Aspirin Dosage Chart for Cats: Dangers, Side Effects, Dosage, and Extra

Key Points

• Aspirin is just not a typical medicine used for cats. Only a licensed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (a veterinarian) ought to decide if it’s secure to make use of in your cat.
• This drug can work together with different medicines your cat could also be taking, so it’s essential to make sure your veterinarian is conscious of all medicines (prescription and over-the-counter), nutritional vitamins, complement, and natural cures your pet is taking.
• Aspirin is a harmful medicine for cats and may all the time be used with excessive warning. Side results can usually be life-threatening.

Occasionally, our feline mates expertise painful accidents. As they get older, they might develop arthritis or different painful situations. Humans generally attain for aspirin to alleviate fever or head/physique aches. Also generally known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has been round for a lot of years. However, is aspirin secure to make use of in your cat?

By and enormous, the reply is not any. Dr. Julie Parks, a veterinarian at Northwood Hills Animal Hospital in Gulfport, MS advised AZ Animals, “I wouldn’t use aspirin in cats. It has too many potential side effects and [a] cat’s GI tract, liver, and kidneys are too sensitive. It takes 7 days to clear the liver so you can’t give anything else in that time period.” Her assertion confirmed the acute hazard of giving aspirin to cats. There are only a few situations the place this medicine could also be indicated.

With this info in hand, we remind anybody studying this text that giving medicine of any variety to your pet requires a veterinarian’s recommendation and course. This article doesn’t change veterinary recommendation. Failure to seek the advice of a veterinarian earlier than giving medicine to your cat may lead to main uncomfortable side effects as much as and together with dying.

What is Aspirin Used for in Cats?

Although the danger of poisoning is excessive, some situations do require the usage of aspirin in cats. However, as a result of potential uncomfortable side effects, veterinarians prescribe it solely when completely essential. Let’s study one situation that requires remedy with aspirin in cats!

Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE)

FATE (additionally referred to as saddle thrombus) outcomes when a blood clot travels by way of the aorta (the principle artery of the physique) after which will get caught. The clot lodges on the space the place the aorta splits into two items and travels into the rear legs. Often occurring as a aspect impact of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the blood clot reduces blood circulation to the rear legs inflicting sudden paralysis. The illness is almost 100% deadly.

One research studies that the success of remedy depends upon early prognosis and remedy, normally inside six hours of onset. Treatment consists of hospitalization, intravenous fluids, and administration of a number of medicines (reminiscent of aspirin) in an try to dissolve the clot and forestall new ones from forming. Cats who survive will probably proceed aspirin remedy for a number of months. Reoccurrence is frequent with FATE. Any underlying medical situations (like HCM) should even be accounted for and handled.

Side Effects and Aspirin Poisoning in Cats

The use of any medicine comes with the danger of uncomfortable side effects. Aspirin in cats produces harmful uncomfortable side effects which can lead to dying. If you suppose your cat could have by accident ingested aspirin, contact the Pet Poison Helpline instantly and take your cat to the closest emergency veterinary hospital.

Possible uncomfortable side effects/signs of aspirin poisoning embody:

• Fever
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal ache
• Decreased urge for food
• Increased respiration price
• GI tract ulcers
• Pale gums
• Weakness/tiredness (lethargy)
• Wobbly walking (ataxia)
• Internal bleeding
• Anemia
• Low Blood Protein
• Acidosis (an excessive amount of acid within the blood)
• Increased blood clotting occasions
• Lung harm
• Renal (kidney) failure
• Hepatic (liver) failure
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Contact your veterinarian instantly if you happen to discover any of those indicators. While they is probably not associated to aspirin poisoning, looking for medical assist instantly may save your cat’s life!

When Should Cats Not Take Aspirin?

We’ve already discovered that cats ought to solely take aspirin when particularly prescribed by a veterinarian. However, there are some medicines and different situations that will stop a veterinarian from utilizing it in a cat underneath any circumstances. Also, as Dr. Parks stated, it takes aspirin a very long time to be eradicated from a cat’s physique. That means in the event that they do must go to the vet, your veterinarian will be unable to present different medicines that would actually assist them really feel higher!

Medications Your Cat Cannot Take With Aspirin

VCA Animal Hospital’s article about aspirin use in pets lists an enormous number of medicines, dietary supplements, and so forth. which may be contraindicated for cats who must take aspirin. Here’s the record (together with some examples/what they’re used for):

• ACE inhibitors (enalapril, captopril, and so forth.)
• Alendronate (utilized in cats to deal with excessive calcium, bone most cancers, and FORLs)
• SSRI antidepressants (fluoxetine, sertraline)
• Blood glucose reducing brokers (insulin)
• Calcium channel blockers (amlodipine)
• Corticosteroids (prednisolone)
• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (dichlorphenamide)
• Digoxin (controls coronary heart price and rhythm)
• Furosemide (helps pull fluid away from the world across the coronary heart)
• Glucosamine (joint complement)
• Heparin (anticoagulant used for irregular clots)
• Oral anticoagulants (clopidogrel)
• Hyaluronidase (used to deal with the unfavorable uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy)
• Methotrexate (treats some autoimmune ailments)
• Other NSAIDs (robenacoxib, meloxicam)
• Pentosane polysulfate sodium (remedy for joint ache/osteoarthritis)
• Phenobarbital (seizure medicine)
• Probenecid (reduces bladder stone formation)
• Sulfinpyrazone (reduces blood clotting)
• Spironolactone (will increase urine manufacturing)
• Tetracycline (antibiotic)
• Tiludronate (treats bone issues)
• Urinary acidifying or alkalinizing medication (diethylstilbestrol)
• Valproate merchandise (a bunch of seizure mediations)
• Vitamin E (used for vitamin E deficiencies)

Now, that’s a protracted record of doable medication that work together with aspirin for cats! Some of them will not be even medicines, however dietary supplements like vitamin E and glucosamine. That’s why it’s so essential in your veterinarian to know each single factor you might be giving your cat earlier than they deal with them.

