Though they can come with negative side effects (like diarrhea), antibiotics can be a crucial tool for helping your pet fight off dangerous infections. Fortunately, there are ways that you can support your cat or dog, during and after antibiotic treatment, to help them and move towards improved health. We’ve gathered a few important tips that any pet parent can use to help support their furbaby.
The bacteria and other microbes in your pet’s digestive tract (gut) are referred to as its gut microbiome. When an infection is present in or on your pet your veterinarian (DVM) may prescribe an antibiotic to help fight off the infection.
Unfortunately, oral antibiotics cannot differentiate between the “bad” bacteria that may be causing a bacterial infection and the “good” bacteria that support your pet’s health, so it wipes out both beneficial and harmful bacteria.
For some pets, this may cause an ongoing imbalance in their gut that down the line could contribute to health conditions like chronic diarrhea, vomiting or constipation.
Tip 1: Yeast-based Probiotic S boulardii
Saccharomyces boulardii, or S boulardii for short, is a special probiotic that is unlike most other probiotics, because it is a strain of yeast, not bacteria.
Unlike many bacterial probiotics, S boulardii is extremely resilient: yeasts are unaffected by antibiotics, so a yeast-based probiotic like S boulardii remains highly effective for pets that require antibiotic treatment. In addition, S boulardii travel through the stomach acid with ease, making it to the intestines perfectly intact and alive, while many bacterial probiotics quickly die when they encounter stomach acid.
Antibiotics will kill many bacterial probiotics because the antibiotics cannot distinguish between helpful and harmful bacteria. But since S boulardii is a yeast, it is unaffected by antibiotics. In fact, studies have shown that when giving S boulardii along with an antibiotic, pets are much less likely to develop diarrhea during or after the course of antibiotics. We know that antibiotics may cause digestive symptoms in up to 25 percent of patients who use them, and S boulardii has been shown to greatly decrease the risk of these symptoms occurring in your pet.
In one study that aimed to further our understanding of precisely how S boulardii works in the presence of antibiotics, healthy dogs were given very high doses of antibiotics for several days. Under ordinary circumstances, this dose of antibiotic will typically lead to diarrhea. And 75 percent of the dogs that received only the antibiotic did develop diarrhea, lasting an average of 7 days. But a subset of these dogs were given a dose of S boulardii along with their antibiotic, and 100 percent of those dogs remained diarrhea-free throughout the trial.
Our S. boulardii + FOS Powder for dogs or cats are probiotic plus prebiotic supplements designed to support healthy gut function and reduce diarrhea, including flare-ups of diarrhea during antibiotic treatment. “FOS” stands for Fructooligosaccharides, which are tiny, soluble fibers that are the preferred food of beneficial microbes like the ones in your pet’s gut. Studies in both cats and dogs have shown that adding FOS to the diet improves gut health.
Tip 2: Support a Healthy Appetite
In many pets, antibiotics can cause lethargy, nausea and/or a loss of appetite, which may make your pet less interested in eating their food. But it is crucial that your pet continues to eat, because their body needs the energy to continue fighting infection and repairing damaged cells. If your pet refuses their food, don’t force them to eat: wait a few hours and offer the food again. If they continue to refuse, consider adding something to the food to make it more palatable. A low-sodium beef, chicken, or bone broth is often helpful.
In addition, warming the food to bring out the aroma often makes it more palatable to cats and dogs, who rely much more on their sense of smell than their sense of taste when it comes to deciding what is tasty and what is not.
Now let’s cover how to help your pet after antibiotic treatment.
Tip 1: Add a Prebiotic Supplement
Antibiotics are not picky when deciding which bacteria to eliminate: they may wipe out bacterial pathogens, but along with it, your pet might lose lots of beneficial bacteria in their gut that aid in fighting inflammation, reducing cancer risk, and support a healthy weight. A prebiotic supplement like, FOS (fructooligosaccharides), psyllium husk powder, or inulin serves as a valuable food source to help support the growth of these beneficial bacteria.
Tip 2: Test the Gut Microbiome
The same antibiotic can affect individual pets in very different ways. Getting a picture of the proportions and exactly which bacteria are present in your pet’s gut (post-antibiotics) can offer more information on how to specifically support your pet’s unique gut, based on which bacteria are present now. AnimalBiome offers Gut Health Test kits for cats and dogs. Our improved test report provides personalized dietary, lifestyle, and pet supplement recommendations based on the bacteria in your pet’s microbiome. It’s a useful tool to help guide your pet’s everyday digestive health. Learn more about the testing science here.
We know that diet, medications, and environment can influence the microbiome. When a pet’s microbiome is imbalanced, symptoms may include diarrhea or constipation, vomiting, skin conditions, and even chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Learn more about how our Gut Health Test and Gut Restore Supplement work together to help restore pet gut health.
