Behavior Modification Medications For Cats
What should I do when my cat displays unwanted behaviors? Human sometimes dont have a clue as to why their cat has suddenly become a totally different animal. Is there anything I can do to help guide him toward a positive behavior?
There are many behavior modification medications for cats. It depends on what behaviors the cat is displaying. There are also some natural pheromones that can be used for behavior problems. A combination of behavioral medicine and behavior modification techniques is a good starting point to help your cat overcome negative behaviors.
It may take time for your cat to respond to the medication and time to learn new positive behaviors. It takes humans time to learn new behaviors too!
What Is Metronidazole Used For In Cats
Metronidazole may be prescribed if your cat is experiencing diarrhea or inflammatory bowel disease . Metronidazole is not FDA-approved for use in animals and is used off-label for cats.
Since metronidazole can harm unborn cat babies, it should be avoided in pregnant cats. Metronidazole can also enter a cats milk and harm young kittens, so its not recommended for nursing cats either.
This medication should also be used carefully in cats with seizures and kidney or liver issues. Cats with these conditions may be more likely to have serious side effects from metronidazole.
Your Thoughts On Giving Medicine To Cats
Have you ever had to give medicine to cats before? How did you do it? Would you do it differently in the future?
Do you have any advice for Lizzie or anyone else whos in the same boat, or a similar one, as her?
Do you have any stories to share about cats accepting or refusing to take medication? Do you have any solutions up your sleeve that werent listed here?
Love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the topic in the comments down below!
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Elises Favourite Tip
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The hits in my household are ridiculously affordable: cat springs, ball track toys, & kick sticks. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if Im busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play.
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Antibiotics: 5 Things Cat Owners Should Know
Some cat owners turn to antibiotics as the treatment of choice to treat a variety of problems. After all, its a scary world out there with all those superbugs, antibiotic resistance issues and drug reactions.
Treating infections is a perennially confounding and controversial topic in both human and animal medicine.
Lets review the key concerns antibiotics pose to both human and animal health.
Why?
Because antibiotics are NOT just like any other drugs.
After all, fighting infections from foreign invaders is fundamental to our ability to stave off the most obvious threats to both human and animal health. Historically high infectious disease death rates pre-antibiotics should be enough to impress anyone on that score.
Unfortunately, the preponderance of scientific evidence demonstrates that the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both human and animal medicine has led to the emerging risk of antibiotic resistance. In other words, because of their increased exposure to these important drugs in inappropriate ways, bacteria have become extra-adept at coming up with ways to evade their effects.
Heres my list detailing the top five things cat owners really need to know about antibiotics if were to do right by both the humans and animals who need them:
Using Kitten Pate To Get Cats To Ingest Medicine
Now, you already have kittens so you likely are feeding them kitten pate to begin with, but if youre not and youre using kibble, try a teensy bit of kitten pate with the medicine instead.
For those reading who have adult cats: Id encourage you to try grabbing kitten pate to use as a snack to mask the taste of medicine.
Kitten pate is specially formulated to be ridiculously tasty to cats, and in my experience, all my adult cats go absolutely bananas for it.
Its a lot harder to get a cat to eat medication-mixed-in-with-cat-food when your cat isnt the most fond of that cat food, and kitten pates typically are irresistible, getting rid of that hurdle.
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What Is Prescription Cat Food
Prescription cat food is formulated for specific health issues your cat may have. There are certain health conditions that will benefit from prescription cat foods. These foods are formulated by veterinary nutritionists. Your cat my turn his nose up at first when you introduce a new food, but its all for the best.
How To Administer Prescription Antibiotics To Pets
By Mel Lee-Smith
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Getting our pets to take their medicine can be tricky at best and seemingly “impawssible” at worst. Antibiotics may be a little easier to administer, since many pets feel under the weather from their infection and may not put up much of a fight.
Antibiotics come in a wide range of forms, including capsules, powders, liquids, and chewables. We’ll share some tips for administering each type of antibiotic to both dogs and cats.
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What Are The Most Common Dog Antibiotics
If your dog needs an antibiotic, its likely to be one of the pet antibiotics below, said Dr. Phillips.
