What does cisapride do for cats?

Do you have a cat that suffers from gastrointestinal (GI) issues? Or maybe you’re just curious about what the heck cisapride is and why it’s commonly prescribed to felines with digestive problems. Either way, this meow-some article will give you all the purr-tinent details.

First Things First: What Is Cisapride?

Cisapride is an oral medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as prokinetics. Put simply, these medications work by stimulating contractions in the muscles lining the GI tract, which helps move food through more efficiently.

Why So Serious?

Okay okay, I know things just got real medical there for a sec. But trust me, we’ll get back to the funnies soon enough.

Which Kitties Might Need Cisapride?

Any cat who has trouble keeping their food down or frequently vomits might benefit from cisapride therapy. Feline patients who suffer from chronic constipation or megaesophagus may also see improvement when given this drug.

A “Mega” Problem

You may be wondering, “what in tarnation is meg-a-eso-phagus?” Well my furr-end, it’s exactly what it sounds like – an overly large esophagus that struggles to push food down into Kitty’s stomach where it belongs. This can cause your poor tabby-pawed friend to regurgitate everything they eat unless they are sitting upright after meals.

How Is Cisapride Administered & Dosage Info

Cispride typically comes in tablet form and should be given orally every eight hours on an empty stomach GASP. BUT WAIT! Before you start envisioning Chatty Cathy getting her claws out because her tummy grumbles aren’t being satisfied let me remind you… fur babies always seem hungry, but nature usually kicks in and as long as they can get enough food, most kitties will do well with some empty tummy time.

If your kitty already has a diagnosis of underlying liver or kidney disease, it’s especially important to work closely with their veterinarian when starting cisapride therapy. The dosage may need to be adjusted accordingly or another medication may be needed instead.

Tablets vs Suspensions

Many vets are pretty good about offering tasteless liquid medicine alternatives wherever possible (because let’s face it – cats aren’t exactly the easiest pill poppers). According to Dr. Chuck Bobo, suspensions are particularly convenient for giving fractional doses accurately because you don’t have to cut tablets into tiny pieces.

What Are Some Potential Side Effects?

As with any medication, there is always the possibility of side effects. Cisapride can cause vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite cue sad feline eyes, or restlessness in some cats. For this reason, your vet will monitor your feline friend carefully while on treatment and adjust dosages if necessary based on any changes seen during exams.

Fun fact: In 2000 “The Food & Drug Administration”, following reports that cisapride was linked to multiple deaths caused by heart arrhythmia – pulled it from human use altogether!

Is Cisapride Safe for Kitties?

While there is always some risk anytime we introduce new medications into our furry companions’ systems (after all- they cant tell us how they feel), cisapride has been shown to be safe and effective in many clinical studies conducted specifically on felines.

Don’t Ever Take Human Meds… Unless You Want To Be Asleep for Hours

One thing worth noting here; Even though vet approved meds might seem similar to those marketed towards humans e.g ranitidine (for stomach acid reflux), omeprazole (a proton pump inhibitor), or imodium AD (for diarrhea) THEY ARE NOT THE SAME! For example, some active ingredients in human stomach acid reduces can be toxic to cats!!

Final Thoughts

Cisapride is a prokinetic drug that has been proven effective in the treatment of various GI disorders felines may encounter. While it does have potential side effects, careful monitoring by a veterinarian will help ensure that your cat remains as happy and healthy as possible while on this therapy. And hey- just because we’re talking about meds doesn’t mean we can’t make them fun too.

Ciao for Meow

Random Posts