Two of the four older cats we inherited earlier this year have been taking metronidazole for IBD. From what I can tell from the medical records we got, Jake (age 13) and Molly (age 10) have been on varying doses of this for the past three years or so. Jake's on 0.9 ml a day, and is also on prednisolone every other day (I forget the dosage). Molly's on daily doses of 0.6 ml. of metro. and 0.2 of budesonide.
When we got the cats, I took them both to the vet for blood work and confirmation of their treatment, since our friend died before we could get information from her directly about Jake and Molly's conditions. The vet did an exam, bloodwork, urine samples, called their previous vet and wrote up comprehensive reports. His recommendation was that they continue indefinitely on the meds they're on. I took them back after six months, got more tests and it was decided to keep them on that regimen.
Both cats seem to be doing well--I'm switching them over to a grain free diet and trying to get them on more wet than dry food. Neither has diarrhea at this point. Molly goes through bouts of vomiting--she'll have a bad day and then be okay for several days.
Molly goes through times of drooling out the metro. Poor thing, I feel terrible trying to get her to take it and then watching her spit/drool it out. I took the suggestion of somebody on this site and started giving it to her after meals and that helped for quite awhile but now she's doing it again. The odd thing is that Jake, who used to take his metro with no problems, is now actually trying to get away from me when he sees me coming with the syringe and for the first time, he's drooled it out the past couple of days, too. I get it compounded with tuna flavor, which is the same way they've been taking it all along.
Does anyone have any experience with long term use of these meds for their cats? Do they ever get off of it? Do they go through times when they won't take the med?
If they're going to be on it indefinitely, I could use suggestions for getting them to swallow it, if anybody has any.
Thanks so much.
Oh yeah--I've also started adding omega 3s to their meals as well, as I read that might help with the intestinal inflammation.
When we got the cats, I took them both to the vet for blood work and confirmation of their treatment, since our friend died before we could get information from her directly about Jake and Molly's conditions. The vet did an exam, bloodwork, urine samples, called their previous vet and wrote up comprehensive reports. His recommendation was that they continue indefinitely on the meds they're on. I took them back after six months, got more tests and it was decided to keep them on that regimen.
Both cats seem to be doing well--I'm switching them over to a grain free diet and trying to get them on more wet than dry food. Neither has diarrhea at this point. Molly goes through bouts of vomiting--she'll have a bad day and then be okay for several days.
Molly goes through times of drooling out the metro. Poor thing, I feel terrible trying to get her to take it and then watching her spit/drool it out. I took the suggestion of somebody on this site and started giving it to her after meals and that helped for quite awhile but now she's doing it again. The odd thing is that Jake, who used to take his metro with no problems, is now actually trying to get away from me when he sees me coming with the syringe and for the first time, he's drooled it out the past couple of days, too. I get it compounded with tuna flavor, which is the same way they've been taking it all along.
Does anyone have any experience with long term use of these meds for their cats? Do they ever get off of it? Do they go through times when they won't take the med?
If they're going to be on it indefinitely, I could use suggestions for getting them to swallow it, if anybody has any.
Thanks so much.
Oh yeah--I've also started adding omega 3s to their meals as well, as I read that might help with the intestinal inflammation.
Last edited: