What's the recommended Ranitidine dosage for my senior constipated cat?

Typically this medication is well tolerated long term. Any long term medication should be under the supervision of a veterinarian who has examined Missy and is familiar with her history and her heath, so talk to your vet about using it on a continual basis, but generally speaking it is considered safe for long term use.

From Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook "For chronic Constipation (e.g. megacolon): In combination with a stool softener (author recommends lactulose at a starting dose of 2-3 mL PO three times per day; then adjust as needed) and a bulk agent (e.g. psyllium or pumpkin pie filling) cisapride is given initially at 2.5mg (for cats up to 10 lbs) or 5mg (for cats 11 pounds or heavier) three times daily, 30 minutes before food. Cats weighing greater than 16 pounds may require 7.5mg" So in short, Merlin may require a 5-7.5mg dose three times per day. Before changing the dose, I would talk to the prescribing veterinarian about Merlin. I would discuss whether or not he needs a stool softener and whether he needs to be on canned pumpkin daily. Depending on how regulated he is or how constipated he is, he may need different things. If he hasn't had a bowel movement for awhile, he will likely need an enema. I have also found that cats with megacolon respond REALLY well to the prescription diet Royal Canin GI fiber response. Talk to your vet as they can likely order it for you or write a written prescription for you. I hope this helps!

Hello. Do you mean Previcox for osteoarthritis in dogs? Some dogs may be sensitive to drugs like Previcox & they can cause significant stomach irritation, even ulcers. Ranitidine is an H-2 receptor antagonist that is used to decrease gastric acid & help treat exisitng ulcers & erosions. But ranitidine, or other H-2 antagonists, are not effective in preventing ulcers due to NSAIDS such as Previcox. So no, this is not generally recommended. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Ranitidine and Erythromycin have known intestinal prokinetic effects and will help with increasing gut motility. I prefer Cisapride over all other prokinetic drugs but these other 2 are a good source in the absence of Cisapride. I would discuss this with your veterinarian to decide which is the best option for your cat. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available for consultation if needed.

Hi, it really depends on the underlying cause. If it's just abdominal indiscretion or a tummy upset, ranitidine could help reducing the acid production. It should be given at 2 mg/kg twice a day. Brandy should be starved for 3-4 hours and then a bland food of chicken and rice or gastro-intestinal food such as https://amzn.to/2S4UPRk . It is essential to understand wether Brandy could have ingested a foreign body, that would also cause vomiting, but would possibly require a surgery. Other differentials could be systemic illness such as kidney or liver disease or infection sepsis/pyometra. Start with symptomatical treatment but if not progress is made within 24 hors, she should have further investigations. She should be seen sooner if any deterioration should occur or if vomiting should occur multiple times a day.

Poor Angel! This can be such a problem in older cats. You can add in some canned pumpkin (1 teaspoon a day) to help increase her fiber intake. Also, if you haven't already, I would talk to your vet about doing some abdominal x-rays. These will help the vet see how large the colon is and how much stool is present. Cats can get something called megacolon where the muscles in their colon don't work well and they get easily constipated. These cats usually need to be sedated and manually have some of the stool removed and then put on a drug called cisapride. Some cats will have to stay on this drug long term, but I have personally had good success with putting them on a food called Royal Canin GI Fiber Response and eventually getting them off cisapride and stool softeners. It is a prescription food so I would talk to your vet about it. Also, . Every cat is different and your vet will need to help guide you through this process. If your vet doesn't think she has megacolon then cisapride may not be needed but if she is REALLY backed up then she may still need to be sedated and have some feces removed to help her out. I hope this helps!

Hi Rose, good question! Miralax powder is easier to give and very safe. You will have better luck with it versus docusate. I suggest you start by giving them 1/8 teaspoon mixed in a bit of canned food once a day. You can increase to twice a day if needed. You can even go up to 1/4 tsp once or twice a day but start out slow. The other thing you may want to do is to try to increase water consumption by getting them a water fountain to drink from. Many studies have shown that cats prefer to drink from running water and if offered a fountain they will drink more. Hope this helps. Best wishes!