If your cat is a victim of nausea and a weak immune system, then you may have been prescribed a dose of cerenia by your veterinarian. This usually does the job for most cats, but in rare cases, side effects emerge for some cats. In this case, you need an alternative option that will fix your cats’ nauseating issues. So, what can be some cerenia alternative to cats?
In this article, we have mentioned some vet-recommended alternatives to cerenia, as well as some regular remedies you can employ to make your cat fit as a fiddle.
Problems your cat may be having because of cerenia
While it is not necessary that your cat may be a victim of problems after intaking cerenia, it is a frequently occuring scenario that many cat owners face.
For example, if your cat is drooling uncontrollably and the feeling of nausea is not going away, then you know cerenia is not working for it.
Cerenia also causes cats to become lazy and unwilling to do anything involved with activity. Meaning they will avoid walking if they have to.
In some cases, instead of fixing the vomiting issue of the cat, the medication causes diarrhea in cats. This can be problematic because it can cause a fall in your cat’s electrolytes, leading to more lethargy and weakness.
Cerenia that is administered to your cat through a shot can bring forth problems like swelling in the injection spot. There is also a possibility of a loss in appetite which can be harmful if your cat is already malnutritioned.
Hence, if your cat is facing such problems, it makes sense to look for an alternative medication or method to fix its vomiting problem.
Best alternatives to Cerenia for Cats
There are many alternatives available in the market that will eliminate the side effects of cerenia. So if your cat is facing regular issues such as anxiety, lethargy, or even lack of appetite, then you should try out these options for your cat.
Ondransetron
Ondansetron is a very common alternative to cerenia for cats which can be used to treat vomiting in cats. It is usually referred to as Zofran, which is a simpler name for antiemetic medication.
It is said to be quite a strong medication, so naturally, a small dose should go a long way. After administering the medication, it should take only a couple of minutes to kick in and do the job.
Zofran works by reducing any swelling within your digestive pathway and fixes whatever problems are being caused by Cerenia.
Vets will usually prescribe this medication whenever you mention to them about side effects with cerenia. It is also FDA approved, so that will make it easier to get a prescription from the vet to purchase it.
Other than this, there are not many medications available that are known to end all symptoms, but there are remedies that many cat owners have benefitted from, so keep on reading.
Medication intended for hairballs
Hairballs may not always be the cause of your cat’s problems with cerenia medication, but in some cases this is possible.
How do hairballs affect your cat? If your cat faces a lot of hair fall, and constantly tries to lick itself clean, then a lot of its hair will be ingested unknowingly.
This hair may go inside and clump up, which can cause problems in digestion and other bodily functions.
But there are ways to combat this simple problem, both with medication and without medication.
There are many medicines available in the market that will help reduce hairballs in cats. You may have to consult with your vet first though.
It is important to note that you can not end hairballs. As long as cats have fur, they will groom themselves, hair will be ingested, and hairballs will form. But you can reduce the internal problems caused by hairballs, which is what medication is for.
Another way you can reduce hairballs is by brushing your cat’s fur regularly, especially if it has a lot of furs.
Lastly, hairballs may only be part of the problem with respect to side effects with cerenia, so make sure you bring this up in your visit to the vet so he can prescribe you other appropriate measures.
Changing your cats’ diet
Cerenia is prescribed to your cat to halt its vomiting and fix the feeling of weakness.
But if cerenia is not available, and your cat is not feeling well, you should try to change some things in your cats’ lifestyle to suit it better.
One of these major changes is trying out different types of diets. We all know how picky cats are with their food, but maybe the vomiting is a sign that your cat may need a change to a healthier diet.
There are also other issues such as your cat facing allergies from a certain ingredient in the food, or simply chewing and ingesting the food too fast.
In all cases, test out various diets (don’t forget to consult a vet first!) and see what works. We recommend trying out a gluten-free kibble and food that contain low levels of carb.
A simple diet like this will suit cats with sensitive stomachs. If it does not, you can try feeding it plain boiled food with no seasoning until you see signs of your cat getting better.
Try to avoid any kind of high protein diet as those can lead to a heavy stomach and more chances of vomiting.
However, if you notice that your cat is chewing and swallowing too fast, you can give it food in smaller portions and divide the meal accordingly, so even if it swallows quickly, the small amount of food will not cause problems.
Hydration
Staying hydrated is really important for cats too. On average, depending on its body weight, a cat needs around 3 to 5 ounces of water per day.
If your cat is feeling drowsy, lethargic, and physically unwell from the inside, it could be really dehydrated.
Luckily, the signs of dehydration are easy to spot. Shortness of breath, vomiting, weakness, loss of appetite, and tired eyes are all signs of less water intake.
As soon as you notice these signs you should get your cat to drink as much water as it can. Keep a clean bowl of water at different places around the house.
You should try to get it to drink water after having food if it is having trouble swallowing it down to the stomach.
B12 supplements
Constant vomiting that goes on for a long period of time can be an indication that your cat may be low in B12 vitamins.
You may have heard about giving sick cats B12 vitamin shots to help with healing. This is a good option as you don’t have to worry about sneakily feeding the pills to your feline friend.
But again, depending on how severe its vomiting is, you will need to have a discussion with your vet to figure out the most suitable option for it.
If you are going towards the B12 vitamin tablets of pills, you can easily find them at a pharmacy or even at online retailers.
However, just like other options, we have mentioned above, a B12 shot or tablet may not eliminate all the problems your cat faces, and even the need for cerenia, but it can help reduce some issues to make your cat feel better.
CBD oil
CBD oil is usually given to dogs for abdominal pain, but you can give a small amount of oil to your cat as well to see if it gives your cat any sort of relief.
It is not harmful and the natural composition of the oil should help your cat calm its stomach and hopefully, get the vomiting to stop.
You may notice an improvement in your cat’s health after one or two times of giving the oil, but for best results you must stay consistent, or based on whatever your vet recommends.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what are some alternatives to cerenia for your cat?
If you feel that cerenia is not a good fit for your cat and is not fixing its vomiting and nausea issues, then this article is perfect for you.
While cerenia is usually the best option to treat severe nausea in cats, there is another such medicine that can be used named Ondransetron.
There are other options available which do not involve medication, such as changing your cat’s diets to see if that was harming it, making sure it stays hydrated well, and even giving it B12 vitamin supplements to make up for deficiencies.
You need to talk to a vet before trying out any of these methods on your cat, so your cat stays safe from further complications.
Finally, if these medications and methods do not work for your cat, then you may have to get your cat operated and seek professional medical attention.
Health always comes first, so stay healthy!
Daniel, my 15 year old cat (castrated) whom I adopted 2 years ago, has Pancreatitis. Vet put him on Cerenia (¼ tablet a day). I give him this when he starts vomiting. However, when I do that, he starts expressing his anal glands – a process that can last a whole night or 7 hours during the day, with intervals of half an hour when he just lies down exhausted, and no place is sacred. My bed, my lounge suite, my tables the carpets etc. ANYWHERE!
It has become “catch 22”. Give Cerenia – it comes out the back; don’t give Cerenia it comes out the front. I lost one of my cats 2 years ago through Pancreatitis and I don’t want it to happen again. I would send photos if I could. ANY advice would help. He eats Royal Canin Aging kibbles and salmon mousse (½ a small tin) a day – which he never finishes. Many thanks, Jeanette