Cerenia Dosing

[cocoanlace]

I've been giving my kitty Cerenia as needed. That means when he acts nauseous, licking his lips and swallowing, or is vomiting, I give it then, which risks his vomiting it up. I am wondering if I should give him his dose every morning as a preventative. Is that what some of you do? My cat's digestive system is impaired; vomiting is a symptom. But he doesn't vomit every day. That said, I think he is often nauseous but doesn't vomit. Thanks for your input.

 

[kittenmittens84]

What did your vet say about dosing when they prescribed it? Definitely talk to them about it, cerenia can be used longer term but you need to make sure the dosage is appropriate. There’s also a chance that another drug may be better for your cat to use daily, depending on what’s causing his digestive problems (low dose prednisolone is commonly used for cats with IBD since it’s an anti-inflammatory so it can actually help reduce GI upset by treating the cause of the symptoms)

 

[cocoanlace]

Vet didn't actually discuss with me. The prescription says 6.0 mg once daily. That's all. I have been giving it sparingly because when my cat was hospitalized, they gave Cerenia injections which make him anorexic. We discussed prednisolone but vet is concerned about suppressing his immune system. He does not have IBD. Thanks for your input.

 

[LTS3]

It's really important to discuss with the vet about your cat's health concerns and be on the same page regarding treatment. Feel free to seek out a second opinion or ask your vet to consult with other vets on your cat's health concern. What impairment of the digestive system does your cat have?

6 mg is a lot for a cat. Are you splitting one pill in a little less than half? Cerenia is only available as a 16 mg pill.

 

[cocoanlace]

Cerenia comes in 24 mg tablets too, and he gets 1/4 tab per the vet. I often split that dose in half since that works.
He has a non-functioning, atrophied gallbladder. Surgery resized his distended common bile duct, removing 6 cups of bile, and it was attached to his intestines. I belive his spincter of oddi may not function properly as bile pools in the common bile duct which increases in size. The pathologist also believes the CBD is mostly fibrous tissue that has been stretched out with very little muscle remaining . Before surgery, he had constant vomiting because all of this bile ducts were filled and were pushing against his stomach. Post-surgery, we are all navigating in the dark. His vet seems to be floundering. My cat has seen several vets, and all of them say, I've never seen anything like this. He also gets transdermal Gabapentin to keep him comfortable and Mirataz as needed. Thank you for your input.

 

[ToroBoo]

Here is some information on cerenia dosing. Although your cat does not have CKD, I do know that some cats from the kidney group do get cerenia daily to prevent or combat nausea. The prescription does say daily but if you are uncomfortable with that then you should speak with your vet.
Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Appetite Loss, Nausea and Vomiting

 

[cocoanlace]

I am not uncomfortable with giving Cerenia to my cat daily as long as it's a minimal amount and there are no adverse reactions that we know about. He is 13 and I am trying to keep him comfortable as we don't know how long his surgical restructuring will work. I do not want him nauseous or vomiting every day of his remaining life although nobody knew how has life post-surgery would be.. I have also read a few articles on the internet, but my purpose in posting this question was to find out what the members doing successfully. Sometimes that's the best stuff, over and above what articles, experts, and even a vet might feel. Thanks bunches.

 

[LTS3]

An internal medicine vet may be helpful if you haven't already seen one yet. I know my internal medicine vet and his colleagues do courtesy consults for other vets. Might worth getting another opinion. I can PM you the link. VIN.com is another resource your vet may have. Its a vet only forum where vets from all over the world can learn from each other and get thoughts on complicated cases they may never have seen before.

 

[cocoanlace]

Thanks. My cat's vet is an internist at Horizon Veterinary Specialists, Ventura California.

 

[cocoanlace]

Just to close out this conversation for any other cat lovers who might search for cerenia dosing in the future, I finally heard back from my vet's office after waiting 5 days and leaving a message twice.. The answer is it is fine to give my cat cerenia daily. He is prescribed 1/4 of a 24 mg tablet. The vet added that originally the FDA said this off label dog medicine should be given five days only with two days off. But studies after that original statement show that there are no adverse reactions in dogs or cats when given daily, even long-term. I am still going to give it sparingly and not give it to my cat on days when he has no nausea or vomiting. Thank you.

