Antihistamine for cats?

On Wed 19 Oct 2005 08:53:10p, 5cats wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):

Even 1/4 is a larger dosage than I would have guessed for a 12
pound cat.


1/4 pill of human Chlortimatron was what was prescribed to get rid of
sneezed and sniffles for 4 month old kittens of mine. Doses of
certain drugs for cats can't even compare to humans in terms of
weight. They don't metabolize in the same way. That said, my allergic
cat with skin allergies isn't helped by antihistamines - any of the
common three usually used. Sometimes they're used in conjunction with
omega 3s, but that didn't help mine, either.

--
Cheryl

"5cats" wrote in message
...
:
:

We saw a vet yesterday, but she's only a temp fill-in and she seemed
really hesitant to make any firm recommendations.
I'll be able to talk to my regular vet on Friday. In the mean time the
steroid/antibiotic cream we got yesterday really does seem to be helping.


FWIW, I asked my vet what to give my cat when she kept scratching
until she had little raw spots on her ears. That was the second time he
prescribed Chlortrimeton. The first time, she had congestion from
allergies that had made her nose sore. (She was uncharacteristically
avoiding being touched on her face.) She has EGC and asthma and
tends to overgroom.

My vets are Drs. Sullivan, Price, and Driscoll at Six forks Animal
Hospital in Raleigh, NC. (They have a web site.) I like them because
they are three different generations, all graduates from the NC State
Vet School. They are pretty careful, clearly love cats, and do a lot of
gratis work for the community.

If you use and antihistamine, I'd make sure you get it (and proper
dosage) from a vet.

Watch your cat after he/she takes it the first time. Our cat could not
stay awake afterwards, he got a bit dangerous. He would sit there and
his head would drop to the floor. We had to confine him until he slept
it off.

We only did that once...

Rhonda

5cats wrote:


Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small enough for
a cat?

On 2005-10-19 10:37:05 -0500, 5cats said:

One of my cats apparently has allergies. I recall being told years ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything
very specific.
Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small enough
for a cat?

I was given some for one of my cats. I started her on it but she
stopped eating and though I don't believe it was connected ( I think
she was just stressed from the vet visit where we also found very full
anal sacks that were hard to express) I haven't started her up on them
yet. Plus, the weather got colder and we had a freeze which has helped.
So, I can't tell you if they work yet or not. My vet says it's about
50/50. I bought them from my vet. I can use anywhere from 1/4 of a
tablet up to 2 tablets per day she tells me. They were VERY cheap.

On 2005-10-19 10:37:05 -0500, 5cats said:

One of my cats apparently has allergies. I recall being told years ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything
very specific.
Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small enough
for a cat?

Oh, it is chlorpheremir.

On 2005-10-19 21:33:42 -0500, Rhonda said:

If you use and antihistamine, I'd make sure you get it (and proper
dosage) from a vet.

Watch your cat after he/she takes it the first time. Our cat could not
stay awake afterwards, he got a bit dangerous. He would sit there and
his head would drop to the floor. We had to confine him until he slept
it off.

We only did that once...

Rhonda

5cats wrote:


Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small enough
for a cat?

Wow. I did give Sugar 1/4 of a tablet two days in a row, but it did not
seem to make her sleepy.

Karen wrote:

On 2005-10-19 10:37:05 -0500, 5cats said:

One of my cats apparently has allergies. I recall being told years
ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything
very specific.
Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small
enough
for a cat?

I was given some for one of my cats. I started her on it but she
stopped eating and though I don't believe it was connected ( I think
she was just stressed from the vet visit where we also found very full
anal sacks that were hard to express) I haven't started her up on them
yet. Plus, the weather got colder and we had a freeze which has helped.
So, I can't tell you if they work yet or not. My vet says it's about
50/50. I bought them from my vet. I can use anywhere from 1/4 of a
tablet up to 2 tablets per day she tells me. They were VERY cheap.

I always look forward to the first hard frost because that's when my own
allergies mostly stop or at least ease up considerably. It shouldn't be
too much longer now.

Could you post the name of the drug you have?

"5cats" wrote in message
...
Phil P. wrote:


"5cats" wrote in message
...
One of my cats apparently has allergies.

What kind of allergies?

Don't know. She's overgroomed to the point of creating a small raw patch
on her tummy. (Is that what they call a "hot spot"?)
Considering the time of year it could be seasonal. This also corresponds
to a change in diet from dry K/D to K/D canned. There's also a new cat
bed she uses which smells funny to me. "catnip treated" it said on the
tag. Also, I stopped using my room air filter for my own allergies in the
same timeframe.


