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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2004Prozac
I took Jewel to the veterinary behaviorist yesterday. She confirmed the redirected aggression thoughts I had about her episodes. She explained that it is caused by a defect in a gene which causes an abnormal and extreme reaction to certain stimuli. And since the reaction is not rational, there is no way to adequately avoid triggering it, and behavior modification or counter-conditioning is not effective. So the only treatment plan is medication which may help. She recommended and prescribed Prozac - 2.5 mg daily. I am scared to start it, but I will. What kind of changes, effects, etc has anyone seen in their own experience using Prozac. I obviously don't want to change Jewel in any way other than stopping those attacks from happening, and if she was less timid around new things that would be fine too. I know of the identified side effects. I think that sedation, listlessness would be for two days or so at the start, but after that, has anyone seen it continue, do their cats still play the same....? Thanks, Teri My cat has taken prozac off and on for the past 4 years because of his spraying and other aggression behavior. He was prescribed 4 mg daily (he's a big cat). Currently he is taking half that...2 mg daily. I have not notice any major changes in his personality because of the prozac. He is a bit more mellow, but I'm not sure if that is due to the prozac or a sign of his age (he's 15 now). It has helped with his behavioral problems. Sue > I took Jewel to the veterinary behaviorist yesterday. She confirmed > the redirected aggression thoughts I had about her episodes. She [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Thanks, > Teri In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? I just recently started one of my cats on Prozac for a spraying problem that has gone on for awhile and we can't resolve any other way. I'm hoping it works, but the big problem now is that it is in liquid form and has a bitter taste so giving it to him is a struggle. He only has to get 1/2 ml (2 mg) but it does have a bad taste. I don't know if a compounding pharmacy could make pills in the lower doses or if they can only do liquid. I've heard they can flavor it to make it a little easier for cats but I'd like to know its that's worked for anyone else. If he might have to be on this for a long time I'd like to make it easier to give. Thanks, Mel >In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? She gets 2.5 mg, so I cut a 10 mg pill in quarters. It is football shaped and scored in the middle, and using a little $3.75 pill cutter it isn't too difficult to get in quarters. The pill also is bitter, but being so small I just put it in a little bread ball that I make. Wayyyyy easier than giving liquid medicine as far as I am concerned. She never has been a fan of getting pills but I am good at it and in 5 seconds it is done and I know the whole dose is in, as opposed to liquid. How has your cat doing since starting on it? Is he eating ok. Jewel has only gotten 5 doses so far, but her appetite is way down, and even though they said she would drink more because of the dry mouth, I have not seen her take a drink since starting it. I know she must at some point, but it seems strange because before I used to see her drinking many time throughout the day, so I expected to see it more now. Otherwise she seems fine, plays, purrs like always. Just maybe a few more yawns. Good luck, I would ask for the pill for your boy! Teri One of the side effects of prozac is stomach upset. This may be why your kitty isn't eating as much as usual. You should try compounding the prozac into a flavored treat or liquid. Check out Veterinary Pharmacies of America at vetrxrx.com. They can make the med into the exact amount needed. Beats trying to cut a pill into quarters. Sue > >In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? > She gets 2.5 mg, so I cut a 10 mg pill in quarters. It is football [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Good luck, I would ask for the pill for your boy! > Teri > >In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? > She gets 2.5 mg, so I cut a 10 mg pill in quarters. It is football [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Good luck, I would ask for the pill for your boy! > Teri Today was just the 5th day for Alfred so I don't know yet if its working. He seems to be sleeping more than usual. He's a bit mad at me cause of my giving him the horrible tasting stuff. He has been eating his can food meals 2X day, tho whether he's eating less of the dry food than normal I'm not sure. Reduced appetite is one of the side effects but that wouldn't be such a bad thing for Alfred since he's a bit overweight (he weighs 16.4 lbs) -- so long as he doesn't stop eating altogether. I'm guessing it will take a week or so for him to adjust to the drug and then I'll have a better idea how it will affect him. I've read so much about the good results with Prozac that I have really high hopes this will stop the spraying. I will look into getting it in pill form tho, cause the liquid is just too difficult. Mel FYI, it usually takes 4 weeks or so for the prozac to "kick in" to see any results. That's what my vet behaviorist told me, at least. Sue > > >In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? > > She gets 2.5 mg, so I cut a 10 mg pill in quarters. It is football [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Mel > FYI, it usually takes 4 weeks or so for the prozac to "kick in" to see any > results. That's what my vet behaviorist told me, at least. > > Sue That is my understanding also, although an article in Catnip newsletter by Dr. Dodman at Tufts says that they have seen results in cats in just 2 weeks. I'm hoping he adjusts to the side effects sooner. The first couple days he seemed to sleep a lot and I didn't see much playing, but yesterday he was more active and was starting to play with some of his toys, and even chased his brother a little. I got the pills yesterday and although it was a bit of a struggle this morning to give it to him it was better than the liquid (I know he was expecting the icky liquid, cause I've given him pills in the past without too much trouble). Mel The prozac has been compounded into a flavored chewable treat. My cat still doesn't like the treat, but I manage to get him to take it like a pill. I use Veterinary Pharmacies of America. They can also compound meds into flavored liquids too. You can check them out at Vetrxrx.com or 1-877-VETRXRX. Good luck. Sue > In what form is the Prozac you give your cat? > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Mel Any ideas? Jewel has now had 11 doses of the Fluoxitine (2.5mg/day). Since the first pill I have not seen her take a drink (Dr. said they usually really increase their water intake, but Jewel always drank a lot before starting this drug), I am sure she is peeing, but the urine output from the two cats is down from 4-6/day to 3-4. Her appetite is half of what it was, and she has started to shake her head a lot. I checked and her ears are a bit dirty and I have been cleaning them, but I didn't look in them before this past week so maybe they looked like that before, who knows. Teri First, prescribing Prozac to children under the age of six or to animals is so-called "off label" use of the product that the manufacturing drug company has not tested for safety or efficacy. Second, your veterinary behaviorist, if asked, would be unable to identify any genetic defect that causes the behavioral abnormalities described, as no such genetic research has been validated as scientific at this point - that is, you were told of a conclusion that is based on "junk science". The drug manufacturers love this stuff, though, because no state or federal agency regulates such "off label" uses of their drugs, and they make more money with very little legal liability. Good luck. > I took Jewel to the veterinary behaviorist yesterday. She confirmed > the redirected aggression thoughts I had about her episodes. She [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Thanks, > Teri >First, prescribing Prozac to children under the age of six or to animals is >so-called "off label" use of the product Exactly. >Second, your veterinary behaviorist, >if asked, would be unable to identify any genetic defect that causes the >behavioral abnormalities described, I didn't have to ask, she is the one who told me that it has not yet been identified. I do have faith in science that one day it will be, but frankly that is not going to help us with the immediate problem anyway. >Good luck. Thank you, Teri |
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