Head Vet Nurse at Vet4life - Teddington. She has certificates in feline and canine behaviour and is currently studying for a certificate in nursing exotic animals. Latest posts by Sarah Holliday see all. Search for:. Contact Us Teddington: Shepperton: Surbiton: Or send us a message. Our Reviews. Big Bear Award Here are some of the stories of courage and bravery, and some the wonderful animals we work with every day. Register Your Pet Register your pet at one of our practices by filling out the quick simple form.
Vet4life Family Unlimited consultation with any of our vets and nurses - whenever you need to see us, there's no charge for our time. Have a look inside one of our clinics. All of the medications discussed here require a vet exam and prescription. Discuss your options with your vet to figure out which one is best for your pet. The vet will use his education, training and experience to recommend the medication with the least side effects and risk for your pet.
Benzodiazepines are a popular sedative that can reduce anxiety almost immediately. Side effects include disorientation, sleeplessness, and increased appetite. They should be used with extreme caution in cats with liver or kidney problems.
SARIs also relieve anxiety rapidly, but can cause slight dizziness and disorientation. They should be used with caution in animals with heart conditions. Clonidine and gabapentin were developed to treat blood pressure and nerve pain in humans, but have sedative and anti-anxiety effects in animals. Chlorpheniramine is an allergy and cold medication, while phenobarbital is a narcotic and sedative used to treat epilepsy.
Do not expect a quick fix. There are a wide variety of medications available to sedate a cat, most of which must be prescribed by a vet. However, just like with humans, individual cats can have different responses to different medications. Plan for medicated sedation as far ahead of time as possible so you can adjust the medication as necessary. Don't expect a "magic pill" that will work instantly.
Method 2. Perform a trial run. You should always do a trial run with the medication before you actually need to sedate your cat. This ensures that she responds well to it; otherwise, your pet may have a bad reaction in an already stressful situation. In general, you should give yourself at least a week of wiggle room, so you can revisit your vet and discuss other options if your first choice medication is ineffective. Wait for a time when both you and your cat are calm and relaxed.
After giving her the medication, observe her for 12 hours to gauge her reaction to it. The cat should be relaxed and calm, but not woozy or unconscious. Prepare your cat for sedation. Make sure you're within the time frame for sedation you discussed with your vet. Give the medication time to kick in before the stressful event.
Both you and the cat should be as relaxed as possible. Wrap the cat in a small blanket, pillowcase, or towel with only her head exposed. Hold her on the floor straddled between your legs or on your lap, or have someone hold the cat for you. Give your cat her medication. These powerful medications can prove harmful if used inaccurately.
Put your thumb on one side of the cat's mouth, and your forefinger on the Apply gentle pressure until your cat opens her mouth. With your free hand, press gently down on the lower jaw to further open the mouth. Pop in the pill or squeeze liquid medication into the inside of the mouth on the side of 1 cheek. Make sure the cat swallows the medication. Lift her face so her nose points upward, and gently rub her throat to encourage her to swallow. You might also blow gently in her face, which make her gulp or swallow.
Stay in this position for a few seconds before removing the coverings and releasing the cat. Give your cat a lot of praise for her good behavior, and comfort her if she's upset about what just happened. Use alternate delivery methods if needed.
All of these oral therapies can be combined with standard anesthetic protocols; however, when using acepromazine OTM, any additional doses of injectable acepromazine should be dose reduced. As a final reminder, all of these therapies should be combined with cat-friendly practices and low-stress handling techniques.
Small volumes can be diluted with 0. For most average cats, 50 mg tablet recommended Give PO the night prior to hospital visit, then repeat same dose the morning of hospital visit at least 2 hours prior Pre-existing arrhythmias Patients on monoamine oxidase inhibitors MOAIs Table 1 : Dosing and timeline of administration for sedative agents.
Privacy Search Site. More Ways to Donate From an online gift to a charitable gift annuity, your contribution will have a significant impact in the lives of thousands of animals. Learn More. Pre-Hospital Sedation of Cats. Wiley-Blackwell; Lamont LA. Adjunctive Analgesic Therapy in Veterinary Medicine.
Vet Clin: SA Prac ; Dyson DH. However, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian before administering this type of sedatives. Make sure to ask your vet how far ahead of time should you give the medication before the actual grooming session.
Discuss your options and choice of sedatives with your vet or better yet ask your vet for the best recommendations that he can give. Aside from over the counter sedatives, there are also natural alternatives you may use to sedate your cat :. Trough the use of CBD oil.
Try CBD oil or favorite is Chill Paws , which helps many cats with anxiety, agression and other behavioral problems. Through the use of synthetic pheromones. Through the use of body wraps and towel wraps. A similar variation to a body wrap is a towel wrap. Through the use of food supplements that combat anxiety.
0コメント