Cat Arthritis Pain Relief Medication

Several classes and types of prescription medications can ease a cat s pain.
Cat arthritis pain relief medication. Side effects of nsaids include vomiting diarrhea and loss of appetite. Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs nsaids are sometimes prescribed for feline arthritis which is similar to how the condition is treated in humans. Meloxicam is currently the only licensed pain relief medication for long term use in cats. Although fairly uncommon in felines arthritis tends to affect the elbow joint when it does strike but many joints can be afflicted.
If your cat s arthritis pain becomes chronic your vet may prescribe opioids. It comes in a specific cat formula that is easy to give. These include nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medications acetaminophen and aspirin as well as anti inflammatory medications like corticosteroids. Opioids will likely need to be injected.
It should always be given with or after food just as you shouldn t take aspirin on an empty stomach because this risks gastric ulceration. The fda hasn t approved any nsaids for long term pain management but certain ones are cleared for short term use in cats. Options they may recommend include. This means that your cat will need to regularly attend a clinic.
Your vet may prescribe the. This type of medication is often given every day. Nsaids are usually the first line of defense. 2 nsaids are highly effective at controlling pain and inflammation of joints.
An over the counter option includes acetaminophen tylenol others. These medications help reduce pain but have no effect on inflammation. Treatment for arthritis in cats. Arthritis also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease causes pain and inflammation in a cat s joints.
Non steroidal anti inflammatories help reduce pain and inflammation. Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs nsaids when used carefully neuromodulating drugs like gabapentin. Veterinarians often prescribe a variety of medications to treat arthritis but these often aren t well tolerated by cats. Veterinarians will occasionally prescribe the forms of nsaids that are formulated for people such as aspirin and ibuprofen for specific conditions but you should never give them to your cat for pain relief without veterinary guidance.
Cats are extremely sensitive to the side effects of nsaids.