stimulation, and gentle movement. She has a bed on the floor with a self-warming mat. She needs help with grooming. But boy, oh, boy, sit down to any meal with either egg or chicken in it, and she is at the table, demanding her serving. She is on all-wet, low-phos food and Azodyl supplement for her kidney issues. But the Solensia has been a lifesaver for her. Yes, she moves slowly; she sleeps 22 hours a day; her lower spine and hips do pain her at times, but she gets around, uses the litter box flawlessly, demands her food in the kitchen, eats happily. And without the Solensia, she would be in FAR more discomfort. So she is definitely a success story. I hope this helps you!

 

[candie]

When will I see results that solensia is working? I still see her struggling

 

[Twylasmom]

When will I see results that solensia is working? I still see her struggling

It doesn’t work immediately. Give it a couple of weeks. I would say I really saw improvement after the second injection. Are you giving any kind of joint supplements or pain relief? Depending on the severity of the arthritis the improvement may be more modest.

 

[jstie]

We noticed a difference within a couple of days with the first injection. Now that she’s been on it for almost two years, we can see her slowing down and more stiff the last days of the month, then noticeably more comfortable about 48 hours after the shot. I think there’s individual variance - it doesn’t seem to help some cats very much, but it‘s very successful for others. We’ve been lucky!

 

[candie]

It doesn’t work immediately. Give it a couple of weeks. I would say I really saw improvement after the second injection. Are you giving any kind of joint supplements or pain relief? Depending on the severity of the arthritis the improvement may be more modest.

Yeah I'm giving her a joint supplement daily .
My vet recommend the shot every 6-8 weeks

 

[Twylasmom]

Yeah I'm giving her a joint supplement daily .
My vet recommend the shot every 6-8 weeks

Once a month is the standard dose. If it does seem to be making a difference and you continue with it you may want to ask about monthly dosing.

 

[candie]

I called my vet and yes it is 1 month.
I now see the side effects of itching
What can I do for her itchiness?
I hate how shes scratching close to her eye