How to Manage Your Cat's Medication Schedule

Carmine and Tylan both have chronic medical conditions they need to take daily, weekly, and monthly medications to manage. Carmine gets his gabapentin twice a day, his telmisartan and zofran once a day, his adequan injection once a week, and his B12 injection and allergy shot once a month. Tylan gets his methimazole twice a day and his zofran and benazepril once a day. He also gets prednisolone, but how much he gets per day varies by week. And we won't even discuss what Carmine's immunotherapy schedule looked like before he made it to the maintenance stage. 

When your cats take medication, it can be easy to forget a dose or to give the medication at the wrong time. I've found several things to help me manage my boys' medication schedules that you might find useful in managing your cat's medications as well.

How to Create a Medication Board for Your Cat

As you can see, Carmine and Tylan take a lot of medication and supplements for their health issues. And of course each medication or supplement has a different refill date. I found it challenging to try to keep track of what was due for refill and when. There has even been a time or two in the past where I didn't notice a medication was running out in time for me to wait on it to ship. In these instances, I had to expedite shipping, which isn't cheap. 

I decided to create a medication board for the boys to help me keep track of when their medications are due for refill. I thought it might be helpful to share how I created my medication board in case you want to make one for your cat. 

For this project, you will need:

• A magnetic white board.
• Dry erase markers.
• Deco or wasabi tape.
• Labels.
• Magnetic sheets.
• Scissors.
• Command picture hanging strips.

I had a friend help me with this project. 

First, I made labels with all of Carmine's and Tylan's medication and supplement names on them. I used Microsoft Word and my printer to make the labels, but if you have good handwriting, you can write out the labels yourself. 

Next, we took the labels and trimmed off the excess space. Then, we affixed the labels to magnet sheets and cut the them apart. 

We divided the magnetic labels into three piles - Carmine, Tylan, and Boys. We put all of the medications and supplements Carmine and Tylan take into their respective piles. We put medications and supplements both cats take into the, "Boys," pile. This allowed us to determine how many rows we needed to make under each category name. 

I decided I wanted to have four columns - one for the medication or supplement name, one for the date the medication or supplement was filled, one for when the item needs to be refilled next, and one for the number of refills remaining on the medication. 

My friend helped me create the appropriate number of rows and columns on the white board with deco tape. Because I like pink, I chose a pack of deco tape with a lot of pink in it, but you can choose whatever colors or designs you like, such as these cute cat wasabi tapes. 

Because Carmine and Tylan have so many medications and supplements, I purchased a large white board, but you can use a smaller one if your cat doesn't have as many medications to keep track of. 

Once you've created your columns and rows on the board, you can add your cat's medication and supplement magnetic labels. Fill in the rest of the information for each medication or supplement you decide to put on the board. 

I used Command picture hanging strips to hang my white board on the wall. 

I have magnetic dry erase markers, so I just leave one on the board so that I can easily erase and fill in information as I go along. 

Creating this medication board for my cats allows me to easily see what is due for refill and when, which helps me plan out my ordering schedule more effectively. 

I hope this idea can help someone else. If you decide to make a medication board for your cat, I would love to hear how it works out for you! 

Milita's Monday

Hi everyone, it's Milita here today.

The Mom is thinking about starting something new on the blog so I get more time on it.  She thinks that every other Monday should be Milita's Monday instead of Mancat Monday.  What do you think about that?  I think it's a great idea!

As many of you know from last week's Milita's Monday, I have been fighting off pneumonia with the help of Baytril, Clavamox, and Prednisolone.

The Mom noticed within a few days of me starting the meds that I was getting very sick.  Let's just say my tummy didn't feel so good.  The Mom became very worried about me when she saw I wasn't eating hardly anything and worried that I might get fatty liver disease (whatever that is).  So she called Dr. Stabby who said it was fine to take me off the Clavamox.  Was I ever happy about that!  I demanded the Mom feed me the next morning, which made her very happy.

The Mom says she is going to have Dr. Stabby make a note in my chart not to give me Clavamox anymore unless there is nothing else because it always makes my tummy so sick.

