My cat is itching. Can I give her Cetirizine? Is it a drug reaction?

Although uncommon, cetirizine can cause sedation, lethargy, and lack of appetition animals. Please call your vet and discuss the clinical signs that he is experiencing. Your vet may want to switch medications or might want to see your cat to make sure there isn't something else causing the problem.

Legally, we are prohibited from providing doses, even for OTC medications, in the absence of a physical exam and VPCR ( Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship). A true and valid VPCR cannot be established in an online forum. Additionally, the itching and scratching may not be due to allergies, in which case the cetirizine will be ineffective. Ideally, Suki should be seen by your veterinarian to diagnose the underlying cause. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking or chewing. Confirm she is on a flea preventive and check her over for any stray fleas. Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and hydrolyzed diets with the vet.

Yes, you can give cetirizine as needed. Be aware that if you use it constantly there is a chance he will become tolerant to it and will no longer work. It should also not be used in animals that have any underlying kidney or liver disease. Please review this article on the medication in regards to dosing, side effects, etc. ( https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/cetirizine/ )

Hydroxyzine is not FDA approved for use in veterinary medicine, but it is frequently used "off label" to treat allergies and itching in cats and dogs. Legally, we are prohibited from recommending prescription medications in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). What you can do, is contact your vet for a dose based on Boba's body weight. Just as in people, antihistamines will affect pets in different ways. You may find it works well, just ok or not at all. Check Boba over for fleas, which are the most common cause of itching and scratching. If found, treat him topically or orally for at least 3 consecutive months but preferably year round. You will also need to treat the environment for fleas. This means vacuuming everywhere and washing all bedding. This should be followed up with a cat safe area treatment to prevent re-infestation. If there are no fleas, you will need to have Boba examined by your veterinarian to diagnose infection (bacterial or fungal), other parasites (mites) or other allergens (food, environmental, inhaled, contact). It can be very frustrating given all the potential causes for allergic reactions. Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and hydrolyzed diets with your vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It depends on which pill you are giving. I would recommend that you check with her veterinarian who knows her medical history well before giving any medications. I agree with you that this is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would agree with the veterinarian that the blood work does not look concerning at this time. If his appetite has decreased with antibiotics, I would recommend discontinuing the antibiotics and seeing how his appetite improves. If he continues to be inappetant or is lethargic, I would have the veterinarian recheck him to ensure everything is ok. If he continues to be itchy, I would recommend using a topical shampoo such as Douxo PS shampoo which can be found online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would also recommend using Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent, which can also be found online. If he continues to be itchy, it may be time to consider switching to a different food or even consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A safe dose of Cetirizine is 2.5 - 5 mg per cat, so this is likely half a tablet. Please make sure that Cetirizine is the only medical ingredient in the tablet, and there are no other additives. Pseudoephedrine is very toxic for cats, if this is present in the tablet, go to your vet right away. If you have given 10mg, that is ok, she might just be sleepy. Best of luck with Panda.