Pets Taking Human Medicine?

| Print | By | July 25, 2008 4:03 PM

Most of the cats with which I have shared my life have been relatively laid-back critters, with few quirky behaviors. I considered myself lucky. In fact, when our affectionate white Oriental shorthair, Trouble joined our family, I never considered the possibility that he might be neurotic. "Ignorance is bliss", so they tell me. Nevertheless, my blissful state of mind soon evaporated when Trouble started displaying a variety of neurotic behaviors, some of which were actually dangerously self-mutilating. He over-groomed when he was anxious, chewing off huge hunks of fur, leaving his skin raw and bloody. Off to the vet for some diagnostic tests, we went, hopeful for a prompt and easy solution.

My vet contacted me as soon as the test results arrived. Most of them were inconclusive, but she surmised that food allergies were at the top of the list. Place upon a hypoallergenic diet, we crossed our fingers. Trouble continued chewing his fur and over grooming, anyway. We needed another plan, pronto.

My vet quickly switched to plan B, giving Trouble a trial of an anti-anxiety drug used for humans, which was also showing promise in the treatment of emotional problems in pets. Off to the pharmacy we went, prescription for Buspar, in hand. My pharmacist did a little double take, but dutifully prepared the prescription in cat size doses.

25-troublecalm.jpg
My cat, Hubble, feeling a lot better after receiving the right medications

Trouble responded beautifully to the medication. His anxiety diminished substantially, as did his self-mutilating behavior.

Over the last decade and a half, veterinarians have increased prescribing drugs developed for humans for their patients with excellent results. The pharmaceutical companies have taken notice of this practice, and have been developing a marketing strategy for behavior modification and "lifestyle" medications for pets. Interestingly, American animals share many of the same health problems, which we do. Obesity in dogs and cats is wide-spread, cognitive dysfunction is becoming more common as our pets have longer life expectancies, and lonely pets are developing separation anxiety as their human caretakers are working longer hours away from home.

Pfizer's Slentrol, approved by the F.D.A. last year, is the country's first canine anti-obesity drug. Anipryl, also manufactured by Pfizer, treats cognitive dysfunction so memory challenged pets are less confused and are able to remember where that bone was buried more readily. Eli Lilly developed Reconcile to treat separation anxiety, with the only difference between it and Prozac is that it is chewable and tastes like beef.

With more behavioral modification drugs coming on the market, combined with the more progressive training methods in vogue, perhaps conditions, which once resulted in euthanasia, will no longer plague pet lovers.

What I find most fascinating about the progress made in the field of human pharmacology now offered to our pets, is that it proves that animals have very similar emotions and feelings as ours. If not, would these medications be so effective?

I am happy to report that Trouble continues to do well, receiving his daily dose of medication. It is truly amazing that a drug, which at one time only prescribed to humans, works so well. It is a win-win situation as I, too, am less stressed out.

Have you had any experience using medications once designed for humans to help your pets? Leave a comment and share with us.

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Comments (12)

J Block July 25, 2008 9:39 AM

I think it is great that human medicines can help our pets.

Inroads in veterinary medicine are getting deeper, with a wider variety of medications available which is so valuable.

My cats have been treated with "human" meds in the past, with excellent results.

JB

Donna July 26, 2008 8:57 AM

My 9 year old female tabby takes 10 mg of amitriptyline daily for anxiety and "pee pee problems. I work in a pharmacy and what she's taking is as much as some people take (although in a human it would be considered an extremely low dose)

We regularly have medications called in for pets (when itps a med the vet doesn't supply or cannot get with his vet license).

We have one family whose dog AND cat are diabetics and regularly fill their insulin and syringe needs at our pharmacy. One dog I know is on a people dose of Prozac because she's so high strung.

Our feline and K-9 patients must be designated as such...I love typing in some of the names the people have chosen and take the time to talk to them when they come to pick up their meds.

J.A.Morrison July 26, 2008 8:58 AM

It's wonderful that we are now able to help treat our fur kids with meds that will releive their medical problems. I do know that about a year ago the vet started treating our cat with an alternative, human med. He had a problem with constant grooming of his bottom. Surgery many years ago had left him with a very uncomfortable problem that cannot be fixed. The new meds make him comfortable enough to just enjoy life. I am so happy that Hubble /Trouble is doing better.

