How to Give Serotonin (5 Ht) Agonists to a Cat
Give your cat its medication every day., Ask the vet if a tablet can be taken with food., Put it in a treat or make a meatball., Hold the cat’s mouth open to administer a pill without food., Ask the vet for a pill gun., Calm your cat with a reward...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give your cat its medication every day.
Like other medications that affect serotonin, a serotonin (5-HT) agonist must be taken every day in order to be effective.
The most common dosage schedule is one five mg tablet every twelve hours.Buspirone is the only 5-HT agonist that’s regularly prescribed for pets.
It can be used on its own or in combination with a tricyclic (TCA) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). -
Step 2: Ask the vet if a tablet can be taken with food.
Giving your cat a serotonin agonist with food usually makes administering it easier and prevents stomach upset.
Before doing so, you should make sure the dosage amount is enough for your cat to absorb and metabolize properly when it’s mixed with food.Ask the vet, “Should I give my cat the tablet you prescribed on an empty stomach or with food? If I crush it and mix it with food, will my cat’s body still absorb it properly?” , You can try putting the pill in a treat or a Pill Pocket, which can be bought at a pet store.
Pill Pockets are specially designed treats with a slot into which you insert a medication tablet.
You can also try forming your cat’s wet food into a small meatball with the pill at its center.Give your cat a treat or meatball without medicine before giving it one with the tablet.
That way, you’ll see whether your cat eats the meatball whole or breaks it apart.
If your cat breaks the meatball apart, it might notice the tablet and just eat the food around it. If that happens, or if it doesn’t tolerate the taste of the medicine, you might need to try another method. , If you have to administer a pill manually, use one hand to hold your cat’s cheekbones and tilt its head.
Hold the tablet with your other hand between your index finger and thumb.
Use that hand’s fourth finger to open your cat’s mouth by lowering its chin.While holding its mouth open, insert the pill onto the back of the tongue, close the cat’s mouth, and massage its neck to encourage it to swallow.
Avoid getting bit by keeping your fourth finger between your cat’s lower canine teeth as you hold its mouth open.
You might need to administer a pill manually if your cat doesn’t like the taste of medicine mixed with its food, or if the vet advises against taking the pill with food. , The vet can give you a pill gun, which can make it easier to give your cat its medicine without food.
Insert the pill onto the tip of the dispenser, tilt your cat’s head back, and open its mouth.
Place the pill gun into your cat’s mouth so the pill sits on the back of its tongue, then release the pill by pressing the plunger.Close your cat’s mouth and massage its neck to encourage it to swallow.
A pill dispenser might be a helpful tool if you have trouble giving your cat its medicine by hand. , Giving your cat a pill by hand can be a stressful process for both you and your pet.
Reward it with a favorite treat and give it plenty of positive verbal praise after giving it medication.
If your cat needs space, give it time to calm down on its own. -
Step 3: Put it in a treat or make a meatball.
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Step 4: Hold the cat’s mouth open to administer a pill without food.
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Step 5: Ask the vet for a pill gun.
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Step 6: Calm your cat with a reward and praise.
Detailed Guide
Like other medications that affect serotonin, a serotonin (5-HT) agonist must be taken every day in order to be effective.
The most common dosage schedule is one five mg tablet every twelve hours.Buspirone is the only 5-HT agonist that’s regularly prescribed for pets.
It can be used on its own or in combination with a tricyclic (TCA) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
Giving your cat a serotonin agonist with food usually makes administering it easier and prevents stomach upset.
Before doing so, you should make sure the dosage amount is enough for your cat to absorb and metabolize properly when it’s mixed with food.Ask the vet, “Should I give my cat the tablet you prescribed on an empty stomach or with food? If I crush it and mix it with food, will my cat’s body still absorb it properly?” , You can try putting the pill in a treat or a Pill Pocket, which can be bought at a pet store.
Pill Pockets are specially designed treats with a slot into which you insert a medication tablet.
You can also try forming your cat’s wet food into a small meatball with the pill at its center.Give your cat a treat or meatball without medicine before giving it one with the tablet.
That way, you’ll see whether your cat eats the meatball whole or breaks it apart.
If your cat breaks the meatball apart, it might notice the tablet and just eat the food around it. If that happens, or if it doesn’t tolerate the taste of the medicine, you might need to try another method. , If you have to administer a pill manually, use one hand to hold your cat’s cheekbones and tilt its head.
Hold the tablet with your other hand between your index finger and thumb.
Use that hand’s fourth finger to open your cat’s mouth by lowering its chin.While holding its mouth open, insert the pill onto the back of the tongue, close the cat’s mouth, and massage its neck to encourage it to swallow.
Avoid getting bit by keeping your fourth finger between your cat’s lower canine teeth as you hold its mouth open.
You might need to administer a pill manually if your cat doesn’t like the taste of medicine mixed with its food, or if the vet advises against taking the pill with food. , The vet can give you a pill gun, which can make it easier to give your cat its medicine without food.
Insert the pill onto the tip of the dispenser, tilt your cat’s head back, and open its mouth.
Place the pill gun into your cat’s mouth so the pill sits on the back of its tongue, then release the pill by pressing the plunger.Close your cat’s mouth and massage its neck to encourage it to swallow.
A pill dispenser might be a helpful tool if you have trouble giving your cat its medicine by hand. , Giving your cat a pill by hand can be a stressful process for both you and your pet.
Reward it with a favorite treat and give it plenty of positive verbal praise after giving it medication.
If your cat needs space, give it time to calm down on its own.
About the Author
Peter Thomas
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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