That Mom insisted on sticking me into the PTU again last Tuesday.  I made my displeasure known by singing the song of my people.

We saw a different vet this time since Dr. Stabby wasn't in.  The Mom knew I had lost weight because I didn't eat much for a few days when my tummy was so upset, but she was shocked that I lost 11 ounces!!  She said that was no good at all!

Then they took me to the horrible x-ray room.  I squirmed so much that they had to try to get an x-ray of my chest three times, and each time they stretched me out, I got more and more annoyed!  I don't like being stretched out and flattened like a pancake!

In the end, all my x-rays came out crocked, but they were still able to see my lungs well enough.

The vet came in and listened to me and poked at me.  She told the Mom that I sounded good, and the x-rays showed that my pneumonia had cleared up a lot.  She said she was impressed because she doesn't usually see pneumonia clear up so fast - there was just a little still in there.

So the plan is for me to finish out the Baytril (mrrrr) and then taper me off the Prednisolone and see what happens.  They said if I start wheezing or coughing again, then I probably have asthma.  I hope not because I really hate taking medication - even that Prednisolone that is supposed to taste like chicken liver.

Now that I am feeling better, I better not have to see Dr. Stabby again for a long time!

Please be sure to stop by on Wednesday.  Someone has a special day!

Milita's Monday

Hi everyone!  Carmine said I could post today even though it is usually his day to post.  And yes, those are Christmas cards you see behind me, MOL.  The Mom likes to keep our cards up throughout the year to look at.  She has them all displayed on the wall behind our couch.

I am sure some of you saw on Facebook that I had to go see Dr. Stabby last week.  Let me tell you, I was not a happy girl!  I made my feelings known about it right away, too.  When Dr. Stabby's assistant walked near me, I gave her a nice hiss so she knew how displeased I was.

In the examining room, I was a furry growl machine.  But no matter how much I growled, Dr. Stabby kept examining me.  Dr. Stabby weighed me and told the Mom that I gained 3.5 ounces.  Now I weigh 13 pounds, 8 ounces.

After she was done examining me, Dr. Stabby said that yes, I had an upper respiratory infection, but that the Mom caught it early and that was good of her.  Dr. Stabby and the Mom decided it would be best for me to have a course of antibiotics (Clavamox).  I was not very happy to hear that I had to have that yucky medicine again.

The Mom says I sound better (not crackily) when I purr now.  The antibiotics are upsetting my tummy, though.  On Sunday, I vomited a few times - even once on the Mom's bed while she slept.  The Mom says that we are almost done with the antibiotics, though, so my tummy should be feeling better soon.

Even though I have been recovering from an infection this past week, I am still spending a lot more time with the Mom.  The Mom likes it that I am more social and spend so much time with her.  I even slept on the Mom's pillow on Sunday like I used to every night!  Did that ever make the Mom happy. :)

If you want to continue to send a few purrs and prayers, I would appreciate it.  I can't wait until tomorrow when I am done with this yucky medicine!

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine.

Can yous believe it is another Mancat Monday alreadys?

Mes has a couple of updates to share with yous today.

First, the Mom talked with Dr. Stabby last week because Lita was hiding most of the day and night because hers was so nervous about being pilled.  Dr. Stabby's assistant told the Mom that they would call in some Paxil for Lita....whatever that is.

The Mom has been crushing it up and putting it in Lita's wet noms.  Dr. Stabby's assistant says that Paxil doesn't taste all yucky like the Amitriptyline hers was taking.  Until yesterday, Lita was eating it in hers noms with no problem.  But last night, Lita did not want to eat hers noms!  The Mom is just hoping hers was having an off day and hopes Lita did not figure out hers is getting a pill in hers noms.  The Mom says hers will have to look into compounding Milita's medication into an ear gel if hers has figured it out.  Lita gets all anxious about getting pills or squirts in the mouth, and the Mom does not want her to hide all the time.  The Mom says that would not be a nice life for my sisfur, and mes agrees.

