Animal medicines

Onsior canine treatment is an anti-inflammatory analgesic medication which is used to alleviate pain and inflammation. It is from the coxib family of medications, a type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), also known as a COX-2 inhibitor. While we commonly know it as Onsior, this is a trade...

Broadline is a veterinary drug for the treatment of cats with a mixed infestation of internal and external parasites or at risk of such infestation. In other words, it is an all-in-one parasite treatment for cats that kills fleas, ticks, roundworms, and tapeworms. It is applied topically, directly on the skin...

Itraconazole is an antifungal drug, meaning it is used for treating fungal infections. The most common types of fungal infections in dogs are yeast infections and dermatophytosis, the latter also known as ringworm. These fungal infections need to be diagnosed by a veterinarian who will prescribe the correct...

Cephalexin is an antibiotic that is used in both human and veterinary medicine, although usually it is less common in the latter. Unfortunately, use of antibiotics can lead to resistance in the organism of the animal, so it is important we only use this drug under strict veterinary guidance. There are also...

Sodium diclofenac is the active ingredient of a well-known drug used under the trade name Voltaren, Cataflam and others. It is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which is used to combat pain and inflammatory processes. Diclofenac can be sold in various preparations, some of which are prescription...

Ebastine is a drug that is included within the group known as antihistamines. These drugs are very commonly used in human medicine and are widely used to treat allergy symptoms. They are common in many household medicine cabinets, but are incredibly varied in their action. This is dependent on their active...

Especially when they are young kittens, the large eyes of cats are one of their most beautiful features. Unfortunately, they are also one of their most vulnerable. Various pathologies can affect the eye and they are a good indicator of the general health and well-being of a cat. They can also point to...

Famotidine is a drug that is also commonly used in human medicine. While it will depend on the country of residence, some formulations can be purchased over the counter. Many still require prescription. One of the most common brands which uses famotidine as the main active ingredient is Pepcid. With such...

Gabapentin, sold under the brand name Neurontin® and others, is an anticonvulsant used primarily to treat partial seizures and neuropathic pain. It is usually used as an antiepileptic in dogs when conventional treatment does not produce the expected results, as well as to improve the treatment of cancer,...

Povidone iodine, widely known by its brand name Betadine, was introduced to the market in 1955. Betadine is an essential product in every medicine cabinet in most households around the world. It is used to treat minor wounds and superficial cuts, as well as minor burns or abrasions. But have you ever wondered...

Polaramine is an antihistamine commonly used in human medicine. Therefore, it is not surprising that we find it in the medicine cabinets of many households. This may tempt some caregivers to use it on their dogs to treat allergies, which can lead to negative consequences. Dogs should only be given it...

Ivermectin is a long-known antiparasitic used for various purposes in different species of animals such as dogs, cats and even humans. Ivermectin's ease of use, broad spectrum of activity and wide safety margin make it an ideal product for parasite control in horses. The following AnimalWised article explains...

Veterinarians often prescribe cimetidine to treat acid reflux and gastric ulcers in dogs. Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux is a digestive disorder in which stomach or intestinal contents enter the dog's esophagus. These substances irritate the esophageal mucosa and cause lesions in the esophagus....

Ivermectin is a long-established antiparasitic used for various purposes in different species of animals such as dogs, cats, cattle, and even humans. Ivermectin is also commonly prescribed for rabbits. It is considered an endoparasitic because it fights multiple microorganisms, both external and internal....

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), also known as mayflower, purple passionflower, true passionflower, wild apricot, and wild passion vine, is a fast-growing perennial vine with climbing or drooping stems. It is grown commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its sweet, seed-bearing fruit,...

There are many drugs which are used in both veterinary in human medicine, but trilostane has a rare distinction. While it was previously used in human medicine in the USA, it has been withdrawn from such purposes. Since this withdrawal, it has been approved for use in veterinary medicine. Used mainly...

Theophylline is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family. Due to its bronchodilator effect, it is used to treat various respiratory diseases in dogs. Although it is an effective drug for this purpose, it has a narrow therapeutic index range, meaning administration at the wrong dose can occur easily....

