Opioids will likely need to be injected.
Cat arthritis pain relief medication.
Nsaids are usually the first line of defense.
These medications help reduce pain but have no effect on inflammation.
Veterinarians often prescribe a variety of medications to treat arthritis but these often aren t well tolerated by cats.
Arthritis also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease causes pain and inflammation in a cat s joints.
Options they may recommend include.
Side effects of nsaids include vomiting diarrhea and loss of appetite.
The fda hasn t approved any nsaids for long term pain management but certain ones are cleared for short term use in cats.
Your vet may prescribe the.
Your vet will help you to decide on the best treatment for your cat.
Non steroidal anti inflammatories help reduce pain and inflammation.
It should always be given with or after food just as you shouldn t take aspirin on an empty stomach because this risks gastric ulceration.
Although fairly uncommon in felines arthritis tends to affect the elbow joint when it does strike but many joints can be afflicted.
Cats are extremely sensitive to the side effects of nsaids.
Treatment for arthritis in cats.
Common examples of this are codeine or morphine.
This means that your cat will need to regularly attend a clinic.
It comes in a specific cat formula that is easy to give.
Several classes and types of prescription medications can ease a cat s pain.
Veterinarians will occasionally prescribe the forms of nsaids that are formulated for people such as aspirin and ibuprofen for specific conditions but you should never give them to your cat for pain relief without veterinary guidance.
2 nsaids are highly effective at controlling pain and inflammation of joints.
These include nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medications acetaminophen and aspirin as well as anti inflammatory medications like corticosteroids.
If your cat s arthritis pain becomes chronic your vet may prescribe opioids.
An over the counter option includes acetaminophen tylenol others.
For more severe pain opioids might be prescribed such as tramadol ultram conzip oxycodone oxycontin roxicodone others or hydrocodone hysingla zohydro er.
Meloxicam is currently the only licensed pain relief medication for long term use in cats.