Lita is still hiding a lot, but the Mom knows it will take her a few more days at least for hers to trust that the humans are not going to try to get pills down hers again.  Lita does sleep with the Mom though when hers sleeps.  Me guesses hers knows the Mom's bed is a safe place to be.

Second, the Mom has been stressed lately by a few things.  So mes has been jumping in the Mom's lap more and curling up and purring in it to make hers feel better.  Hers says I am a very good and sweet mancat!

Being the mancat of the house sure is a lot of responsibility!  Mes thinks mes is going to go has a little nap nows.

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's Carmine here!  

The Mom noticed that Milita was still not feeling well, so hers came with mes to the Stabby Place last week.  Lita "sang" all the way to the Stabby Place to make sure the Mom knew how displeased hers was with the situation.  

When we got there, Dr. Stabby weighed Lita, and hers has gained half a pound!  The Mom says Lita is on a diet nows and has been encouraging hers to chase the Neko fly around everyday.  Milita doesn't mind the extra playtime, but she sure isn't happy about not getting as many noms a day as she was before.  

Upon the exam, Dr. Stabby found a very big ulcer in Lita's mouth, the Mom said.  So the Mom and Dr. Stabby talked and agreed Lita is still trying to fight off her upper respiratory infection.  The Mom said her and Dr. Stabby agreed it would be best to put Lita on Clavamox since the Amoxicillin didn't seem to help her much.  

Me was waiting in another room for my B12 shot when Dr. Stabby brought Milita in and started cutting her sharp claws.  Lita was screaming, so the Mom hurried on back to the back of the clinic to try to calm Lita down.  Mes is glad hers came back there because Lita's screaming was really scaring and stressing mes out!

Next, it was my turn.  The Mom stayed in the back of the clinic with mes while Dr. Stabby gave mes a quick exam before my B12 shot.  Dr. Stabby said mes weighs 10 pounds, 4 ounces nows!  Everybody always cheers when mes does not lose weight, MOL.  Mes has put on some weight this month, and that makes the Mom and Dr. Stabby happy.  

During my exam, Dr. Stabby found a small ulcer on my tongue.  Hers and the Mom decided another round of Amoxicillin would be good for mes to help mes fight off the rest of my upper respiratory infection.  


Dr. Stabby told the Mom that hers thinks we has Calici....whatever that means.  Whatever it is, we want it to go away!

Dr. Stabby told the Mom that hers thinks our infections are on their way out, and we all hope hers is right!  It is no fun being sick and having medicine squirted in your mouth twice a day.  Mes and Milita always put up a good fight when it is medicine time, MOL.  

We would appreciate some purrs and prayers to help us fight off these infections once and for all.  We don't want to have to take any more yucky pink medicine!  

Mancat Monday with Updates on Carmine and Milita

Carmine: If mes stays in my cube, nobodys can give mes that horrible medicine.

Hi everyone, it's the Mom with some updates about Carmine and Milita.

About two weeks ago, I noticed Carmine turning his nose up at his favorite wet foods.  Once I'd put a little bit on his nose, though, he'd lick it and decide it was good and start eating his dinner.  I suspected that he couldn't smell his food.  

Then, he started having a weepy eye.  So I called the vet and moved his appointment up to the first opening they had.  I figured he was having an upper respiratory infection and wanted to get it treated as quickly as possible.  

By last Tuesday, Milita was starting to sneeze and cough, so I ended up taking her to the vet with us on Wednesday.  

After the examinations, the vet determined that Milita probably had an upper respiratory infection, but she wasn't sure about Carmine.  I don't like giving Carmine medication if he doesn't need it, but we decided to go ahead and give Carmine antibiotics along with Milita because we didn't want them passing the infection back and forth and because Carmine gets so much sicker than Milita when he has an upper respiratory infection.  

Both kitties are on Amoxicillin and an eye drop for the infection now until this Wednesday.  Neither one are happy about it, either.  

By the way, I wrote an article on upper respiratory infections last week.  If you missed it, you can read it here.  

