What is Senvelgo® and what is it licensed for?

Senvelgo® is a once-daily, flavoured oral solution containing the active ingredient velagliflozin licensed for the reduction of hyperglycaemia in cats with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Velagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor. It reduces blood glucose by preventing the reabsorption of glucose via the SGLT-2 transporter in the proximal tubule of the kidney. This causes urinary excretion of excess glucose and reduces hyperglycaemia, which relieves glucose toxicity and peripheral insulin resistance resulting in increased endogenous insulin production to control diabetes.

Can I switch a cat from insulin to Senvelgo®?

Yes, cats can be transitioned from insulin to Senvelgo®, however we don’t recommend switching stable diabetic cats unless there are clinical or compliance reasons. For cats previously treated with insulin/another anti-diabetic medicinal product, the dosing regime is the same as for newly diagnosed cats. When transitioning from insulin, omit the insulin evening dose from the day before starting Senvelgo®. Cats that are transitioned from insulin to Senvelgo® are at increased risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis (eDKA) and must be closely monitored in the post-transition period for the presence of ketones. A check for ketone bodies in the urine or blood is required prior to use. Treatment should not be initiated or resumed if ketone bodies at concentrations indicative of DKA are present.

Is Senvelgo® easy to give to cats?

Senvelgo® is a flavoured oral solution which is administered via a reusable dosing syringe with 0.5 kg bodyweight markings either directly into the cat’s mouth or onto a small amount of food so that the cat eats it all at once. It needs to be given at approximately the same time each day. In addition, Senvelgo® has achieved the ISFM Easy to Give accreditation.

How do I store Senvelgo®?

Senvelgo® does not require any special storage conditions. The shelf-life after opening the bottle is 6 months.

cat preparing to eat food with senvelgo solution added

cat preparing to eat food with senvelgo solution

Senvelgo^® oral solution

A breakthrough in feline diabetes management

Senvelgo^® represents an important move in treatment for feline diabetes, beyond traditional insulin-based management. It’s an award-winning⁹, once-daily oral SGLT-2 inhibitor developed specifically for cats.

By lowering blood glucose via urinary glucose excretion, leading to relief of glucose toxicity and improvement in pancreatic beta cell function it offers an injection-free treatment option for appropriate feline diabetic patients.

Senvelgo^® is a breakthrough product for feline diabetes

A convenient, once-daily oral solution.
Developed as a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim’s Animal Health and human diabetes experts.
Senvelgo^® contains velagliflozin: a highly selective inhibitor of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2).
SGLT-2 is predominantly expressed in the proximal tubules of the kidney which is responsible for around 90% of glucose reabsorption.
Senvelgo^® only has a minor impact on SGLT-1 transporter, which is primarily expressed in the small intestine and the distal part of the proximal tubules of the kidney where it is responsible for 10% of glucose reabsorption.
Senvelgo^® therefore blocks most glucose reabsorption by inhibiting SGLT-2, causing excretion of excess glucose and reducing hyperglycaemia. Sufficient glucose is still reabsorbed via SGLT-1 which prevents symptomatic hypoglycaemia.

Rethinking feline diabetes management

Learn more about Senvelgo^®’s mode of action, efficacy and safety

How Senvelgo^® works

Simple dosing according to bodyweight

No risk of symptomatic hypoglycaemia

Glycaemic control can be achieved within a week^{1, 2}

The breakthrough for feline diabetes

Choosing Senvelgo^® means you can now treat diabetes without injecting insulin.

A cat owner's experience: Zelda

When owner Cristina noticed Zelda was constantly at the water bowl and leaving unusually large clumps in the litter tray, she knew something wasn’t right. After a diabetes diagnosis, she was given a choice of treatment. For her, choosing Senvelgo^®was a “no-brainer”.

Senvelgo^® efficacy studies

In two clinical trials, involving over 300 cats, once-daily oral Senvelgo^® was shown to be a treatment option for feline diabetes that is at least as effective as insulin and achieves faster glycaemic control, while improving feline quality of life and simplifying diabetes management. Explore the study results for yourself.

Download the study report

Common questions about Senvelgo^®

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References

1. Niessen, S. J. M. et al. (2022) Once daily oral therapy for feline diabetes mellitus: evaluation of SGLT-2 inhibitor velagliflozin as stand-alone therapy compared to insulin injection therapy in diabetic cats. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 36, 2512–2513.

2. Sparkes, A. H. et al. (2015) ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Practical Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Cats. J Feline Med Surg 17, 235–50.

3. Waite, O. et al. (2025) Frequency, Risk Factors, and Mortality for Diabetes Mellitus in 1 225 130 Cats Under Primary Veterinary Care in the United Kingdom in 2019. JVIM 39:e70161.

4. Rand J, Gottlieb, SA. Feline diabetes mellitus. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 8th edition. Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC and Cote E, eds. Elsevier, Missouri. 2017;1781-1795.

5. 2018 Summary of the Veterinary Clinic: Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey & Pet Owner: Weight Management, Nutrition, and Pet Food Survey. Available at:
https://petobesityprevention.org/2018.

6. Niessen, S. J. M. et al. (2017) The Big Pet Diabetes Survey: Perceived Frequency and Triggers for Euthanasia. Vet Sci 4, 27.

7. Diabetes in Cats: Quantitative market research study. Proprietary presentation, July 19, 2021. Kynetec; St. Louis, MO, on behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim.

8. Niessen, S. J. M. et al. (2010) Evaluation of a quaility-of-life tool for cats with diabetes mellitus. J Vet Intern Med 24, 1098-105.

9. Best New Product of the Year, 2024/2025 UK Veterinary Marketing Association (VMA) Awards

10. Behrend, E. N. et al. (2024) Velagliflozin, a once-daily, liquid, oral SGLT2 inhibitor, is effective as a stand-alone therapy for feline diabetes mellitus: the SENSATION study. JAVMA 262, 1343-1353.

11. Niessen, S. J. M. et al. (2024) Efficacy and safety of once daily oral administration of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor velagliflozin compared with twice daily insulin injection in diabetic cats. J Vet Intern Med 38, 2099–2119.

12. VMD. Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC): Senvelgo^® 15mg/ml oral solution for cats (velagliflozin). Veterinary Medicines Directorate, UK.

13. Reusch C, Chapter: 291 Feline Diabetes Mellitus, In: Ettinger J, Feldman E; editors. St Louis, Missouri, Saunders Elsevier; Textbook of veterinary internal medicine. 10th ed. 2010 p 1796-1816.

Senvelgo® oral solution

Senvelgo® is a breakthrough product for feline diabetes

Rethinking feline diabetes management

The breakthrough for feline diabetes

A cat owner's experience: Zelda

Senvelgo® efficacy studies

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References

Welcome to the Senvelgo® vet website

Senvelgo^® oral solution

Senvelgo^® is a breakthrough product for feline diabetes

Senvelgo^® efficacy studies

Welcome to the Senvelgo^® vet website