It has been a while since I’ve sat down to share some news in the veterinary world. But the recent release of an injectable mono-clonal antibody pain management option for dogs (there is a similar version for the use in cats) prompted me to share the exciting news.
Recently, the FDA has authorized the release and distribution of a product known as Librela, which is a once a month injection to help combat osteoarthritic pain in dogs. We have had fantastic success with the feline version, Solensia, which we’ve been using for about six months now.
Both injections are administered here at the hospital every 30 days, but can be used in our pets that are already on NSAIDs and other forms of pain management. Management of osteoarthritis and generalized age-related changes is
something that we are very passionate about, and Woodlake Animal Hospital is proud to offer a multitude of options
addressing this issue. Management of this pain helps our canine and feline companions age more comfortably and to have a better quality of life, for a longer period of time.
We often start with a trial of a NSAID (Carprofen or Metacam, for example). When we see our pets improving with the
medication, we pursue a basic blood panel to ensure that kidneys/liver are strong enough to be on a medication long term. As we recognize these changes, we also discuss the use of Traditional Chinese Herbal therapies, supplemental options for join health, pursing Veterinary Medical Manipulation (aka chiropractic care) and Acupuncture to enhance (or instead of) the use of pharmaceutical therapies. Some have even pursued PRP therapy (platelet-rich plasma therapy) that has been shown to offer wonderful relief for our aging friends.
The introduction of Librela is another tool in our arsenal for addressing these pets with osteoarthritic changes. Most patients in which we will be utilizing will likely already be utilizing one or more of the above listed modalities. Librela would be given in addition to existing protocols, but with the thought of hopefully being able to (ideally) wean off the Carprofen, or, if the Carprofen isn’t “enough”, give us something else to offer. The added benefit of it being a monthly injection will be appealing for consistency of care, as well as for some of our more particular pets who won’t actually take an oral medication! For our seniors who often have more than one condition that we are managing, Librela is something we can often add to the protocol to help address the osteoarthritic changes.
Solensia is the feline version of the mono-clonal antibody science behind the Librela. We’ve been using it in our cat friends for about 6 months, and these cats have gone from a sedentary life to running, playing, jumping…. In fact, both Fiona and Furgal get their Solensia injections monthly, here at Woodlake Animal Hospital. We noticed Furgal was having trouble getting up onto the front desk near Jen, where he likes to sleep, when he’s not supervising. Once we started his monthly Solensia injections, he doesn’t have any problems hopping up anymore. Our patients are reporting truly life-changing results with our senior cats… cats that had been sleeping “all the time” and had decreased interactions with their families, were now active, seeking out family members, increasing their socializations…. More than once, we’ve heard “I’ve got my cat back!” . Just like Librela, we can use Solensia with our kitties who have other concurrent conditions- many of our older cats have some renal compromise, so where we would be hesitant to utilize a NSAID for pain management, we can now reach for Solensia, knowing that our seniors will have their osteoarthritic pain managed and their quality of life improved! Both products are dosed by the patient’s weight, and are generally administered by our fabulous LVTs. Please give us a call today if you have any questions or would like to learn more about Librela or Solensia. We look forward to hearing from you!
*** Are there things you’d like to learn more about? Let us know in the comments… Dr. Jones would love to get back into writing these blog posts, so let us know what you think and what you’d like to learn about! ***