Easy Like Sunday with Milita

Hi everybody, Milita here!  I'm enjoying my favorite spot on the couch.  

Since I came home from the vet, I have been feeling better.  I have been eating my wet food and my kibbles, which seems to make the Mom happy.  I have more energy now; I fly up my tree to get my wet noms!  The Mom has been playing Neko fly with me lately, and I really love that!

Today, the Mom is a little worried about me, though, because I am not eating as much as I have been the past few days.  I even hid under her bed and then under her dresser for a while, which I never do unless the awful vacuum monster comes out.  The Mom says she is going to watch me carefully to see if we need to take another trip.......I don't want another trip!!!  

When it's medication time, I make sure and fight as much as possible.  Earlier, the Mom was holding me while her friend gave me the medicine.  They got the pain medicine in me, but when they tried to give me my Amoxicillin, I kicked the Mom really hard in the tummy and dug in my back claws!  The Mom is nice and allergic to me, so when I scratch her, all the skin around it, gets all swollen and red and really itchy!  That'll teach her to try to make me have medicine, MOL!!

We hope you all have a great Sunday! 

Jewel's Journey Through CRF

While I'm not ready to talk about Jewel's final days, I want to share our journey through Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) with all of you in hopes that our experience will help someone else.  Remember: always check with your veterinarian before adding anything to your kitty's treatment regimen - prescription or holistic.  Every cat's situation is unique; just because something did or didn't work for Jewel doesn't mean your cat will react in the same way.

Warming Signs and Diagnosis

As many of you know, I was once roommates with Jewel's former owner, but it wasn't a good situation, so I moved out.  A month or so before I moved out, I noticed that Jewel was drinking even more than she usually had.  I planned to take her to my vet as soon as I could because her former owner didn't think this change warranted a vet visit.  

After I moved away from the house, it was two months before Jewel's former owner brought her to see me.  When I saw her, my heart broke.  She had lost 3 or 4 pounds in that short time span.  Jewel went to see my vet shortly after that visit.  The vet took a blood and urine sample from Jewel and called me with the results the next day.  Jewel had CRF.  I was rather upset when I heard the news and began to research the disease and how best to help her.  Jewel received her diagnosis in November, 2011.

Kidney Diets

Since Jewel's phosphorus levels were high, we immediately started her on Epakitin, a powder phosphorus binder you can mix into wet food.  Epakitin worked well for Jewel.  Her phosphorus levels normalized, and she didn't mind eating the powder in her wet food.

The vet also recommended we start her on Hill's Prescription k/d wet and dry food.  While Jewel didn't mind eating her k/d kibbles, she wanted nothing to do with the wet food.  

I did a little research and discovered Royal Canin also has a prescription kidney diet.  Unfortunately, she didn't want anything to do with the Royal Canin LP either.  

I had joined a CRF support group and asked if there were any other kidney diets she could try.  I learned about Purina NF, and tracked some down at a hospital close to her former owner's home.  Sadly, Jewel didn't like Purina NF, either.  

She was eating very little at this point so we started feeding her anything she would eat.  The vet confirmed that this was the right thing to do; we didn't want her to starve to death trying to get her to eat a kidney diet. 

High Blood Pressure's Sneak Attack

High blood pressure often co-occurs with CRF.  Our vet discovered pretty early on that Jewel's blood pressure was slightly elevated.  We started her on Benazepril to help control it.  It was at this point that Jewel's former owner and I decided that it would be best for her to stay with me full-time due to the fact that her former owner had a lot of other people, children, and a kitten living in his home.  We thought the stress was too much for Jewel to handle.  Later on, of course, I adopted her as my own kitty.  

Earlier this year, Jewel's blood pressure became out of control.  Her blood pressure was so high that her retinas were 50% detached.  We changed Jewel's medication to Amlodipine, beginning with one-half tablet once a day.  We had to raise Jewel's Amlodipine dose a few times before we found a dose that was able to control her blood pressure.  Thankfully, her retinas did reattach.  

