Update - see below Using Pepcid - dosing advice needed

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Hillary & Maui (GA)

Hillary & Maui (GA)

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My civvie Buster is a food crazed cat. She will. "Help" the others eat thei treats, she will help me eat any meat I am eating and she is very food oriented.

So when she pretty much stopped eating and isn't finishing her treats, let alone the others, I know something is wrong.

She will eat a small amount and I think she is using the lb. - am making a vet appt for her but I noticed this morning that she is licking her lips and doing the nauseous thing.

So I know many use pepcid to help with this problem. My questions are what type/ strength pepcid to get (is generic ok)?

How much to give and how often?

How to administer?
 
Re: Using Pepcid - dosing advice needed

Yes, famotidine is the generic name of Pepcid AC - make sure it is Pepcid AC! The generic is fine to use.

Dose is usually 2.5mg SID, which is 1 quarter of a 10mg tablet, so try to find those. I believe it comes in 20 mg tablets also, so make sure you don't get those. You can cut them with a pill cutter or razor.

I give 2.5mg BID for Gandalf at 14 lbs. Our vet says it's "Mild" and that amount is fine, but with any drug it's best to give the minimal amount and see how they respond, so once per day is the standard dosing.

Hope that helps!
 
Re: Using Pepcid - dosing advice needed

thanks Vicky - that is just what I needed to know.

I will pick some up on the way home tonight.
 
Re: Using Pepcid - dosing advice needed

The daily max is 5mg per day.
Regular strength Pepcid AC 10mg tabs - cut into quarters.
Shadoe has always been 'gassy' per the vet and has frequent pancreatitis issues, so I give her 1/4tab BID most days, just to ward off issues before they happen and it works. If the pepcid does not seem to be working, it's time for her to get some bupe and have SQ fluids ready if her BG is high enough, but most days she visibly relaxes from just the pepcid.
 
I took Buster to the vet today - Drove her to Red Bank (the expensive and specialty place), rather than the local general vet.

I did this, because I knew I would get angry at the general vet - as they would do the following:

- CBC
- urinalysis
- bring your cat back and we will schedule an xray
- when that doesn't give the answers, bring the cat back again and we will do ultrasound

they would chaching all the way and I pay anyway an be aggravated, not to mention waste precious time and days because the cat isn't eating.

So, I took her to Red Bank , paid the premium, met with an internist - who I really liked.

I explained Buster's situation, food driven cat, stopped eating, no vomiting, peeing and I think pooping but not sure, yes licking lips and chomping lips, tried pepcid ac and no fix.

She suggested CBC - which is fine last one was in November and they would process in house - no waiting for outside results.

She started to suggest xray and I said why not just do ultrasound as you would get there anyway and let's just bypass an xray that won't tell you anything.

So, they did the CBC and one of the points for kidneys read high - so she did USG and revealed mild dehydration

The ultrasound was clear, it showed there was more food than just the baby food in her system and it was moving along. Showed a little poo and it was moving along too. Kidneys looked good along with everything else.

They are treating for mild gastroenteritis/low grade pancreatitis

Treatment -

1) subq fluids to rehydrate
2) cerenia injection
3) reglan injection

and given cyproheptadine to give at home.

sigh
 
Hi Hillary,

Hope Buster's feeling better soon. I haven't had any experience with pepcid with a cat. I use it for one of my dogs and I use the generic from Walmart. It comes in 10mg tablets.

Good luck with Buster.
 
For pancreatitis, you need to have three things:
1. pain meds - usually buprenex
2. SQ fluids - you can pick up a kit at the vet and give yourself at home.
3. Pepcid AC regular strength 10mg - cut the square into quarters and the daily max is 5mg for cats - give BID.

pancreatitis is painful, so get something from your vet.
fluids is like watering a plant and how the plant perks up, so you will see a similar reaction to your cat.
pepcid will calm down any gassy nausea, and it can be your first thing to try if you see the same signs again.
 
thanks Gayle, this is good to know.

I have some bupe on hand, and was debating about using it. I just bought pepcid AC and just need to get subq.
 
Hillary,
If you've done sub-q fluids before, you'll know this, but see if they'll give you ultra-thin-walled needles (20 or 22 gauge I think) which will make the treatment much easier for you and for Buster.

Carl
 
thanks for the suggestion Carl.

Yes, I did subq on a friend's cat several years ago and it was a huge needle and when I sliced my finger it hurt big time.

When the vet tech did the subq, she actually used a butterfly needle and the large syringe plunger type - she said it works better and faster. I haven't done this on Buster yet, but hey, I can do anything.

I'll call the vet and ask for a set up, so I can be prepared in case this happens again.

thanks!
 
Hillary & Maui said:
thanks for the suggestion Carl.

I haven't done this on Buster yet, but hey, I can do anything.

thanks!
Click to expand...

You may have been half-joking saying that, but if you think about it, no matter how we felt when we came here for the 1st time, that's what this dance and this place has made us into. We can do anything, if the need is sufficient and it's for our sugarbabies.

Carl
 
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