Dont: Mix Medication Into A Cats Water
Putting medication into a cats water is a really bad idea. At least I would think so. Its the option thats least likely to get your cats to ingest medication, and it could cause your cats, sadly, to dehydrate as well.
Cats are notoriously bad at drinking water. Many cats actually need encouraging to drink as much as they should.
So any change of flavour of the water, such as in the form of yucky medication going into their water supply, has a good chance of getting your cat to hate drinking to the point where he or she will stop drinking entirely, causing worse problems.
Not only that, but cats dont typically drink a whole lot of water at once, so its unlikely if your cat drinks medication mixed with water that he or she will get the right dose before he or shes done drinking.
Essentially this one is a no-go. But the next suggestion you have, is a solid could-work, under specific conditions. Lets get into those.
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How Do Antibiotics For Cats Work
Antibiotics for cats work by fighting off bacterial infections. To be more precise, antibiotics have two modes of action some are bactericidal, and others are bacteriostatic.
Bactericidal antibiotics work by killing bacteria directly, while bacteriostatic antibiotics simply inhibit bacterial growth. Beta-lactams is an example of bactericidal agents, while tetracycline is bacteriostatic.
Antibiotics Are For Bacterial Infections
and that means they wont work for every kind of infection. For example, colds and flus are caused by viruses and, as such, will NOT respond to antibiotics. Offering them in these cases only exposes a wider range of bacteria to these drugs, thereby increasing the chances for the development of resistant strains of bacteria.
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What Causes Upper Respiratory Infection In Cats
The most common causes are two virusesthe feline herpesvirus and the feline calicivirus. Together, these make up almost 90 percent of the infections we see. There are a few other agents, including feline chlamydiosis, mycoplasma and Bordetellaand some cats may be infected with more than one respiratory infection virus.
Fortunately, there are tests that can be done by your veterinarian to help narrow down the cause of the infection. These diagnostic tests are often done with severely affected cats or when lots of cats have been exposed.
Applying Ear Drops To Cats
In order to properly treat inflammatory or infectious ear conditions, topical ear medications are often necessary. Instilling ear medications into your cat’s ears can be a challenging task, especially if they are uncomfortable. Have patience and contact your veterinarian if you are having difficulties.
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Prescription Antibiotics For Cats And What They Treat
When your cat gets an infection, its likely their treatment will include prescription antibiotics. The type of medication will depend on the type of illness and the overall health of your pet. Because there are so many different causes of an infection, its best to consult your pets veterinarian for a proper diagnosis. They will prescribe the right prescription antibiotics for cats and give you specific dosage instructions.
Pill Pockets For Getting Cats To Eat Medicine
Ah, pill pockets. Those tasty, kibble-lookalike products you can open up, pop a pill into, seal up, then hand over to your pet and watch as both you and your kitty get a treat at the same time.
If youve got quite a lot of medicine to be delving over, and dont want any fuss or hassle, you just want to see that medication go down, pill pockets are where its at.
I cant imagine a more convenient thing to have on hand for cats who take medication regularly.
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How Is Metronidazole Given To Cats
Your vets office may have an injectable form of metronidazole, but this is typically only used if your pet is too sick to take any medications by mouth. Metronidazole is readily available as an oral tablet and capsule. However, cats have an easier time tolerating a more palatable liquid version. Your vet may send you to a compounding pharmacy where they are able to make this suspension.
After the first dose, it takes 1 to 2 hours for your cats body to absorb the medication. Your cats diarrhea should start to get better in a few days. Make sure your cat finishes the entire course of metronidazole ordered by the vet, even if their diarrhea has totally cleared up. Your cats symptoms could return and be harder to treat if they dont finish all of the medication.
Can Pets Take Human Antibiotics
Although antibiotics will work to fight bacteria, whether its used on a human or animal, its important to not give antibiotics prescribed to people, says Dr. Phillips. Some antibiotics work better in some species over others and dosages may be different. Side effects can also vary greatly between species.