It might be behavioral- stress-related rather than pathologic - i.e.,
"psychogenic alopecia". OTOH, I've known many cats that were just plain
itchy! and no medical or behavioral cause of the itching and excessive
grooming could be found. The first step is a thorough physical exam to rule
out medical causes. I wouldn't advise giving her any drugs- even OTC
without consulting a vet. I know you know that, but I had to say it.



I recall being told years ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things
that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything very
specific.

Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label?


Yup. The most common antihistamine used in cats is cyproheptadine
(Periactin). Along with antihistamine/antipuritic effects, it's also
an
effective appetite stimulant and its also used in controlling urine
spraying.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is also sometimes used in cats before
vaccinations to prevent reactions to the vaccine.

Antihistamines also have a mild sedative effect in cats.

How do you get dosages small enough for
a cat?

Cut the pills in half or quarters. The 4 mg tablets are scored for
easy
cutting.

Even 1/4 is a larger dosage than I would have guessed for a 12 pound
cat.

I've used 1/2 of a tab in cats that weighed as little 5# with no significant
adverse effects. If your vet does prescribe 1/2 or 1/4 tab of
cyproheptadine or any other tablet, put it inside a #2 or #3 gelcap- it
masks the taste and eliminates the risk of the sharp edges of the cut tablet
cutting or irritating the esophagus. Follow the gelcap with canned food or
tuna water to make sure it goes all the way down.

Phil

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:AbB5f.4807$t12.3786@trnddc03...

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"5cats" wrote in message
...
One of my cats apparently has allergies.

What kind of allergies?


I recall being told years ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things
that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything very
specific.

Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label?


Yup. The most common antihistamine used in cats is cyproheptadine
(Periactin). Along with antihistamine/antipuritic effects, it's also an
effective appetite stimulant and its also used in controlling urine
spraying.

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is also sometimes used in cats before
vaccinations to prevent reactions to the vaccine.

Antihistamines also have a mild sedative effect in cats.

How do you get dosages small enough for
a cat?

Cut the pills in half or quarters. The 4 mg tablets are scored for
easy
cutting.


Phil, I think it important to add that cyproheptadine can have a very
strong
and long lasting sedative effect on cats.


I wouldn't say the sedative effects are "very strong and long lasting".
IMO, the sedative effects of cyproheptadine are rather mild and don't seem
to last very long in the majority of cats. I think the sedative effects are
much more pronounced with Benadryl and especially Chlor-Trimeton. In fact,
Chlor-Trimeton is actually used as mild sedative in cats.


Plus, at that dosage it seems to have no appetite stimulating benefit.


Your experience seems very different than mine. Cyproheptadine @ 2 mg/b.i.d.
is a very effective and fast acting- but short-acting appetite stimulant.
Its probably the most widely used appetite stimulate for cats- much more
preferable than prednisone.


It needs to be administered
cautiously and IMO starting at a quarter the dose the vet prescribes.


Cyproheptadine is a prescription drug- so I'm sure the vet knows the proper
dose- which, btw, is usually 2 mg/b.i.d. or 1/2 of a 4 mg tablet.

Phil

"5cats" wrote in message
...
Karen wrote:

On 2005-10-19 10:37:05 -0500, 5cats said:

One of my cats apparently has allergies. I recall being told years
ago
that antihistamines didn't work in cats, but now I'm reading some
things that suggest that they do work. But I haven't found anything
very specific.
Are there veterinary antihistamines available or are people just using
human OTC antihistamines off-label? How do you get dosages small
enough
for a cat?

I was given some for one of my cats. I started her on it but she
stopped eating and though I don't believe it was connected ( I think
she was just stressed from the vet visit where we also found very full
anal sacks that were hard to express) I haven't started her up on them
yet. Plus, the weather got colder and we had a freeze which has helped.
So, I can't tell you if they work yet or not. My vet says it's about
50/50. I bought them from my vet. I can use anywhere from 1/4 of a
tablet up to 2 tablets per day she tells me. They were VERY cheap.

I always look forward to the first hard frost because that's when my own
allergies mostly stop or at least ease up considerably. It shouldn't be
too much longer now.

You and me both. I had a tickle in the back of my throat that was driving me
nuts and now it's just the blocked up sinus. Come on killing frost!

I've got a litter of fosters who have been sneezing occasionally. Not enough
to figure they have a full blown URI but just a couple of times a day.
Wonder if they have allergies?

W