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“Let your dog play more.” That’s the opening sentence of Librera’s brochure. Librera is a new drug approved to treat osteoarthritis pain in dogs. If you read my column regularly, you may remember an article I wrote about a new drug called Sorrencia.
Sorrencia was a breakthrough because it was the first pain medication for cats that could actually control pain for more than 24 to 48 hours. Few pain medications or NSAIDs are considered safe enough for use in cats. Many painkillers have very delicate systems and long-term use can cause liver and kidney failure.
Sorrencia, and now Librera, are a new class of painkillers. They are considered antibodies. When we think of antibodies, we usually think of something in our own bodies that protects us from infections. Antibodies bind to foreign invaders in our system and neutralize their effects.
This is the mechanism of action of these two new painkillers. Librera is a canine anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody and Sorrencia is a feline anti-nerve growth factor antibody. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is elevated in osteoarthritis joints. Research has shown that when a joint becomes inflamed, the tissues within the joint release inflammatory cytokines and NGF. NGF induces neurogenic inflammation and increases pain perception. This increased pain and inflammation causes more NGF to be released. It becomes a vicious cycle.
If you give it Librera or Sorrencia, it will target NGF. These bind to NGF and prevent pain and inflammatory signaling. Librera for dogs and Sorrencia for cats are injections that can be given once a month to control arthritis pain.
Cat owners finally have something for their older cats that actually helps with severe arthritis pain. Dog owners with pets crippled by arthritis now have a medication without the risks and side effects of NSAIDS and steroids.
Safety studies have been conducted on both of these products. Librera was studied in an 84-day field study involving 272 dogs with masks and controls. In Sorrencia, his 112-day mask-controlled field study involved 275 cats. In both studies, pets received three injections 28 days apart.
During studies, adverse events were seen with Librera in dogs, including urinary tract infections, bacterial skin infections, and pain at the injection site. European field studies in dogs also showed increased BUN (kidney levels) in some dogs. In Sorrencia’s cat study, adverse events included vomiting, injection site pain, and diarrhea.
I include this information because I don’t want anyone to think that new drugs are perfect. That’s what studying is for. Although there is limited space to discuss these products, I have seen videos of dogs who were unable to move due to pain and were able to walk after starting taking Librera. I know of at least two cats currently taking Sorencia who have had great improvement in their arthritis.
Librera and Sorrencia are game changers. Ask your veterinarian about giving your pet one injection per month to control her arthritis pain.
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