Coping With Nausea and Stomach Acid

Shortly after being diagnosed with CRF, Jewel didn't have much interest in eating.  While part of this was due to the fact that she didn't like the kidney diets, nausea also played a part.  Our vet recommended giving Jewel 1/4 of a 10mg Pepcid to help her nausea.  This did, in fact, help, and she began to eat more.  However, Jewel didn't get the Pepcid daily because I wasn't able to pill her alone.  Jewel was always VERY stubborn about taking her medication.  

When I talked with the vet about the situation, she recommended we try Reglan for Jewel, which can be compounded into a liquid that I could squirt into her mouth.  Compounding medication can be expensive ($40 for a one-month supply of Reglan) though, so I did a little research and discovered a natural nausea remedy for kitties with CRF - slippery elm bark.  When I wasn't able to afford Jewel's compounded Reglan, I used the slippery elm bark to help her.  The drawback of this remedy is that you cannot give any other medications within two hours of slippery elm bark because it interferes with the effects of medication.  On the plus side, it wasn't difficult at all to get Jewel to eat her slippery elm bark mixed into a little bit of a Fancy Feast appetizer.  

Increasing Appetite

As the disease progresses, kitties with CRF lose their appetites.  Jewel would go for days or even weeks without wanting to eat much, but we found ways to encourage her to eat more.  A few times, I got her Hi'll's Prescription a/d, a canned food that's high in calories and can be syringe fed if necessary.  I didn't use this very often, though, because it really seemed to increase her stomach acid and nausea.  

Most of the time, I would go to the store and pick out a lot of different kinds of food in different flavors to see what Jewel would and wouldn't eat.  I discovered one of her favorites was Fancy Feast Fish and Shrimp Feast, so I always made sure to have at least one of those in the house for the times she turned her nose up at other foods.  

My vet also prescribed Mirtazapine to increase Jewel's appetite when she didn't feel like eating.  This medication really helped when Jewel wouldn't even eat her favorite foods, but after about a year of using the medication as needed, it stopped working for her.  We switched to Cyproheptadine to increase her appetite.  

Fluid Therapy

Fluid therapy helps the kidneys filter toxins out of the body.  I was really nervous at the idea of sticking Jewel with a needle to administer the subcutaneous fluids, and I was doubtful that I could do this effectively given my severe vision impairment.  The first time I stuck her by myself at home, I was a nervous wreck!  

Over time, though, Jewel and I both became more comfortable with this treatment.  Whereas initially, Jewel would try to run away from me during treatment, she soon began to lay down and patiently wait during treatment time.  She always received treats after fluids time, which I know she looked forward to.  Jewel LOVED treats!  

Love

It might sound cliche, but I think what helped Jewel, perhaps more than medication, was being loved.  Jewel had a difficult life, and due to her past, it took her a long time to trust me.  The love my friend, D, and I gave her gave Jewel something to keep fighting for.  Jewel turned from a cranky senior into a little love bug within months of me taking over her care.  She seemed to really begain to enjoy her life, despite all the pilling and poking we had to do to keep her stable.  

CRF Is A Roller Coaster

CRF is truly an emotional roller coaster.  One day, you're thrilled that your kitty seems happy, wants to eat, and seeks out your attention.  The next day, you're worried because she turns her nose up at her favorite food, and she's hiding under your dresser.  

To be completely honest, shortly after Jewel was diagnosed with CRF, I tried to distance myself from her emotionally so I wouldn't have to be hurt when she went to the Rainbow Bridge.  That didn't work.  Jewel wove herself into every fiber of my heart.  Yes, it hurt more than I ever could have imagined when she went to the Bridge, but I don't regret a second of our time together.  I don't regret opening my heart to her and loving her more than I can ever say.  It still hurts me; every single day I have to spend without her is painful.  I don't think that will ever change.  But I know that I will see her again, and I know that she is still around, even if I can't see her or touch her or hear her anymore.  

The love I have for my beautiful Jewel will never go away.  Even though I only knew her for four short years, she changed my life.  I love and miss my baby.  

