USE OF SOLENSIA (FRUNEVETMAB) IN NONDOMESTIC FELIDS (PANTHERA TIGRIS, LYNX RUFUS, PANTHERA UNCIA) GUIDED BY PROTEIN SEQUENCE ANALYSIS

Osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease affect many species of nondomestic felid and negatively impact quality of life in managed care settings. Previously, pain management options were limited because of the frequency of comorbidities such as renal disease and common difficulty encountered in medication administration. Solensia^TM (frunevetmab) is a felinized monoclonal antibody that binds to nerve growth factor in arthritic joints, thereby inhibiting pain response cascades, and produces marked improvement in clinical signs and quality of life in domestic cats diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Protein sequence analysis was performed to inform the application of frunevetmab in four individuals from three nondomestic felid species (<i>Panthera tigris, Lynx rufus, and Panthera uncia</i>) diagnosed with degenerative joint disease to predict safety, contraindications, and likely response to treatment. Patients were then treated utilizing doses extrapolated from domestic cats and following manufacturer guidelines for administration, and clinical response was evaluated over a minimum 2-mon period. Significant improvement was noted in clinical signs in all four animals, resulting in marked improvement in mobility, lameness, activity level, demeanor, and overall quality of life. Frunevetmab presents an excellent adjunctive therapeutic alternative for nondomestic felids suffering from degenerative joint disease and may complement or decrease the need for other conventional therapeutic regimens.