Key Points
- Azithromycin for cats requires a prescription. 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 vital 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.
- Azithromycin is a robust antibiotic and utilizing it improper can result in antibiotic-resistant an infection.
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Sometimes, our feline pals want treatment. A strong macrolide antibiotic, azithromycin treats each people and animals. AZ Animals spoke with Dr. Shelly Wyatt, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Northwood Hills Animal Hospital in Gulfport, MS relating to the usage of azithromycin in cats. Where security is anxious, she stated azithromycin is “technically safe for [cats of] all ages, but this is considered a ‘big gun’ antibiotic, so should only be reached for when specific diseases like Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Cytauxzoon, or Crytosporosis are present, or if more conservative treatments have failed.”
With this info in hand, we remind anybody studying this text that giving treatment of any sort 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 treatment to your cat may end in main uncomfortable side effects as much as and together with dying.
What is Azithromycin Used for in Cats?
As Dr. Wyatt identified, azithromycin is often prescribed for particular illnesses when different therapies have failed. An vital observe relating to azithromycin is that the FDA has not authorised its use in cats. Therefore, whereas it’s authorized in your veterinarian to present this to your cat, they are going to be utilizing it off-label. One examine decided that azithromycin was ineffective in treating feline clamydophilosis infections in cats. This bacterial an infection typically impacts the mucous membranes such because the conjunctiva (pink tissue that surrounds the attention) and the liner of the nostril. So, what infections does azithromycin deal with?
Bartonella
Transmitted via the bites of fleas, physique lice, and sand flies, this an infection seems in out of doors cats usually. Humans catch it via cat scratches. Aptly known as “cat scratch fever” by some, this situation is zoonotic. That means folks can catch it from animals. Signs of Bartonella an infection embrace fever, vomiting, tiredness, crimson eyes, swollen lymph nodes, and never eager to eat. Cats can even turn into contaminated via contact with contaminated blood both in cat fights or via blood transfusion. Treatment with azithromycin will not be often the primary selection in cats with Bartonella. If the illness turns into proof against the treatment, it’s proof against all macrolide antibiotics in flip. Other macrolide antibiotics available to be used within the U.S. embrace clarithromycin, erythromycin, fidaxomicin, and telithromycin.
Mycoplasma
Formally known as feline hemotrophic mycoplasma (FHM), this uncommon situation in cats causes anemia. That’s as a result of the crimson blood cells turn into contaminated with the bacterial parasite and the physique begins to kill them off since they’re not recognizable. Signs of this an infection is probably not obvious till the cat may be very in poor health. However, signs could embrace pale gums and jaundice (a yellow tinge to the pores and skin or mucous membranes). Jaundice (additionally known as icterus) is the results of injury to the liver. Veterinarians solely select remedy with azithromycin in cats for this situation when different therapies don’t work. Typical medication used embrace a broad-spectrum antibiotic reminiscent of doxycycline, enrofloxacin, or marbofloxacin. As one other zoonotic an infection, people treating cats with this illness ought to follow good hygiene after dealing with the cat. This consists of washing their each time they contact or medicate the cat.
Cytauxzoon
This tick-borne illness additionally infects blood cells in cats. Originally present in bobcats, this illness infects many species of each wild and home felines. Usually the Lone Star tick or the American canine tick go this an infection via their chunk. Thankfully, cats don’t straight go it to at least one one other. Generally, indicators develop about 10 days after the chunk and onset is speedy. Symptoms embrace low physique temperature, seizures, and coma. If left with out remedy, the cat will possible die. However, one examine mentioned the likelihood that a number of strains of the illness exist as a result of some home cats survive the an infection. Azithromycin together with antiprotozoal medication reminiscent of imidocarb or atovaquone helps cats heal from this situation. Lastly, this illness can’t be transmitted to people.
Crytosporosis
Marked by extreme diarrhea, this intestinal parasite passes from cat to cat via contaminated fecal matter. Because cats lick themselves to get clear, they will ingest this parasite simply. Oftentimes, cats catch this illness via mutual grooming, shared litter bins, or contaminated meals or water. No treatment proves efficient to kill this parasite on a regular basis. The predominant objective of remedy is to remedy diarrhea. However, some veterinarians use azithromycin in very in poor health cats. Unfortunately, this illness can be zoonotic.
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Side Effects of Azithromycin in Cats
The use of any treatment comes with the chance of uncomfortable side effects. Cats which have beforehand had a response to a macrolide antibiotic mustn’t take azithromycin. The dosage, period, and remedy frequency differ primarily based on the situation, how one responds to the treatment, and the occasion of antagonistic results. Again, your veterinarian will decide the correct utilization of azithromycin in your cat.
Possible uncomfortable side effects to look at for embrace:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal ache
- Decreased urge for food
- Heart arrhythmia
- Renal (kidney) dysfunction – look ahead to elevated ingesting and urination, lethargy
- Hepatic (dwell) dysfunction – look ahead to jaundice, lethargy, pale gums
- Eye irritation (when used as a watch drop)
If your cat is taking azithromycin and also you discover any of those uncomfortable side effects, contact your veterinarian instantly. Also contact your veterinarian should you turn into involved about something whereas your cat is taking this treatment. It’s higher to be secure than sorry!
When Should Cats Not Take Azithromycin?
Cats with recognized liver or kidney illness mustn’t take azithromycin. Make positive the veterinarian recommending azithromycin is absolutely conscious of any and all treatment, nutritional vitamins, and dietary supplements your cat is taking.
Medications that work together with azithromycin embrace:
- Digoxin, theophylline, cyclosporine, and methylprednisolone: Combining these with azithromycin could improve the blood serum ranges of those medicines. That means the focus of the drug within the blood is greater than meant which may produce uncomfortable side effects together with dying. This is especially true for theophylline, as there’s already danger for poisonous impact when utilized in cats.
- Triazolam and midazolam: These medicines could take longer to clear the physique when given with azithromycin in cats. Sometimes utilized in anesthetic procedures, cats given these medicines when they’re already taking azithromycin could take longer to get up from surgical procedure. This will increase the probability of issues related to anesthesia reminiscent of low physique temperature. While low physique temperature appears minor, it’s truly the primary explanation for dying in cats after surgical procedure.
- Cisapride, ondansetron, doesetron, sotalol, quinilone antibiotics, and antifungal medicines within the “azole” household (ketoconazole, metronidazole, and many others.): Concurrent administration of those medicines can improve the probabilities of coronary heart rhythm disturbance (arrhythmia). If this can’t be corrected, the cat could die.
- Oral antacids (omeprazole, famotidine, and many others.): These medicines can block the absorption of azithromycin in cats thus lowering its effectiveness. If your cat takes any of those medicines, give them at the least two hours earlier than or after azithromycin.
- Phenobarbital: This seizure treatment additionally impacts the cat’s capacity to course of and use azithromycin. So, utilizing them collectively could make the antibiotic much less efficient.
Dosage Chart for Azithromycin in Cats
Azithromycin is available in many dosage kinds and your veterinarian can assist you select the fitting one in your cat. Typically, it’s available in tablets, capsules, injection, oral suspension, and eye drops. Sometimes, compounding pharmacies could make particular formulations reminiscent of ear ointment that enables the treatment to soak up via the pores and skin. The normal dose for azithromycin in cats is 2.5–7.5 mg per pound of physique weight each 12–24 hours for as much as seven days. Your veterinarian might want you to make use of a tapering dose which suggests progressively reducing how usually you give the treatment over a set time period.
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.