Jewel's Vet Visit

I'm very overwhelmed with everything I need to do, and don't know how to avoid the kind of pain flare-up I had the last time I moved.  It's hard for me to pace myself with the pain and exhaustion I'm constantly experiencing (my chronic pain condition causes extreme exhaustion as well as pain).  

But enough about me!  I wanted to give you all an update about Jewel.

I took Jewel to the vet on Tuesday to learn how to give her fluids with the IV line instead of the syringes.  They thought it would be more comfortable for her with the line.  

The vet showed me how to do it.  She's great. :)  She said they would get the line all ready for me each time, letting the fluid drip down into the line because I can't see it to tell where it is in the line.  I so appreciate that they are willing to work with me and my limitations.  

It turns out, the line really is better.  Jewel didn't cry nearly as much with her treatment at the vet.  Her next treatment will be Friday.  I think it will go better than the syringe method and she'll get all the fluids she needs.  

Jewel: I was very upset when the woman tried to put me in the carrier, so I tried to bite her.  I missed her hand, though, so I fought hard and squirmed and scratched.  I almost got away, but she managed to get me in the carrier.  

While at the vet, I bought a Yeoww banana for Jewel and a couple of catnip pillows.  I put one of the pillows in her carrier for the way home as I thought it might calm her a little, but she decided to pee in the carrier on the way home.  I'll have to get her another pillow when I go back in a week or two (without cats this time).

The vet and I discussed Jewel's medications.  The vet pilled her with the Mirtazepine for me since I can't pill her myself.  We decided to compound her medications.  

Jewel will be getting Benazepril (blood pressure med) and Mirtazepine (appetite stimulant) in liquid form.  I'm hoping if Jewel is hungrier, I can give her a snack with her slippery elm bark, but if that doesn't work, we will compound Reglan for her nausea.  

We wish all of our fellow Americans a happy Independence Day!!! 

Jewel's Not Well

We went to the vet on Wednesday to get Jewel's blood drawn and weight checked.  They are going to need to do this every three months (at least).  

Jewel managed to gain a lot of weight with the a/d mixed into her normal food.  But now that I don't have help to get the Pepcid down her, she can't eat a/d anymore because it upsets her tummy.  The vet said I could try the slippery elm bark for now, but if her phosphorus or calcium levels get high, we can't use it anymore.  I guess the Epakitin is working well because her phosphorus used to be high.  So we will see if that helps any when I get it in the mail.

However, she lost nearly all the weight she had gained.  Still, she's up 1.5 ounces from last time.  She's 8 pounds, 10.5 ounces now.

The vet called today with Jewel's blood work.  It's not good.

Her BUN went up from 41 to 46 - but I don't know what that means.

Her creat. went up from 3.4 to 4.1.  The vet says that means her kidney disease has gotten worse.  It is now in stage 3, and she needs subcutaneous fluids because she's dehydrated.

To say that I'm overwhelmed, stressed out, and extremely sad would be an understatement.  This situation has some very unique circumstances I'm not at liberty to discuss in a public forum. 

I'm nearly blind (yes, my vision is much worse than the cut-off for "legally blind") and I don't know how I'm going to be able to give her these fluids if it's something that relies on vision at all.  

The vet gave her an appetite stimulant, but it's a pill, and I can't pill her.  Even when I had a sighted person help, it took both of us and several tries to get a pill down her.  She's VERY good at getting the pills out, even if they're halfway down her throat.  She refuses to eat Greenies' pill pockets or to eat her pills as a powder in anything.  So, how am I supposed to give her this appetite stimulant??  

On top of all of this, I have some other major stresses going on in my life - mainly financial - and as I move up the waiting lists for affordable/subsidized housing, I'm trying to figure out how I can get BOTH my companion animals (Carmine and Milita) into these places when everyone's "policy" is to only allow one.  Not only would it be detrimental to me, but it would be detrimental to them for either of them to be split from the household after 8 years together, and I am not willing to allow this to happen.  