 

[njg55]

One of my cats has CKD and was just prescribed Cerenia because she has been vomiting frequently and also had lost her appetite (at least for the prescription diet kidney foods, canned and dry). I haven't given her the tablet yet (quartered). I assume at the least that I should follow administration with a bit of liquid or perhaps watered down food, just as we would take a pill that couldn't be chewed. Does it matter if it's taken on an empty stomach, before a meal, after a meal? If I thought she would be guaranteed to eat the food, I might mix it in; can it be crushed? Maybe mixed with food and a bit of liquid and given in a syringe? The vet didn't offer any instructions or advice on exactly how to use it, and I'm nervous about starting it.

 

[cocoanlace]

One of my cats has CKD and was just prescribed Cerenia because she has been vomiting frequently and also had lost her appetite (at least for the prescription diet kidney foods, canned and dry). I haven't given her the tablet yet (quartered). I assume at the least that I should follow administration with a bit of liquid or perhaps watered down food, just as we would take a pill that couldn't be chewed. Does it matter if it's taken on an empty stomach, before a meal, after a meal? If I thought she would be guaranteed to eat the food, I might mix it in; can it be crushed? Maybe mixed with food and a bit of liquid and given in a syringe? The vet didn't offer any instructions or advice on exactly how to use it, and I'm nervous about starting it.

You can crush the quarter tablet between two spoons and mix with some gravy. I use Gravy Lovers for this. Syringe up just enough gravy from the can to mix. Then I scoop it up with my finger and push the tiny mixture into the side of my cat's mouth, approaching from behind hovering over him so he won't leave. Takes about 2 fingers to get it all. It is not great tasting, but when I tried pocket pills, he ate them twice but then got wise and disassembled them leaving the tablet piece. If you will attempt giving the tablet section as is, I would suggest covering it in butter so it slides down the throat easier and having a syringe of water nearby as a chaser. Because my cat will not stand for this, I use the gravy method. When my vet gives any meds, I get pages and pages of information on that drug to review. Mine emails it. I never mix drugs in my cat's food because he will not touch it. Sense of smell is strong. I have no choice but to give Cerenia on an empty stomach because he gets it on his barf-o-rama days only. I do not give it as a preventative. You can look into Mirataz transdermal. I get that from a compounding pharmacy to have on hand to encourage eating. Apply it to cat's inside ear flap. While it is prescribed as an appetite stimulant, it also combats nausea. Hugs to you. You can do this.

 

[Bird]

Cerenia is bitter tasting and can cause drooling and even foaming if it is dissolving in the mouth. You can put the pill piece inside the smallest size empty gel cap to hide the bitter taste. If you coat a gel cap with tasty stuff (churu, cream cheese, etc), some cats will just eat eat the gel cap.

 

[cocoanlace]

Cerenia is bitter tasting and can cause drooling and even foaming if it is dissolving in the mouth. You can put the pill piece inside the smallest size empty gel cap to hide the bitter taste. If you coat a gel cap with tasty stuff (churu, cream cheese, etc), some cats will just eat eat the gel cap.

My cat won't do gel caps and has wised up to pill pockets. I mix finely crushed cerenia in beef or turkey gravy, and although it's not delicious, he doesn't drool or spit it up.

 

[sueb696]

One of my cats has CKD and was just prescribed Cerenia because she has been vomiting frequently and also had lost her appetite (at least for the prescription diet kidney foods, canned and dry). I haven't given her the tablet yet (quartered). I assume at the least that I should follow administration with a bit of liquid or perhaps watered down food, just as we would take a pill that couldn't be chewed. Does it matter if it's taken on an empty stomach, before a meal, after a meal? If I thought she would be guaranteed to eat the food, I might mix it in; can it be crushed? Maybe mixed with food and a bit of liquid and given in a syringe? The vet didn't offer any instructions or advice on exactly how to use it, and I'm nervous about starting it.

 

[sueb696]

Did you search for a pet pharmacy in your area that does compounding? We have one near us and they were able to compund Cerenia as a transdermal. We apply daily on the inside of his ear (not down in canal). Our car has CKD and is nauseaus and vomits a lot. Also, i know you mentioned that your cat is fussy with renal food. Ours was too and we tried 6 different brands. Royal canin wet worked for a while, then he stopped eating it so we went back to fancy feast as he just wasnt eating. He does like the RC dry and his kidney vAlues even improved! Good luck!

 

[cocoanlace]

My cat is already getting transdermal Gabapentin for pain and transdermal Mirataz for appetite. He is running out of ears so I will stay with oral cerenia for now.