Do you know anything about it? Have you and your cat had any experience with it? What are monoclonal antibodies, anyway? My vet wants to try it on my 18yo.
Anxiously awaiting my supply for my two oldsters. Monoclonal antibody is an antibody that binds to just one thing. In this case, it is nerve growth factor (NGF) that is produced in excess with arthritis. NGF stimulates growth and branching of pain sensory nerves at the ends of the bone as well as stimulates the production of inflammatory cells in the area, which in turn, release more NGF. Solensia binds to NGF so in the joint so that it can no longer work, thus stopping the cascading effect of arthritis. It’s an injection, there are no adjuvants or preservatives in it, only the antibodies. It works only in synovial joints and thus far, the only significant side-effect is vomiting and/or diarrhea around 24hrs post-injection.
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Will you be injecting your oldsters?
I’ve been injecting my girl with Adequan, but for some reason our vet wants me to bring her in once a month for the injection. It’s subcutaneous, like Adequan, so the only difference in administration I can see is that Solencia must be kept refrigerated. But also apparently there is a period right after the injection when the cat could have a bad reaction, and I would of course rather risk that in the vet’s office than at home!
I’m a veterinarian, so yes, I will be injecting my oldsters. Got their first shot today! And yes, I brought my home oldster into the clinic so I could observe and help her if she had a bad reaction. Both did fine. 
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Thank you so much for telling me this.
I am glad your oldsters did fine.
It is also unknown what potential effect it could have on people if they injected themselves. There are specific warnings about taking precautions if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.
I’m a veterinarian who is trying to find a good day to drag my car into the clinic to get his injection.
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I hope you find a good day and that your kitty does well with the injection.
My girl is 18 so I worry (not that I haven’t worried about something or other for the past 17 1/2 years!).
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I wound up injecting our 18 year old clinic cat as well as our 2 personal cats (14 and 11). Everyone did fine, clinic cat is on day 4 and I actually think she’s walking better! We’ll see…
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I’m glad everyone did fine. Thank you for sharing this good news.
My girl is 18 too.
Well, it has been just over 24 hours since our first 1ml subcu injection of this new Solensia and I can’t see any difference. She did a lot of meowing (“want Want WANT!!!”) yesterday after we got home, and had a severe case of the munchies, but she hasn’t been any more active than she was on the monthly Adequan subcu injections, the twice-weekly oral Metacam/Meloxidyl .1ml dose, and the daily Glycoflex Plus chews.
Does is really make much difference that Solensia is approved for cats over here (while Adequan and Metacam are not, but have been approved in other countries for cats for awhile)?
@SueB, did your kitties ever get Adequan and/or Metacam before you got the Solensia?
The 11 and 18 yr olds do not have great kidney function so Meloxicam is a no-no. The 14 and 18 yr olds were on Adequan with not much effect. I wanted them all to take GlycoFlex (which is perna, a natural anti-inflammatory) but none of them would eat it so I gave up. The effects of Solencia are gradual in my cats with the most difference in the 18 yr old. She has not jumped up into a chair for 6mos, today she did it with no problem and looked very, very happy about it. The 14 yr old is about the same as before the shot, the 11 yr old is tearing around the house like a kitten and can trot straight down the stairs instead of going sideways. Can’t wait to see what the 2nd shot does.
My older Lab takes Glycoflex for his arthritis and does very well on it, no longer takes any NSAIDs. I really like the stuff.
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Thank you.
I am glad your oldies are doing well.
Now I’ll wait and see how Velvet does on next month’s shot!
Is everyone still getting Solencia and doing well? Snickers, almost 17, got her shot yesterday and while I can’t tell a difference yet, am hopeful it helps.
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My 18yo is scheduled for her 4th or 5th shot of Solensia on the 27th. She has been doing well on it. She’s only had one bout of hobbling, and that was last week or the week before, and only lasted a few steps. I did give her some Meloxicam after that; I’m now giving it only “at need” instead of twice a week.
She gets around very well in our small apartment (no stairs), on and off the bed (with a box as a step going up), but she’s still very careful where she puts her paws when she crosses from my lap in our recliner to the adjacent lamp table and back, and also when she settles down in my lap.
She eats like a horse, drinks well, and enjoys being stroked and rubbed/light massage.
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So good to hear! My neighbor said her cat acts 10 years younger on it.
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I just remembered a picture I took of Velvet last month (dated Jan 5). I’d come home and walked into the living room and found her up on the back of the sofa! She had not done that in years. It made me so happy. 
She hasn’t done it since that I know of, but that day was wonderful! And that day was 2 weeks before her January shot of Solensia.
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