Jewel: That awful human tried to get me to eat a yucky Greenies pill pocket tonight.  When I refused, she tried to put it in my mouth, so I drew her bloods!  Nobody is going to make me eat a pill if I don't want it!

If someone would kindly like to make a Purrs and Prayers badge for Jewel, that would be nice.  You are welcome to use any of the pictures on the blog of Jewel for it.

Carmine's Home from Surgery

Thank you all so much for the purrs and prayers!! The support of the blogosphere is truly amazing :)

I would have had an update about Carmine earlier if my sinus infection hadn't been kicking my behind all day.  But here's one now!

Carmine only had to have one extraction.  Apparently they were able to save the other three they were worried about.  But....the vet tech says he has "chronic gum disease."  She recommended feeding him Greenies treats since she knows Carmy won't let me brush his teeth.  So I will grab some of those on Sunday.

Unfortunately when he was expressed at the vet this time, he was full, so every three months it is for getting him expressed... :(  He's not going to like that!!

Since he's been home, he spends most of his time under my bed napping and pouting.  He refused to eat anything the first night he was home and most of today.  He finally ate a little bit on his own a few hours ago and a tiny bit more just a little bit ago.  It hasn't been much, but at least he's eating something!!  I was getting quite worried I'd have to take him to the hospital.  It looks like he's feeling a little better, though.  I hope he eats more later.

He HATES his medications.  He sits and my arms and says "Moooooo!" when it's time for them.  He sure knows how to make mama feel guilty.  I wish he could understand that the medications are to help him feel better.

I have to be a "bad mama" again here shortly and administer the pain med and antibiotic before we all head to sleep here.

I just wanted to give everyone an update because I know some of you were wondering about him :)

Top 10 Cat and Dog Toxins of 2011

In 2011, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, located in Urbana, IL, received more than 165,900 phone calls regarding pets being exposed to toxic substances.  The 10 most common toxic substances pets were exposed to are as follows.

1. Prescription Human Medications: The Animal Poison Control Center reports it received nearly 25,000 calls regarding pets ingesting prescription human medications last year.  ADHD and heart medications were among the most commonly swallowed prescription drugs.

To prevent your pet from swallowing any prescription medication, take your pills in the bathroom or another room containing tile or non-carpeted floor.  This way you can hear it more easily if a pill happens to fall on the floor.  Being aware that a pill has fallen will give you a chance to search for and pick up the medication before your pet has a chance to ingest it.

2. Insecticides: Eleven percent of calls last year concerned pets being exposed to insecticides.  These products included those utilized in the home, on pets, and on the lawn.  The ASPCA reminds pet owners it is essential to read a product's directions before using it around a pet.  Only use products that are safe to use around pets in your home and on your lawn.  Finally, do not use a product specifically made for a dog on a cat or vice versa.

3. Over-the-Counter Human Medications: Over-the-counter human medications are also toxic to pets.  Common over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen (found in Tylenol) or ibuprofen, often found in the home, can actually kill your cat or dog if he or she ingests them.  Always check with your veterinarian before you give any type of over-the-counter medication to your furry friend.

4. People/Human Food: As much as you might want to share your food with your furry friend, you must be careful what you feed your pet.  Several human foods can cause severe damage to your cat or dog if he or she eats them.  Chocolate, for instance, may cause diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and increased heart rate in pets who have ingested it, according to the ASPCA.

You may find a list of common toxic foods to cats in my earlier posts - Toxic Food to Cats Part 1 and Part 2.  Please note that these are NOT complete lists of all the foods toxic to cats.

5. Household Products: The household products ingested were not specified by the Animal Poison Control Center.  Be sure to keep all small items, such as rubber bands, staples, needles, thumb tacks, and so forth put up in containers where pets cannot access them.  These products may cause dangerous intestinal blockages or tares if ingested.  Likewise, keep all string, streamers, tinsel, yarn, thread, etc. out of your furry friend's reach.  These items can also have fatal consequences if ingested.  Finally, keep all chemical cleaners out of your pet's reach.

