New Treatment for Osteoarthritis in Cats

by Dr. Deckard, DVM, Pets R Family

In the United States, over 42 million people have a cat in their household compared with 63 million having at least 1 dog. Cats are very popular pets as they are generally lower maintenance than dogs, they have long life spans, and are very quiet (at least most of them). They are beautiful, smart, majestic animals that can be very smart and independent, but also snuggly and playful. Due to their dislike of travel, strange places and change in general, only 50% of cats make it to the veterinarian at least annually versus 80% of dogs. This makes them the least likely to get the newest, greatest advancement in treatments that are developed for pets that are species specific. Most new drugs, at least at first, are aimed at their counterpart, the dog.

The great news is that the latest advancement in treatment of osteoarthritis has been developed for our feline friends. Arthritis is generally underdiagnosed in cats. Nearly 40% of all cats have osteoarthritis with about 90% of cats older than 12 years of age being affected. Cats do not show the obvious signs of pain that dogs typically demonstrate and can live in varying levels of pain that can dramatically affect their quality of life. Signs of pain in cats can be vague such as slowing down, being less playful, and not jumping up on things, but can also be shown in other ways such as lack of grooming, urinating outside the litter box and being less social. Most cats are also more difficult to medicate orally and tend to get more side effects from pain medications, making pet owners less inclined to consider long term treatment.

The great news is that the newest treatment for osteoarthritis in veterinary medicine is an injectable medication

called Solensia that lasts for an entire month and is made only for cats. It is a very specific drug aimed at the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis and is a monoclonal antibody that does not get processed through the liver or kidneys, making it very safe. The injection is given under the skin by your veterinarian and is not painful. 77% of pet owners in the studies reported improvement in their cat’s mobility during a 3 month period of using Solensia monthly. The benefits of the injection increased with each subsequent injection and must be given monthly long term to continue to see pain relief. This treatment will greatly improve the quality of life for many of our feline friends.

This new treatment was just approved for use in the United States,but has been used in Europe for over a year with great success. Our hospital has it in stock and we are offering 2 cats to get 3 free injections one month apart. Anyone who thinks that their cat could benefit from this treatment can scan the QR code, fill out the questionnaire, and email your form to our hospital at reception@ petsrfamilyvet.com. Two winners will be selected from all the entries in a random drawing on January 2nd, 2023. The winners will be contacted, at which time an appointment will be made to have an exam by one of our veterinarians to determine if the injection would be beneficial for your cat. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions in regard to this product or the promotion.

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