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The first and only FDA-approved treatment for alleviation of acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats
Bonqat Overview
For Feline Patients Suffering From Acute Anxiety and Fear During Transport and Veterinary Visits, Bonqat May Be the Solution They Need
Easy to administer in a small liquid dose that is well accepted by most cats and can administered with a small amount of food.1
- Majority (~79%) of cat owners assessed the administration to be very easy or easy1
- Small dosing volume (0.1 mL/kg) and flavored liquid formulation contribute to good usability1
Not a sedative*—it’s a targeted drug that impacts the chemicals and neurotransmitters involved in feline acute anxiety and fear, helping to create a calmer experience during transport and veterinary visits.2
Bonqat is administered orally approximately 1.5 hours before the start of transportation or veterinary visit and is slowly eliminated from the body.
Routine medical care is essential for all life stages. The stress of veterinary visits on cats and their owners can be a barrier to routine care.3 Alleviating feline acute transport and vet visit anxiety with Bonqat can help cultivate a more paw-sitive vet visit experience.
*In a clinical study, 3 out of 108 cats experienced sedation that resolved without treatment.
About Bonqat
Help Cultivate a Calmer Feline Exam Experience
The first and only oral pregabalin treatment made specifically for cats
Approved as safe and effective in alleviating acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats
Liquid formulation for oral administration
Administered orally approximately 1.5 hours before the start of transportation or veterinary visit
Mechanism of Action (MOA)
Bonqat Alleviates Feline Acute Transport and Veterinary-Visit Anxiety and Fear With a Unique Mechanism of Action
The active ingredient pregabalin decreases the release of several neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology of acute anxiety and fear.2
Bonqat Is Not a Sedative*—It Works to Impact Feline Acute Transport and Veterinary-Visit
Mechanism of action occurs in the central nervous system:
Pregabalin binds to presynaptic neurons at the α2δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, reducing calcium influx to the cell2
Decreased calcium influx reduces excessive release of several excitatory neurotransmitters (glutamate and monoamine neurotransmitters)2
This leads to a reduction in acute anxiety, fear, and associated behaviors2
*In a clinical study, 3 out of 108 cats experienced sedation that resolved without treatment.
Efficacy
An Effective Treatment Your Feline Patients Need
Bonqat is approved as effective in alleviating acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats.
Safety
Bonqat Is Approved as Safe for Cats
Approved as safe in alleviating acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats
The most reported adverse events in a field study were ataxia, lethargy, and vomiting†
In a field study, cats receiving Bonqat showed no notable changes in laboratory values1‡
†In a field study with 238 cats, 108 receiving Bonqat at labeled dose, 5 cats (4.6%) exhibited ataxia and 3 cats (2.8%) experienced lethargy.
‡1 cat in pregabalin group (n=108) had a decreased white blood cell count, and 1 cat in placebo group (n=101) had a decreased platelet count.1
Dosage & Storage
Bonqat is administered orally as a single dose of 5 mg/kg (2.3 mg/lb), corresponding to 0.1 mL/kg (0.1 mL per 2.2 lb), approximately 1.5 hours before the start of the transportation or veterinary visit, and can be given on 2 consecutive days.
A small amount of food can be given with Bonqat.
Store the bottle in a refrigerator at 36 °F -46 °F (2 °C -8 °C) and use contents within 6 months after the first opening of the bottle
May be stored for short periods of time (up to one month in total) at or below 77 °F (25 °C)
May be stored unopened in the refrigerator for up to 2 years, depending on expiration date
Bonqat is a Class V, controlled substance. Storage, access, and accounting procedures should be appropriate to the clinical setting and as required by law
Bonqat is packed in a clear 5 mL glass bottle containing 2 mL of Bonqat (pregabalin oral solution) at 50 mg/mL. The bottle has a child-resistant closure and an oral dosing syringe adapter. The bottle is further packed into a carton with a leaflet and an oral dosing syringe (1 mL).
FAQs
Bonqat is a prescription medication containing 50 mg/mL of pregabalin.
The active ingredient in Bonqat, pregabalin, works by binding at the alpha-2-delta subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channels, reducing presynaptic calcium influx in neurons and thereby the release of various neurotransmitters, including glutamate, norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, the neurotransmitters implicated to play a role in the pathophysiology of acute anxiety and fear.
