Administered to cats since 2012, the 24-hour pain medication Onsior is ready for canine use. The manufacturer, Elanco Animal Health of Greenfield, Ind., announced Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved Onsior (robenacoxib) in both tablet and injectable form for dogs. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) is formulated to manage surgical pain in dogs and cats for a maximum of three days. “Many veterinarians have found Onsior to be well-suited for their spay/neuter protocols for cats,” said Tony Rumschlag, DVM, Elanco’s director of regional consulting veterinarians. “We believe this medication will also be an effective addition to canine protocols.” Onsior is indicated for the treatment of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with soft-tissue surgery in dogs at least 4 months old and weighing at least 5.5 pounds. The flavored tablets come in 10, 20 and 40 mg dosages. Elanco noted that canine studies found Onsior to be “rapidly absorbed and rapidly cleared from the bloodstream, yet it persisted at the site of inflammation.” Diarrhea and vomiting were the most commonly reported adverse reactions to both forms of the medication. Onsior tablets for cats were launched in 2012. The injectable formulation followed in fall 2015.