Conditions That Prevent Your Cat From Taking Aspirin

Not solely does a cat’s present medicine doubtlessly make aspirin harmful for them, however there are situations that cats can have that stop them from taking aspirin. Here’s the record together with transient explanations:

• Bleeding issues: Blood-thinning aspirin can worsen these situations
• Bleeding ulcers: As with bleeding issues, skinny blood means heavier bleeding
• Diabetes: Aspirin impacts the efficacy of insulin
• Asthma: Aspirin can have an effect on lung operate. If your cat’s lungs already endure from bronchial asthma, aspirin could make the situation worse.
• Kidney illness: Aspirin could cause renal failure by decreasing blood circulation to the kidneys
• Liver illness: Aspirin is processed by way of the liver and may build up there inflicting failure
• Upcoming surgical process: That’s proper! Your cat can not take aspirin inside 7 days of any surgical process as a result of it thins the blood. That means even a easy surgical procedure like a spay or neuter may lead to your cat bleeding out!

Dosage Chart for Aspirin in Cats

Always observe your veterinarian’s directions precisely and end the prescribed course except in any other case instructed, even when your cat seems to be feeling 100% higher. The typical aspirin dose for cats outdoors of instances of FATE is 5 mg per pound each different day. It is essential to notice that aspirin ought to by no means be given to kittens or pregnant/nursing moms.

Alternatives to Aspirin for Cats

There are safer options on the market for cats as an alternative of giving them aspirin. The dangers far outweigh the rewards except your cat is affected by FATE. Most of the time people take aspirin when there’s some type of ache concerned. Remember, all the time ask your veterinarian earlier than beginning medicines or dietary supplements. Did you recognize that the majority cats over the age of six expertise some type of arthritic ache? Let’s discover a number of different choices for ache aid in cats!

Glucosamine and Fish Oil

Supplements is usually a nice different to aspirin for cats. Glucosamine is a complement made out of shellfish. It’s additionally discovered naturally in cartilage. Giving your cat glucosamine may also help guarantee their cartilage stays wholesome and cushions their joints correctly. You may even give glucosamine to your cat earlier than they develop joint points! This complement has been proven to maintain joints more healthy and scale back the necessity for ache medicines in each cats and dogs.

Fish oil is one other nice complement for joint well being. Cats require omega 3, 6, and 9 to assist their joints, muscle mass, and pores and skin to stay wholesome. Many cat meals already include these elements, however you possibly can ask your veterinarian about supplementing in case your cat is affected by arthritis. The better part is each glucosamine and fish oil dietary supplements are available in tasty treats you may give your cat!

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NSAIDs

Previously, there have been few choices for cats with irritation and ache. As Dr. Parks advised us, cats are very delicate to these kinds of medicines, particularly aspirin. In 2016, the world of cat ache medicine modified! Pet product producer, Elanco, introduced Onsior® to the U.S. market. It had beforehand been authorized in Europe in 2008. The energetic ingredient, robenacoxib, has been studied extensively. The FDA authorized it for the usage of post-surgical ache aid in cats. However, it can’t be taken for greater than three days in a row. Occasionally, veterinarians will prescribe this medicine after an damage. That’s so the cat can have some pain-free days whereas they heal!

The New Kid on the Block: Solensia™

In January 2022, the FDA authorized a brand new form of remedy feline osteoarthritis (FOA) ache. Zoetis Petcare sought a method to assist cats with this ache since medicines like meloxicam and aspirin aren’t actually secure for them. That’s how Solensia™ took place. This once-a-month injection for cats affected by FOA proves to be an efficient different. Studies confirmed at the least 67% of cat house owners noticed an enchancment of their cat’s ache ranges in only one dose!

The smartest thing about this product is that it’s not a medicine. It’s really a particular kind of protein particular to cats referred to as a monoclonal antibody. Essentially, it really works similar to your cat’s personal antibodies.

It reduces ache by blocking the alerts from the joints that inform the mind, “Hey, that hurts!” Of course, blocking the alerts doesn’t remedy the issue. However, since FOA has no remedy, decreasing the ache your cat feels is the very best that may be supplied.

This product is the most secure one in the marketplace on the time of writing as a result of it doesn’t should be processed by way of your cat’s liver or kidneys. This is particularly superior since many cats with FOA ache are aged and will produce other ailments, as nicely. Unfortunately, this medicine is just not available for dogs as it’s a cat-specific protein. Dogs could be out of luck right here, however this can be a nice different to aspirin for cats!

Final Thoughts on Aspirin for Cats

Giving your cat aspirin may look like an ideal concept after they’re experiencing ache, however it is vitally harmful to them. We mentioned the doable uncomfortable side effects together with inside bleeding, irreversible kidney and liver harm, seizures, and even dying. From our viewpoint, it’s simply not well worth the threat.

As all the time, if you happen to’re involved about your pet for any motive, please take them to the veterinarian! Many human medicines will not be secure for pets and can lead to the lack of your pet. Your veterinarian is the very best particular person to work with you and your pet to determine what medicines are greatest for them.