Medication details
If your cat has ever had really baddiarrhea , you may have heard of the medicament metronidazole . This normally used medication is often advocate for cats with young or persistent diarrhoea which may be relate to inflammatory bowel disease .
Metronidazole is an antibiotic as well as an antiprotozoal that can be used to treat a variety of sponger infections likegiardia .
If you look up Flagyl on the internet , you may be surprised to say that this medication can also be quite toxic . Keep take to understand what Flagyl is used for and how you’re able to use it safely and effectively to treat your cat .
What is Metronidazole?
Metronidazole was created in a science laboratory in France in 1959 , where it was originally intended to be used to wipe out certain parasites known as protozoon . But it was presently break to be in effect in kill bacterium , as well , making it one of the few medications with both antibiotic and antiprotozal properties .
Metronidazole became widely used in the 1970s and is now available in a variety of physical body , both as a generic medication , as well as under the brand name Flagyl .
Metronidazole is approved by the FDA for human use in the United States , but it is not FDA approved for usein dogsand cats . However , other countries have approve Flagyl for cats and a variety of other coinage .
It has been used in creature for decades and is a very normally prescribed medication by veterinarians . Metronidazole is uncommitted across the United States at any veterinary clinic .
What Does Metronidazole Look Like?
Most veterinary will dictate the generic metronidazole for bozo in 250 mg and 500 mg lozenge . The appearance of the medication diverge by manufacturer , but the pad are generally circular or ellipse and white with letters and numbers stamp on them , depending on the sizing . The liquified form is useable in many colors but is ordinarily off - white-hot to tan .
The name - brand capsules are green and grey-headed . Many name - mark manufacturers produce tablet that are yellow or orange in color . Topical signifier of metronidazole are typically white to off - blanched and come in a variety of consistencies , but are more ordinarily prescribe for human use only .
How Does Metronidazole Work?
Metronidazole is called a nitroimidazole antibacterial and antiprotozoal drug because of the complicated way that it kill bacterium and protozoa . Metronidazole only works in anaerobic cell , meaning cells of bacteria and phylum Protozoa that do not want atomic number 8 .
There are many bacteria and protozoon that live in computed tomography ’ guts or gastrointestinal tracts that do not require atomic number 8 , making them susceptible to the issue of metronidazole . Other case of bacteria that require oxygen , commonly found in the nose , pharynx , and lung , would not be vote out efficaciously by Flagyl .
After a khat is given metronidazole , the medication is absorbed into tissue paper and organs throughout the cat ’s dead body . bacterium or protozoa ingest the Flagyl and metabolise it or bust it down . At this detail , Flagyl transforms into barren base , unstable means that destroy DNA ( genetic material ) . The detached root word target the bacterial or protozoal DNA , efficaciously killing them . After a very short time , the spare radicals break down even further into harmless substances .
For cats with giardia , this medicament also decreases the parasite ’s power to breathe .
What Is Metronidazole Used for in Cats?
The most coarse reasonableness a veterinarian might prescribe Flagyl for your kat is to process issues in the gut , such as bacterial imbalance or sponger .
Typically , it will be prescribe if your African tea has a severe causa of diarrhea — such as one qualify by unformed or liquid stool , inability to make it to the litter box , and/or chronic diarrhoea that has not responded to other treatments . If fecal ( crap ) sample distribution are tested and indicate the comportment of sure sponge such asGiardia spp . , your veterinarian will belike treat these with Flagyl .
Specifically in cats , Flagyl is often prescribed for :
MetronidazoleSide Effectsin Cats
The vast majority of cats tolerate this medication very well , though some mild side effects may occur .
Side effects involving the gut may let in :
These character of symptom are easily managed if metronidazole is an substantive part of your bozo ’s discourse plan . However , in some cases , eminent doses of metronidazole or tenacious courses of treatment can cause toxicosis , or toxic side impression . So it is important for pet parents to know how to recognize it and what to do about it .
Doses of 30mg / kg per twenty-four hours and treating for three calendar week or more have been connect with perniciousness . Toxicosis typically cause neurologic symptom ( i.e. , symptoms related to the brainpower and other nerve ) . symptom of toxicosis in cats include :
If any of these symptoms occur while giving your cat metronidazole , lay off give the medicinal drug and immediately bring your cat to a veterinary hospital . Usually , these symptoms will go away but it may take weeks to months . calculate on how stark the symptoms are , your cat may need surplus care while recovering .
Other very rare side effects of metronidazole include inflammation in the mouth , inflammation of the liver , minify immune organisation reception , change in pee color , and yeast contagion in the gut .
Reactions With Other Drugs and Medications
There are a few specific medicine that interact with Flagyl :
If your cat is read any of the above medicinal drug , ensure to speak to your veterinary surgeon before giving your guy metronidazole .
MetronidazoleDosagefor Cats
Typically , metronidazole is dole out to cat orally ( by mouth ) or intravenously ( injected into the blood stream ) . Metronidazole is typically cave in twice everyday or every 12 hour , but in certain circumstances , your veterinary may dictate it every 24 hours .
The dosing amount your veterinary prescribes look on what your computerized tomography is being handle for as well as factor such as years , other medications , and weight . For example , very youthful kitty typically receive modest VD . Obese cats may be prescribed lower dose since they have spare blubber . It is decisive to follow your veterinarian ’s prescribed dose just , as this medication can have toxic effects if not .
Liquid metronidazole dosing varies free-base on absorption , or how many milligram ( mg ) per milliliter ( mL ) . Topicals are rarely if ever used in cats , and a specialist would choose a unique back breaker for your kitty .
Metronidazole pane should not be given any sooner than 8 hours apart . If you are finding that your docket does not earmark for dosing your computed axial tomography roughly every 12 hours , speak with your veterinary right aside to forfend risks of toxicity .
What if My Cat Misses a Dose of Metronidazole?
If you realize you ’ve missed giving your cat a dose of Flagyl , it is better to hop that drug entirely , rather than give it tardily . This will avoid any potential toxicity from have too much Flagyl too secretive together .
Costof Metronidazole for Cats
Metronidazole is inexpensive if using generic formulations . For example , 250 mg tablets generally cost less than 25 cents each . Most favourite parents will spend less than $ 10 for a curt - terminus prescription drug of pad . Liquid pricing calculate on the steel or deepen formulation , mean it is specially made into a dissimilar concentration to be prosperous to prescribe to cats . Pet parent should gestate to spend less than $ 20 for a short - terminal figure prescription of limpid metronidazole .
mark name metronidazole will cost well more , but this is infrequently used in cat as the size of it of pad of paper or abridgement can not be given to cats due to being too high of a dose .
Metronidazole Storage Instructions
Metronidazole should be stored at room temperature ( roughly 68 - 77 degrees ) and hold in a container that is light - tolerant ( i.e. , a container that you could not see through ) . If metronidazole liquid was compounded for your cat it may need infrigidation . Speak with your veterinary clinic if unsure .
