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Here are some signs that your cat has arthritis, plus available treatments | Pet Peeves

Dear Readers,

Cats are wonderful and delightful pets, but often their very unique physical make up can pose a problem for the veterinarian. This is very true when treating pain in the cat. Though it is rarely discussed, cats do experience chronic pain from arthritis just like dogs do.

Though rarely discussed, cats may experience osteoarthritis just like dogs do. Treatment is available.
Though rarely discussed, cats may experience osteoarthritis just like dogs do. Treatment is available.

Studies show that roughly 60% of cats over the age of six can experience osteoarthritis. After the age of twelve, ninety percent of cats have some form of degenerative joint disease. Could your cat have this condition? One great website to look at is www.catoachecklist.com. It gives you some examples of arthritis symptoms to look for in your cat.

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The main risk factors for osteoarthritis in cats include old age, obesity, and previous injuries. Actually, newer studies are showing that many cats with old age arthritis are not overweight because cats with severe arthritis do not eat well. Signs of arthritis pain in cats include hiding and decreased ability to climb. Cats are often painful and guarded in the areas of the elbows, hips, and back.

So, cats do get chronic pain from arthritis, but how do we treat this? We have a plethora of pain medicines for managing canine arthritis, but a cat’s unique metabolism makes it very hard. There are no easy answers when it comes to the cat.

Arthritis pain treatment is available for cats.
Arthritis pain treatment is available for cats.

I went to a conference recently and one of the lectures was described as a study on arthritis pain treatment for cats. I was hopeful that the lecturer would be revealing some wonderful new treatment for arthritis pain in cats. I was not so fortunate. We covered all the same products already available to us at this time.

The discussion covered Adequan, which helps with inflammation and the lubrication of the joints. It is an injection that is given one to two times a week for the first month then once a month there after. Gabapentin was also discussed. It is an oral pill that helps with neurogenic pain and is safe to be given over a longer period of time. While very helpful, these are labor intensive and do not completely deal with the pain a cat can be experiencing.

But on the horizon is a new medicine that works in a very different way to treat pain. It is called Solensia. According to the FDA it is the first monoclonal antibody new drug approved by the FDA for use in any animal species.

Specifically approved for treatment of osteoarthritis in cats, the active ingredient is designed to recognize and attach to a protein called nerve growth factor (NGF), which is a part of pain regulation. When it binds to NGF, it prevents the pain signal from reaching the brain.

In the studies, the most common side effects were GI signs such as vomiting and diarrhea, injection site pain, dermatitis and itching. According to the reports, side effects were mild and did not require discontinuation of treatment during the studies.

Solensia will be available at your veterinarian’s office as an injection that is given once a month. It has been available in Europe since May of 2021, and will be available in the United States the

latter part of 2022. I am looking forward to seeing what Solensia can do for our feline friends with arthritis pain.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: How to tell if your cat has arthritis — and what to do about it