Although it can be fairly common, vomiting in dogs should be cause for concern with any responsible dog guardian. This is especially important when it persists for more than 24 hours and when we see other worrying clinical signs. In these cases, we need to take the dog to the veterinarian. Antiemetic drugs...

Canine phenobarbital is an antiepileptic drug that belongs to the group known as barbiturates. Due to its high efficacy, it is considered the first drug of choice to treat seizures caused by epilepsy in dogs. Its administration can cause the appearance of various adverse reactions, leading to a more intensive...

Fipronil (brand names: Frontline®, Barricade®, Easyspot® and many others) is a broad-spectrum insecticide used to control insects such as fleas, lice, ticks, cockroaches, and mites. Cats can be treated with it for external parasites and for allergic dermatitis after flea bites starting at the age of two...

Povidone-iodine is commonly sold under the brand name Betadine®. It is a drug marketed as an antiseptic for superficial wounds. It has a broad antimicrobial spectrum, being effective against various viruses, protozoa, spores, fungi and gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This microbicidal effect...

Ivermectin is a macrocyclic lactone used to treat external parasites in many mammals. Ivermectin is especially useful for eliminating small parasites in guinea pigs, such as fleas, lice, and mites. As every guinea pig owner knows, skin diseases are one of the most common health problems in guinea pigs....

Procox® is an antiparasitic drug containing two active ingredients, emodepside and toltrazuril. It is a product marketed for dogs, but it has also been shown to be an effective dewromer in cats. Procox® is used to treat cats that are infested with two types of parasites at the same time, roundworms and...

Chlorhexidine is a disinfectant and antiseptic which is used in both human and veterinary medicine. It is considered safe and is commonly used for disinfection of wounds, lesions, erosions and skin disorders such as feline acne, certain infections and pododermatitis. It is also used as a complement to...

Meloxicam, marketed under the brand names Metacam®, Loxicom®, OroCAM®, and Rheumocam, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in veterinary medicine to treat pain and inflammation associated with rheumatic diseases and osteoarthritis. In some cases, it is also used to treat pain associated...

Selegiline, also known as L-deprenyl and marketed under the brand names Eldepryl and Emsam, among others, is a drug used in humans to treat Parkinson's disease and major depressive disorder. However, it is also approved as a veterinary drug for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in geriatric...

Tobramycin is an antibiotic drug which is a type of aminoglycoside. This means it contains amino acids as part of its structure. It is sold under various brand names, with Tobrex being one of the most common. While is is both a broad-spectrum antibiotic and on the World Health Organization's List of...

Famciclovir is a prodrug, meaning its a drug that becomes pharmacologically active once metabolized. After metabolism, famciclovir is transformed into the active metabolite penciclovir. The action of this metabolized prodrug works by inhibiting viral replication of viral nucleic acid. For this reason, it...

Gastrointestinal diseases are relatively common in felines. They can be accompanied by various symptoms, all of which need to be monitored by their caregivers. Constipation is a digestive problem which can go unnoticed by cat guardians, especially if they do not check their litter regularly. The underlying...

Selamectin is a safe antiparasitic for rabbits and very useful to kill external parasites such as fleas, lice or mites. It is very similar structurally to the more-commonly-known ivermectin. The dose will depend on the type of parasitization in our rabbit and the extent of its progress. The active ingredient of...

Carprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It has the potential to inhibit cyclooxygenase I and II enzymes, with greater potential to inhibit the latter. The purpose of this inhibition is to limit the risk of kidney, gastrointestinal and liver damage by mediating inflammation, pain and fever....

Ketoconazole is an antifungal used in cats to eliminate mycosis, i.e. an infection caused by fungi. Specifically, it fights mycosis which affects the skin, bones and even systemic infections. The fungi which it counteracts are numerous, including species as varied as dermatophytes responsible for ringworm,...

Famotidine is a medication from the group of drugs known as H2 receptor antagonists. H2 receptors allow the binding of histamine to induce gastric acid secretion. By blocking these receptors, histamine limits its binding and, in turn, the secretion of gastric acids. This is useful when an organism is producing...