In a study, when administered at labeled dose, cat owners assessed the response as excellent or good during the transportation in 54.3% of cases compared to 27.1% in the placebo group and veterinarians assessed the response as excellent or good during the clinical examination in 52% of cases compared to 30% in the placebo group. The owner’s ability to place the cat into the carrier was improved in the group administered Bonqat compared to placebo with greatest improvement in the following behaviors: vocalization, panting/intense breathing, resistance, and freezing.
Bonqat is approved as safe in alleviating acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats. In a field study, ataxia, lethargy, and vomiting were the most commonly reported adverse events. Activity level and ability to stand up and walk were normal in most cats (86-97%) depending on the time of assessment. No notable changes in laboratory values were seen.1*
*In a field study, 1 cat in pregabalin group (n=108) had a decreased white blood cell count and 1 cat in the placebo group (n=101) had a decreased platelet count.
Bonqat is administered orally as a single dose of 5 mg/kg (0.1 mL/kg) approximately 1.5 hours before the start of the transportation or veterinary visit and can be given on two consecutive days.
If the dose cannot be administered directly into the cat’s mouth, the dose can be mixed with a small amount of food (teaspoon of moist food or about ten kibbles of dry food.) A large amount of food may delay the onset of effect. Water can be freely available.
Bonqat is rapidly absorbed after oral administration in cats. Following oral administration of 5 mg/kg to fasted cats the maximum observed concentration occurred at 0.5-1.0 hours post-dose.
Bonqat is slowly eliminated from the body of cats. The mean half-life of elimination from circulation was 14.7±2.7 hours after oral administration of 5 mg/kg. Elimination of the parent compound as well as the methylation metabolite from circulation occurs almost exclusively by renal excretion in other species. This has not been studied in cats.
Bonqat is packed in a clear 5 mL glass bottle containing 2 mL of Bonqat (pregabalin oral solution) at 50 mg/mL. The bottle has a child resistant closure and an oral dosing syringe adapter. The bottle is further packed into a carton with a package insert and an oral dosing syringe (1 mL).
Bonqat contains pregabalin, a Schedule V controlled substance. Store the bottle in a refrigerator at 2 °C to 8 °C (36 °F to 46 °F). Use bottle contents within six months after the first opening of the bottle. Up to one month of this time the bottle can be stored at or below 25 °C (77 °F). Pregabalin should be handled appropriately to minimize the risk of diversion, including restriction of access, the use of accounting procedures, and proper disposal methods, as appropriate to the clinical setting and as required by law.
Contraindications
Do not use in case of hypersensitivity to pregabalin or to any of the excipients (sodium benzoate, ethyl maltol, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide).
Precautions
- Use with caution in cats with concurrent cardiac disease or hypertension because Bonqat may cause bradycardia and reflex hypertension
- The safety of Bonqat has not been evaluated in cats with concurrent cardiac disease or hypertension
- The safe use of Bonqat in cats younger than 7 months of age has not been evaluated
- The safe use of Bonqat used in conjunction with opioids and other sedatives has not been evaluated
- Use with caution in cats with pre-existing renal disease
- The safe use of Bonqat in cats with severe systemic disorders has not been evaluated. Use with caution in cats with severe systemic disorder
- The safe use of Bonqat in breeding, pregnant, and lactating cats has not been evaluated
References:
- Lamminen T, Korpivaara M, Aspegrén J, Palestrini C, Overall K. Pregabalin alleviates anxiety and fear in cats during transportation and veterinary visits—a clinical field study. Animals (Basel). 2023;13(3):371. doi:10.3390/ani13030371
- Micó JA, Prieto R. Elucidating the mechanism of action of pregabalin: α2δ as a therapeutic target in anxiety. CNS Drugs. 2012;26(8):637-648. doi:10.2165/11634510-000000000-00000
- Caney SM, Robinson NJ, Gunn-Moore DA, Dean RS. Happy cats: stress in cats and their carers associated with outpatient visits to the clinic. J Feline Med Surg. 2022;24(12):e551-e557. doi:10.1177/1098612X221121907
- Bonqat (pregabalin oral solution). Freedom of Information Summary. NADA 141-580. Zoetis Inc; November 2023
- Data on file. Orion Corporation.
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
See full Prescribing Information. Not for human use. Do not use in cats with known hypersensitivity to pregabalin. Use with caution in cats with cardiac disease, hypertension, renal disease, or severe systemic disorders. The safe use of BONQAT has not been evaluated in breeding, pregnant, or lactating cats; in cats younger than 7 months of age; in cats with cardiac disease, hypertension, renal disease, or severe systemic disorders; or in conjunction with opioids and other sedatives. The most common side effects are incoordination, lethargy, and vomiting.