New tool for fighting feline pain is first in class

Last week, word hit the street that Novartis Animal Health received FDA approval for an oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for use in cats — the very first such medication for felines.

This is great news. Cats have traditionally been the also-rans in the world of veterinary pharmaceuticals — an afterthought, if thought of at all. I have been a practicing veterinarian for 25 years, and continually frustrated at how few medications get into my hands are approved for use in cats. So my response to this news is, huzzah!

The chemical name of the new drug is robenacoxib, and the trade name is Onsior.

It’s important to understand the context in which this product is approved. From the document in the Federal Register, it is approved for “control of post-operative pain and inflammation associated with orthopedic surgery, ovariohysterectomy, and castration in cats weighing at least 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) and at least 6 months of age, for up to a maximum of 3 days.”

Always best to start with the precise verbiage associated with the approval of such a product. Looking carefully at the language of this approval, it is a fairly narrow application — an oral formulation, around surgery, only for 3 days, cats must be at least 6 months old and weigh at least 5.5 pounds. The recommended dose is 1 mg/kg given once daily, and Onsior comes in a 6 mg tablet.

From the information I could find, the tablets are not designed to be split, though I need to confirm that detail. Limitations aside, this is the very first oral NSAID made available to veterinarians specifically licensed to use in cats as part of a post-operative pain management regimen.

I’ll take it, restrictions and all.

The licensure process means that we have data demonstrating both efficacy and safety in the target specie (the cat). It also opens the door for ongoing research into using this drug for other painful conditions in the cat such as trauma or wounds, and the biggie, osteoarthritis.

Is this the “magic bullet” for cats? Nope. No such thing. As with any pharmacologic tool in our “pharmatarium,” Onsior demands the same respect as any other NSAID. Common sense cautions for the veterinary practitioner considering this medication include not using this (or any NSAID):

in a cat with GI ulcersat the same time as a corticosteroidwith another NSAIDfor a cat who is dehydratedfor a cat with impaired kidney, heart, or liver function.

These precautions fall into the category of advocating for what is best for the patient, and looking at the condition of the whole patient before making a decision.

Perhaps this approval will open a door for more scrutiny and attention to what else our feline companions need to enhance their health, wellness, and comfort.

What do other cat-lovers think?

Photo credit: Dr. Robin Downing

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