Commonly sold under the brand name Zantac, ranitidine is a drug that inhibits gastric acid secretion in cats. This action is carried out by binding to the H2 receptors in the stomach which are responsible for the release of this acid. For this reason, it is used to treat problems related to stomach...

Bactrim in dogs is a type of antibiotic with the active ingredients trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. The use of these two antimicrobial compounds in combination has a synergistic effect, meaning the effect of both drugs is increased when administered together. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is a drug on the...

Omeprazole is an active ingredient from the group of stomach proton pump inhibitors. It is responsible for reducing the production of gastric acid and controlling disorders associated with gastric hypersecretion in cats. You may be more familiar with it in human medicine as it is on the World Health Organization's...

Metamizole is a drug with analgesic, antipyretic and antispasmodic effects. It is more widely used in human medicine, but is being more commonly prescribed in veterinary practice. Currently, the only veterinary drug that contains this active ingredient is in the form of an injectable solution. However, there...

Metoclopramide is a widely used drug in human and veterinary medicine. It is widely used to treat and prevent nausea and vomiting and to assist in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Its various mechanisms of action confer different pharmacological effects to this drug, especially antiemetic, prokinetic and...

As its name implies, Calmex for dogs is a product that contains different ingredients chosen for their relaxing properties. For this reason, Calmex is a product used to reassure dogs that are going through situations of nervousness or anxiety. In this AnimalWised article, we look at Calmex for dogs,...

Corticosteroids are drugs used to treat a wide variety of pathologies in veterinary medicine. They have powerful anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive action. This action make them highly effective drugs for treating allergic and inflammatory processes, autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, and other pathologies....

Lactulose is a type of laxative which can be used in both human and veterinary medicine. As a laxative, it is used to counteract the retention of stool or slow intestinal transit, i.e. constipation. Constipation itself has many causes, but it can be exacerbated if it affects the dilation of the large intestine...

Enrofloxacin is an antibiotic bactericidal agent, specifically of the fluoroquinolone group. It is used for the treatment of respiratory, digestive and urinary bacterial infections, among others. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic sold in the US under the brand name Baytril, although it can be found in generic...

Parasites are a major threat to our cat's well-being. Unfortunately, there are many different types which can affect them both internally and externally. This is why it is important to protect our cats as best we can. Even in the home, cats can become infested with parasites such as tapeworms and roundworms...

Panacur is an antiparasitic drug with the active ingredient fenbendazole. It is a broad spectrum anthelmintic that has an effect against nematodes (both gastrointestinal and pulmonary) and cestodes. In addition, it is a drug that is used as a treatment against giardiasis, an infection caused by the protozoa...

Calamine is a commonly used medication to treat mild itchiness on the skin produced by sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, allergies, among others. It can also be prescribed to dry out skin irritation. It has proven to be very effective on humans. In fact, its use dates back as far as 1500 BC....

Dexketoprofen belongs to the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) group of drugs. It is generally used to treat mild to moderate pain because of its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. It can be administrated orally or intravenously through an injection and it can be found in...

Mirtazapine is a drug that is used in cats as an appetite stimulant. It is used when the cat has appetite loss, usually as a symptom of an underlying disease (anorexia). It is also used as the symptomatic treatment of nausea and vomiting. It is commonly used in chronic diseases that affect the digestive system,...

Like all vitamins, B group vitamins are essential micronutrients for a dog’s organism. A good quality diet is the best way to ensure the correct supply of vitamin B for dogs, but there are situations in which deficiencies can occur, causing different symptoms, depending on which B vitamin is missing. In...

Prazosin is a drug that can be used on cats as part of treatment recommended by a veterinarian for urinary problems such as feline idiopathic cystitis, a type of feline lower urinary tract disease. It is suitable for these cases because of its relaxing and antispasmodic effects. In this AnimalWised article,...

Diazepam, commonly known as Valium, is a drug we often associated with mental health issues, something we might not apply to cats in the same way as humans. However, it is actually used for various different ailments, many of which cats can also experience. It is a strong drug which needs careful consideration...