What’s almost as good as nailing that IV catheter on the first try or discovering a crisp $20 bill in the pocket of your scrubs? 💸

Adding new drugs and therapeutics to your treatment arsenal—powerful tools that help you tackle even the toughest cases with a whole new level of confidence. Who doesn’t love having an extra trick—or two—up their sleeve?

Veterinary hospitals welcomed some game-changing new drugs and therapeutics in 2024 (and 2023). Let’s dive into 5 new arrivals.

1. Some Serenity for Scaredy Cats: Pregabalin

“I can’t wait to go to the vet!”

...said no cat, ever. 🙀

But there’s good news for timid cats (and those of us who regularly handle frightened felines): a new pregabalin oral solution was approved to ease acute anxiety in cats during travel and veterinary visits. 

If you’ve ever had a feline patient transform into a pint-sized predator at the clinic, you know the struggle. Pregabalin offers a targeted way to reduce anxiety, making vet visits smoother for everyone involved.

🔬 How It Works

Similar to gabapentin, pregabalin binds to the alpha2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, reducing excitatory neurotransmitter release. 

💊 Dosage

Pregabalin (5 mg/kg PO) can be administered to cats 1.5 hours before transportation or visiting the clinic and can be given for 2 consecutive days.¹

💡 Practical Tips

• Watch for cat naps: Sedation is possible but usually wears off within 6 hours. Otherwise, adverse effects are rare.
• Handle with care: As a Schedule-V controlled substance, pregabalin requires secure storage, meticulous record-keeping, and strict compliance with DEA and local regulations.

Related Article: How Instinct Can Help Veterinary Teams with Controlled Substance Reporting

2. Jumping on the JAK Train: Ilunocitinib

If you made a top 10 list of the most frustrating conditions to treat, we’re willing to bet that allergic skin disease would be near the top (for pet owners, too). 

But in 2024, another itch-fighting weapon was added to our treatment arsenal: ilunocitinib, a new Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved to control atopic dermatitis and the pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis in dogs over 12 months old.

🔬 How It Works

Ilunocitinib is a nonselective JAK inhibitor that binds strongly to JAK1, JAK2, and tyrosine kinase 2. By inhibiting JAK, ilunocitinib inhibits the function of various proinflammatory, pruritogenic, and allergy-related cytokines.

💊 Dosage

Ilunocitinib (0.6-0.8 mg/kg PO every 24 hours) can be administered with or without food.² 

💡 Practical Tips

• Not for sick patients: Do not use this drug in dogs with serious infections.
• Hold the vaccinations: Ensure your patients are current on vaccines before starting treatment, and don’t administer ilunocitinib for at least 28 days before or after vaccinations.
• Stay vigilant: Ilunocitinib may increase the susceptibility to the development of neoplasia and the risk for infections. 

3. Quadruple Defense: Lotilaner/Moxidectin/Praziquantel/Pyrantel Combo 

Two is better than one, and the third time’s a charm, right? Well, it turns out four is a good number for fighting parasites. 

The FDA also approved a new veterinary combination parasiticide with four active ingredients: lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel, and pyrantel. 

Delivered in a single beef-flavored monthly dose, it protects dogs 8 weeks and older against fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.

🔬 How It Works

Each component targets specific parasites:

• Lotilaner: Inhibits GABA-gated chloride channels, leading to parasite death.
• Moxidectin: Interferes with chloride channel activity in the nervous system of nematodes and arthropods which causes paralysis and death of parasites.
• Praziquantel: Disrupts the tegument of tapeworms and induces muscle contractions.
• Pyrantel: Acts as a neuromuscular-blocking agent in susceptible nematodes.

💊 Dosage 

Administer the appropriate tablet size based on body weight PO monthly with food or within 30 minutes of a meal.³

💡 Practical Tips

• MDR1-friendly: This product was well tolerated in avermectin-sensitive collies when administered at labeled dosages.
• Neuro alert: Use this product with caution in dogs with a history or seizures or other neurologic disorders as this product contains lotilaner, an isoxazoline, which has been associated with causing neurologic adverse effects (eg, ataxia, seizures).
• Grab the calculator: Dogs over 100 lbs require an appropriate combination of chewable tablets based on body weight.

4. The First Oral Diabetes Treatment for Cats: Bexagliflozin

These next two may be from 2023, but they still feel new! 

