Nowadays filling out a prescription for Fido or Fluffy is about as commonplace as doing so for yourself or a (human) loved one. In fact, veterinarians recommend a number of pet medications for treating everything from joint pain to rashes to infections. However, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says pet owners should beware of giving cats and dogs any over-the-counter medications meant for human consumption without first checking with a veterinary professional.
The AVMA warns that toxicity is often common when owners give pets drugs that are meant for humans, or doses that are too high for the pet in mind. Instead, if your beloved pet is ill, book a vet visit where the following medications may be prescribed to treat these common cat and dog ailments:
1. Pet diabetes
Insulin is commonly prescribed to diabetic cats and dogs in order to keep pet blood glucose levels within a healthy range. Vets most commonly recommend insulin administered by injection (or needle and syringe) to treat diabetes mellitus in cats and dogs. In addition, several dietary changes may be recommended to keep blood sugars in check, such as maintaining a strict feeding schedule at home.
2. Joint pain and inflammation
Aging pets, especially sedentary or larger breeds of dogs, may develop joint pain and inflammation with age. In this case, your vet may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) to reduce joint swelling, pain, lameness, or in the case of an injury or post-surgical procedure. While your vet may indeed prescribe an over-the-counter NSAID (i.e., deracoxib or meloxicam) for your pet, please ask your vet to provide safe guidelines as far as drug use and dosage guidelines for your pet to prevent vomiting, rash, behavioral issues, digestive issues, appetite loss, and kidney or liver damage.
3. Heart issues in pets
Cardiovascular disease can develop in pets as they do in humans medications, often due to contributing factors such as genetic predisposition, heart murmur in certain breeds (i.e., Newfoundlanders, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, etc.), hyperthyroidism or enzyme deficiency. Dogs and cats with genetic congenital and non-genetic heart disease are often prescribed heart medications (i.e., atenolol, vetmedin, and digoxin) to prevent pulmonary edema, hypertension, arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure.
4. Inflections in pets
Antibiotics are often prescribed by vets to treat an array of bacterial infections in cats and dogs—for instance:
Pyodermas (or staph bacterial skin infections) due to allergies, weak immunity, fleas or ticks.
Actinomycosis infection, an infection of the mouth, which enters via a skin wound.
Brucellosis infection is is most common in canines kept in kennels and spreads via contaminated bodily fluids.
Streptococcal infections due to compromised immune systems.
Leptospirosis infection, which is contracted by contaminated water, soil, or urine, and is highly contagious in non-vaccinated pets.
Before recommending a round of antibiotics, your vet will likely perform a culture test to test the affected airways, skin, ears, or wound. If an infection is detected your vet will prescribe the best antibiotic (i.e., enrofloxacin, cephalexin, or penicillin) for treatment.
5. Pet parasites
Pets are often exposed to a variety of parasites—including ticks, fleas, intestinal worms (like roundworm, heartworm, and tapeworms), and intestinal protozoan (or giardia), in which your vet will prescribe an antiparasitic type drug for treatment. Keep in mind that vaccinating your pet is the best prevention for a variety of diseases (i.e., lyme disease, fleas, distemper, parvovirus, kennel cough (or bordetella), leptospirosis, and rabies).
6. Anxiety and aggression in pets
If your pet is prone to nervousness or aggressiveness during vet visits, your vet may recommend a behavioral type sedative, taken prior to his or her visit, to calm behavioral issues (i.e., extreme anger or anxiety). For instance, sedatives for pets may include midazolam or diazepam to calm stress or reduce anxiety prior to an exam, blood test, or surgery.