6. Veterinary Medications: Some chewable pet medications may taste good to your furry friend.  If he or she ingests more than he or she is supposed to at one time, it may result in poisoning.  Be sure to keep your pet's medication out of reach, such as in a secure medicine cabinet in the bathroom, so that he or she cannot gobble all of his or her pills at once.  If your furry friend eats more medication than your vet recommends per dose, call your veterinarian immediately.

7. Rodenticides: Use rodenticides with extreme caution around pets.  Bait to trap mice may be especially attractive to dogs as it is grain based.  According to the ASPCA, ingesting rodenticides may cause kidney failure, internal bleeding, and/or death.

8. Plants: Cats seem to find chewing on plants irresistible.  There are hundreds of plants toxic to cats and dogs.  For instance, lilies can lead to kidney failure and death for cats who ingest them, according to the ASPCA.  You may reference their list of toxic and non-toxic plants here.  You may also view my list of some safe plants to keep around cats if you enjoy having plants in your home.

9. Lawn and Garden Products: According to the ASPCA, lawn and garden fertilizers may be made of bone meal, dried blood, and/or poultry manure, which attract pets.  If you utilize lawn and/or garden products, it is a good idea to only let your pets roam outdoors when you can supervise them.

10. Automotive Products: Antifreeze, brake fluid, and so forth can be fatal if ingested by your furry friend.  Thankfully, the number of automotive product poisonings has decreased as more people choose to keep their cats indoors, according to the ASPCA.

Taking some simple precautions and pet-proofing your home, lawn, and garden can go a long way in preventing your pet from accidentally ingesting a poisonous substance.

If you believe your pet has been exposed to a toxic substance, please call your veterinarian immediately or contact the Animal Poison Control Center 24 hours a day at: 888-426-4435.

Source:

ASPCA: Top 10 Pet Toxins of 2011

FDA Approves Felimazole for the Treatment of Feline Hyperthyroidism

The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug Felimazole for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats.

Feline hyperthyroidism occurs when too much of the thyroid hormone T4 circulates in the body. Symptoms can range from milk to severe. Some of the most common symptoms of feline hyperthyroidism include: increased appetite, weight loss, vomiting, muscle weakness, diarrhea, nervousness, high heart rate, increased urination and drinking, heavy/labored breathing, and poor coat.

Hyperthyroidism is a very common condition in middle-aged and senior cats. Field studies were conducted in the United Kingdom and the United States in order to determine the effectiveness and safety of the drug for cats. In the United Kingdom study, 77% of cats had normal T4 levels and 81% of felines had reduced condition severity by day 42 of treatment with the medication. In the United States, cats also had significantly lower T4 levels and improved signs of the disease by day 42 of the treatment. A total of 166 cats were treated with the drug during these studies.

According to the FDA, the most common side effects of Felimazole are: diarrhea, vomiting, a change in food consumption - either a decrease or an increase - and lethargy.

If you believe your cat may be suffering from hyperthyroidism, please visit your vet in order to have your cat examined. Most of the time, vets can perform a simple blood panel to determine if your cat has hyperthyroidism or another disease with similar symptoms.

Human Medication a No-No for Cats

According to Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the most common claims for cat poisoning were a result of cats ingesting human over-the-counter or prescription medication.

I want to remind all of the pet parents and owners out there that while I know it can be costly to make vet trips when your cat is sick, you need to do so in order to get the right medication prescribed for your kitty.

Sometimes, well-meaning pet parents can give their cats a dose of over-the-counter or prescription medication in an attempt to reduce their furry friend's suffering. However, this usually leads to more suffering, not less. Our kitties bodies are much smaller than ours, and often require different and/or smaller medication doses than we do.

If your kitty is sick or injured, please take him or her to a vet and allow the veterinarian to prescribe the right medication for your kitty.

To read the report by VPI, please visit: http://www.catchannel.com/News/pets-ingest-human-medications-more-often-than-other-poisons-vpi-reports.aspx.