Amoxicillin is one of the many penicillins available for the treatment of many types of bacteria.It is useful against several groups of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including Salmonella and Clostridium, (which cause food poisoning), Staphylococcus and Streptococcus infections and other bacterial illnesses. Amoxicillin is the first choice of veterinarians treating urinary tract infections in cats. It may also be effective for the treatment of diarrhea in cats and kittens, as well as infected wounds of the skin. It is not used to treat viral infections.
Cost
Amoxicillin for cats is available in tablets, capsules and as a liquid suspension. Injectable amoxicillin is only available at the veterinary hospital. The cost may vary depending on which formulation and dosage has been prescribed and where it is obtained. Tablets and capsules average from about $ .40 apiece online to $3.00 apiece at the veterinary clinic. A 15 ml bottle of an Amoxicillin suspension costs an average of $23. In-hospital injections cost around $30.
Dosage
Amoxicillin for cats can be given by mouth or as an injection by a veterinarian. Chewable tablets are available at the same strengths (50 to 500 mg) as the tablets and capsules. However, the chewable tablets may contain another chemical that may help make the amoxicillin more effective, and your cat’s veterinarian may not want to start with this form. An average dose is as follows:
It’s important to give amoxicillin to your cat at the dosage prescribed and for a full 10 days to 2 weeks as prescribed by your veterinarian. Even if your cat seems to feel better, don’t stop the medication or the infection may not resolve. It can be given with or without food but if it seems to upset their stomach, switch over to giving it with meals or other food.
Amoxicillin tablets or capsules may be given inside treats or food to encourage your cat to take it. The suspension may be the easiest way to give amoxicillin, but it is common for them to spit out some of the liquid. In this case do not give them more, just resume the original dosing schedule.
Efficacy
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, amoxicillin is more effective in treating feline urinary tract infections than other antibiotics, including Penicillin G. It is readily absorbed by the GI tract and rises to therapeutic levels within the urinary tract in a short time.
In a study of 122 cats with infected skin wounds or abscesses, amoxicillin was evaluated for its efficacy in these types of cases, utilizing amoxicillin oral paste and suspension. It was found that in 95.1% of the tested cats, the infection was resolved and bacteria were eliminated. For the 5% whose infection was not totally resolved at 10 days, another course of amoxicillin proved to be effective.
Amoxicillin has also been shown to be an effective treatment in a variety of other conditions, including food poisoning.
Side effects of amoxicillin in cats
The most common side effects noted in cats receiving amoxicillin for infection are gastrointestinal in nature, including:
This medication wears off 24 hours after the last administration, at which point the side effects should gradually disappear. In the meantime, the side effects of amoxicillin can be treated by preparing foods for your cat that are tempting and can help alleviate some of the GI symptoms, such as chicken and white rice.
Considerations
Amoxicillin should not be used in cats with risk factors such as allergies to penicillins or other antibiotics. Other factors that require caution when using amoxicillin for cats include pregnancy and lactation, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
Drug interactions
Amoxicillin for cats (Amoxil, Amoxi Tabs, Amoxi-Drops, Bimox, Moxatag, Novamoxin) may negatively interact with the following medications:
Before beginning treatment with amoxicillin, be sure to talk to your veterinarian about any other medications or supplements your cat is taking, including fish oils and vitamins.
Allergic reactions to amoxicillin
Some cats may exhibit signs of an allergy to amoxicillin, characterized by skin rash, fever, swelling, incoordination, increased heart rate and breathing issues. The severity of the allergic reaction may be different in individual cats, but the symptoms will not change. A quick call to the veterinarian may result in a prescription for anti-allergy medication and/or a visit to the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a prescription for amoxicillin for cats?
Amoxicillin may only be obtained with a prescription from your veterinarian. Because amoxicillin is used so frequently in pets, some veterinary clinics keep a supply of the drug and dispense it directly from there.
What do I do if I skip a dose?
If you miss a dose, give it as soon as you remember, but if it’s close to the time for the next dose, skip the dose and resume the schedule with the next dose. Never administer two doses at once, or give your cat extra doses.
How do I store amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin tablets or capsules should be stored at room temperature between 59℉ and 86℉ in a dry place. The liquid suspension may be stored in the refrigerator, but this is not strictly required, and cats typically accept liquid medication more readily when it is at room temperature. If amoxicillin suspension has been stored in the refrigerator, warm the syringe in your hand or a bowl of warm water before approaching with the medication. Keep children and pets away from the medication.
What do I do in case of an emergency?
If you suspect an overdose or other problem, contact your veterinarian immediately or take your cat to an emergency veterinary clinic. Symptoms of a drug overdose can include vomiting or drooling, disorientation, agitation, changes in heart and breathing rates, and lethargy.
Is there specific monitoring that should be done with this medication?
While there is no specific monitoring that needs to be done with amoxicillin, your veterinarian will likely want to see your cat during or after treatment to check on the status of the infection.