Even in classes of medicine that are prescribed to both humans and animals, certain medicines may be toxic for pets due to differences in metabolism between people and dogs or cats. Veterinarian oversight is critical to making sure the right antibiotics are used on pets.
For example, Dr. Phillips said, Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid is a commonly used antibiotic in both pets and people under several brand names. But the ratio of amoxicillin to clavulanic acid varies significantly between products that are intended for humans and those that are intended for pets. These kinds of differences can make a big impact on the effectiveness of the antibiotic.
Bottom line: if you think your dog or cat may need pet antibiotics, its best to see a vet and get a prescription to keep your pet safe and get them healthy once again. In some cases, your vet may send you to a human pharmacy to pick up the medication. In others, your pet will need a specially formulated Rx.
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What To Do If Your Pet Needs Antibiotics
Before giving antibiotics to your pet, its best to first consult with a vet who understands your pets medical history to ensure there are minimal side effects and no interactions with any other medications.
Once you have a prescription, you can usually pick it up at a pet store or your local pharmacybe sure theydont stray from the original prescription in any way unless theyve consulted with the vet. Some medications may have side effects like low appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. If your dog or cat exhibits any of these symptoms, its a good idea to contact your vet.
Most importantly, its critical that you administer the entire course of antibiotics, even if your pet improves and the infection looks like its resolved. Because animals usually arent eager to take medication and it can be tough on their owners, people sometimes stop pet antibiotics early, leaving your pet at risk for becoming unwell again. Stay the course and your pets health will thank you.
What If Your Pet Does Not Fall Under The Above Categories
Owners are sometimes surprised to learn that their pet will not receive antibiotics prior to routine surgery and also will not be sent home with oral antibiotics. When infections do develop in these cases, it may seem that the decision not to use antibiotics was to blame. However, there is overwhelming evidence that unnecessary antibiotic administration in these circumstances does not help prevent post-operative infections. Additionally, this routine use of antibiotics puts both you and your pet at risk for infections that are potentially resistant to all but the most potent antibiotics, contributing to a world-wide health crisis.
If your pet needs antibiotics that are prescribed, it is very important that you give all the medication to your pet as directed on the bottle skipping doses and stopping before all the medication has been given is as effective as not administering these drugs at all.
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Understanding The Medication Instructions
When your veterinarian prescribes a new medication, make sure you completely understand the instructions before you leave the office. He will likely explain the route of medication into the body how often the medication should be taken , duration of treatment , and other special considerations . You should also ask how you can expect your pet to respond to the treatmentand how quickly he will be feeling better.
Some medications dont have very strict dosing instructionsfor example, your veterinarian may simply say you should administer the drug as needed. Other times, you may be able to give a medication once a day even though the package says twice a day. But since other dosing guidelines must be followed precisely, you should always ask your veterinarian before making adjustments. And dont hesitate to speak up if the dosing instructions dont work with your schedulein some cases your veterinarian may be able to recommend another medication that can be given on a different timetable. For example, if your work schedule does not permit dosing every 8 hours, your veterinarian may be able to recommend a medication that can be given less frequently.
Antibiotics In Feline Practice
SÉVERINE TASKER examines the protocols and best practice when treating cats with antibiotics, taking into consideration owner compliance, dosing and efficacy
ANTIBIOTICS are commonly prescribed in cats with the intention of helping the host eliminate infectious organisms. However, antibiotics must be chosen and prescribed responsibly due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in companion animals and concern regarding overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
Although the choice of antibiotic should ideally be based on culture and sensitivity testing, this is often impractical in clinical situations and veterinary surgeons will often find themselves prescribing antibiotics empirically based on the organisms most likely to be at the site of infection and the properties of the antibiotic in terms of the target tissue.
The use of cytology can also be considered as this can be used to confirm the presence of bacteria and aid preliminary identification of the infecting organism. However, the value of culture and sensitivity testing should not be forgotten, especially in cases where initial therapy has failed.
Empirical therapy with broadspectrum antibiotics should be limited to serious infections or those that are not sensitive to narrow-spectrum antibiotics.
Antibiotics can be divided into time-dependent and concentrationdependent agents according to the method of bacterial killing they use.
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