accidentally gave my cat two doses of fortiflora in one day

[a028]

She was prescribed them by her vet for diarrhea and I was given a weeks worth but I counted and definitely gave her one too many, and it was most likely today but my memory isn’t great. Do you think she’ll be okay? I feel awful. And should I give her the last one left tomorrow as normal or skip it until the day after? I would call my vet but it's 11:30 at night

 

[Margret]

1. I'm not a vet, but I doubt that you've done any harm. Your vet can tell you definitively.
2. You don't have to decide tonight. Give your vet a call tomorrow, before giving her tomorrow's dose.
3. Take a few deep breaths, and get your cat to purr to you. Let it go for tonight, and get a good night's rest.

Margret

 

[molly92]

They will be absolutely fine. Probiotics have highly variable counts of viable bacteria from packet to packet even. It's not like a chemical compound drug where you need to be precise. They're supposed to multiply in the gut anyway! "Too many" is probably better than too few, because so many die on their way through the digestive tract.

I feed probiotics liberally. Usually half a human capsule per meal, but sometimes I'll throw in a whole one, and if someone has an upset stomach, they get a whole one a few hours before a little bit of food. They don't persist in the system well, otherwise we wouldn't need to keep feeding them, so I wouldn't skip a dose. Maybe do half doses for the next 2 meals? But really I don't think it matters hugely.

(I don't think it's impossible to "overdose" on probiotics and throw the whole flora system out of whack, I just think it's really unlikely.)

Also if the diarrhea doesn't improve, try looking into a pet store or even human brand probiotic. I've had great success with acidophilus, which is not a strain included in Floriforta.

 

[StefanZ]

Agree. Even a full fat human youghurt is OK, preferably with several added probiotic bacterias. Acidophilus is usually one of them.
Of course, best is unsweetened unflavored, but if just a little, it doesnt matter much, if you dont have other good youghurt at hand.

 

[kittenmittens84]

It’s fine, probiotics are not a drug or vitamin that you can overdose on. (Well ok maybe you can technically take to many probiotics and upset your stomach but it would have to be a LOT)

 

[Azazel]

Fortiflora isn’t even mostly probiotics. It’s mostly animal digest - the stuff they coat kibble with. It’s not a drug or anything. Your cat will be absolutely fine.

 

[a028]

That's a relief. Thanks guys!!

 

[StefanZ]

Fortiflora isn’t even mostly probiotics. It’s mostly animal digest - the stuff they coat kibble with. It’s not a drug or anything. Your cat will be absolutely fine.

Aha, so this is why they often recommend to sprinkle fortiflora on food to make it more tasty for cats without appetite?!

Not because fortiflora is that potent a trick, but because it contains much animal digest.

 

[kittenmittens84]

Aha, so this is why they often recommend to sprinkle fortiflora on food to make it more tasty for cats without appetite?!

Not because fortiflora is that potent a trick, but because it contains much animal digest.

Yep!