Kathy July 26, 2008 9:18 AM

Since, at one time, I was managing 6 pets of varying ages and health in my somewhat tiny townhouse, I have had a lot of experience with all kinds of meds. Currently, my 18-year-old cat takes 1/2 tablet of Pepcid daily. It keeps her aging gall bladder working so we don't have to deal with surgery at her age. In the past my animals have taken aspirin (in very small doses) insulin designed for humans, and as soon as I get back from vacation, my 7 year old Boston will start a treatment of Rogaine for "pattern baldness" that started a couple of months ago.

What I think is funny is that I know my vet's number by heart but have to look up my own doctor's number!!

(I think I cut and pasted this to the wrong article..this is where it belongs)

Kathy

Vicki July 26, 2008 9:34 AM

There is a lot of controversary about Thoroughbred race horses taking Lasix. SOme say it is to prevent bleeding, and others say it masks other things, and enhances performance. And almost every horse is given lasix before a race. It is legal at this time, but who knows about the future?

Nancy July 26, 2008 9:46 AM

Hmmmmmm.....you've got me thinking now! I have 2 cats who lick their bellies til they are absolutely raw and juicy/bloody. I took them to my vet, who did a slide culture...said it was a bacterial infection. Put them on Clavamox. Charged me close to $150 for just one cat!!! It healed up.....but only temporarily! He said it was caused by stress.

So I just put a call in to him, and he will call me when his office hours are over today. I am going to ask him about Buspar. I'm sure they are doing exactly what your Hubble was doing. I'll let you know how I make out. I have been wearing soft collars on these 2 cats who do this. But they can't wear them the rest of their lives! Thanks for the good info!!!

Speaking of using human drugs on cats....On the advice of my vet/good friend who moved away to another state.....I have used Pen V-K 500 mg. cut into fourths to equal 125 mg. per dose. I have used this for bladder infections and other things, too, for a 10-day period. I told my new vet about it, and he said yes, that works as it's in the penecellin family. Why pay him $60 for 2 bottles of Clavamox for ONE cat!!! Pen V-K I can get from my own doctor for $4 at Wal-Mart! Give NO aspirin EVER to a cat as their body doesn't excrete it like humans do. I was told a cat could tolerate just 1 baby aspirin during its entire lifetime!

I am so glad to hear about the Buspar!!! I hope my vet will order something like that for these 2 licking cats! They have their bellies licked bare!!! They are healing now with the collars on, but I know they aren't comfortable with wearing them 24 hours a day. I do remove them when I hold them and then rub their little necks for them.

Thanks again!!!!

Skylark July 26, 2008 10:46 AM

Yep! I have an asthmatic cat, Grace, who has been prescribed Albuterol for her occasional bouts of breathing difficulties. This is a human asthma drug that I buy at the local pharmacy.

Working as a veterinary technician at a local animal hospital, I see many instances of prescriptions being written to local pharmacies for human medicines to treat pets. But we also stock some of these medications in our hospital pharmacy, Reglan, Tagamet, thyroid meds, anti-anxiety meds, sedatives, etc.

Proof that animals are more human than we thought, or that we humans are more animal than we thought? Hmm...interesting.

Skylark

fran July 26, 2008 11:52 AM

Very interesting---- what we do for our fur children! I haven't used any of these 'human' drugs for my dogs but I have, over the past several years, used herbal or homepathic remedies from a top complementary veterinarian (Dr. Marty Goldstein) which have helped with anxiety and sleep problems. "Serene" and "Rescue Remedy", among others, can be very useful for many fear or agitation reactions in some dogs.Having had positive experiences with the 'natural' approach, I tend to try these methods first.

Stella July 26, 2008 6:21 PM

I am not surprised at all using human meds for cats. They use many antiboitics and pain meds for them. And there are many behavior medications used. I just hope that all have been researched for felines. And what will work on the cats may not work the same on the dogs and vise versa. And Cat lovers please, please do not try and medicate your babies by yourself. The wrong doseage could really hurt or kill your beloved baby.

BarbH August 2, 2008 9:29 AM

One of my dogs is currently taking glucosamine % Chondroitin which has been marketed for years for pets but I buy her's at the pharmacy. I had a cat that took Tapazol for hyperthyroidism which is a "human" drug. My dog with anxiety was given amyltriptaline but it didn't work on her.

I must stress though that before giving a cat or dog human medications that you consult the vet first as not all human meds are safe for our pets.

annie August 24, 2008 12:30 AM

great article on the now renamed hubble [formerly a cat named trouble]. he is a spectacular cat, and deserves his moments of fame on petside.

aly August 3, 2009 3:25 PM

If dogs can take some types of human meds; can humans take meds prescribed for dogs? i.e. soloxine for hypothyroidism.

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