Bexagliflozin is the first oral medication for managing diabetes mellitus in cats. For stable, otherwise healthy feline patients, this once-daily tablet offers a needle-free alternative to insulin therapy. 

As promising as it sounds, this drug does require cautious case selection and close monitoring to keep cats safe.

Bexagliflozin isn’t appropriate for every diabetic cat, and the risks—particularly diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)—are real. That said, for the right patient, it can be a game-changer in daily diabetes management.

🔬 How It Works

Bexagliflozin blocks a kidney protein called SGLT2, which reduces glucose reabsorption and increases urinary glucose excretion. It also affects SGLT1 in the intestines, which may explain the potential for adverse GI effects.

💊 Dosage

In cats weighing at least 3 kg (6.6 lb), 15 mg/cat (NOT mg/kg) PO every 24 hours regardless of blood glucose value.⁴

💡 Practical Tips

• Not for insulin users: Avoid in cats currently or previously treated with insulin.
• Food is a must: If the cat is not eating (eg, perioperatively), temporarily stop the medication.
• Watch for DKA: Even in cats with good glycemic control, monitor closely for signs of DKA.

5. A New Ally Against Parvo: Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody

Parvo is brutal—but we finally have a new weapon in our treatment arsenal. This monoclonal antibody treatment, conditionally licensed in 2023, binds to parvovirus in the bloodstream and neutralizes it, helping reduce the severity and duration of illness in infected pups.

It’s not a cure-all, but it’s a meaningful addition to the toolbox for managing one of the most serious viral diseases in dogs.

🔬 How It Works

Canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody (parvovirus mAb) binds to the virus in circulation, blocking it from invading host cells and helping limit disease progression.

💊 Dosage

Parvovirus mAb (0.2 mL/kg [NOT mg/kg] IV) is administered once as a single treatment.⁵

💡 Practical Tips

• Storage temp matters: Store at or below −5°F (−15°C) and keep inside the original delivery box.
• Age matters: Not approved for puppies under 8 weeks old; safety in pregnant dogs hasn’t been studied.
• Watch the site: Injection site swelling, occasional diarrhea, and pruritus have been reported.

Keeping Up with New Drugs Just Got Easier

As much as we love adding new veterinary drugs to our treatment arsenal, keeping up with all the details can sometimes feel like another full-time job—and who has time for that?

That’s why fast, reliable access to the latest veterinary drug information is so important.

While many of us still have a well-loved copy of Plumb’s tucked away in our clinic drawer, support from Plumb’s looks a little different these days.

The digital version of Plumb’s contains the same trusted drug details, but—unlike the book—new drug monographs and drug safety updates appear on the app and website as soon as they’re available. No more waiting for a new edition to get the latest information.

With the digital version of Plumb’s, you also get:

🧾 Drug Handouts

These ready-to-go, easy-to-share pet owner handouts make client communication so much easier. By clearly explaining everything pet owners need to know—like adverse effects, duration of therapy, and what to do if they miss a dose—they help reduce follow-up phone calls and support better treatment compliance.

🔍 Interaction Checker 

The first-of-its-kind veterinary drug interaction checker helps you safeguard your patients against drug interactions. Enter two or more drugs and this interactive tool will check for potential interactions and offer veterinary-specific insights.

🧠 Instinct EMR Integrations

Plumb’s integrates seamlessly with Instinct EMR, delivering trusted drug details without disrupting your workflow. So you’ll spend less time searching and more time doing what matters most—providing exceptional care to your patients.

Want to see Plumb’s in action? 👉 Watch a demo.

References

1. BONQAT - Pregabalin Oral Solution for Cats [US product label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis; 2023.
2. Zenrelia - Ilunocitinib Tablets for Dogs [US product label]. Greenfield, IN: Elanco; 2024.
3. Credelio Quattro - Lotilaner, Moxidectin, Praziquantel, and Pyrantel Chewable Tablets for Dogs [US product label]. Greenfield, IN: Elanco; 2024.
4. Bexacat - bexagliflozin tablets. [US Product Label for Dogs]. Greenfield, IN: Elanco US Inc; 2022. 
5. Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody [US Product Label]. Greenfield, IN: Elanco; 2023.

Further Reading

• Budde J. 2024 Veterinary Therapeutics: Updates, Highlights, & Practical Considerations. Clinician’s Brief. Updated January 2025. Accessed Feb 20, 2025.