What Happens If My Cat Misses a Dose of Methimazole?
Your veterinarian will prescribe an individual dosage and frequency of methimazole for your pet, whether as tablets, oral suspension or transdermal gel – always following their directions to administer properly.
This medication can be lifesaving for pets with hyperthyroidism. However, it must be monitored closely in order to avoid drug-induced hypothyroidism.
Missed Dose
Methimazole is an antithyroid drug administered long-term to control hyperthyroidism in cats. It comes in various forms such as oral tablet, chew tab, liquid or compounded into transdermal gel and can be purchased from your veterinarian at $5-50 monthly cost. Methimazole’s tasteless formulation makes administration much simpler with canned food or treats being mixed together as administering extra medicine can be harmful and even deadly! If your cat misses a dose due to overdue medication it should never be given, nor should extra medicine be given up as doing so may increase risk considerably! For his/her own and cat’s safety it should never make up any extra medication due to overdue or any missed dosing as this could prove fatal!
As your cat is being treated for an organ-failure disease that could quickly result in organ failure and death, regular administration of this drug must occur to avoid an increase in thyroid hormone production. Any side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes or skin lesions must be reported immediately to their veterinarian.
Administering medication is usually straightforward for pet parents as it can be given orally, by mouth or rectally and via injection. When administering tablets or compounded liquid, be careful not to crush or break them as this will impede absorption. Liquid or gel products can also be applied directly onto areas like inside ears that lack hair growth – however gloves are recommended when handling this medication as its effects could penetrate through skin penetration.
Methimazole dosage for cats should be tailored specifically to each cat and can vary depending on serial blood work results and an evaluation by their veterinarian. Your vet may advise beginning on a low dose gradually increasing it while monitoring thyroid levels – this ensures your pet remains in the normal range in order for her to remain healthy and thrive! However, under-controlled hyperthyroidism has been proven to decrease kidney function and survival rates significantly; hence it’s not advised that thyroid levels be drastically lowered at once as under-control can negatively impact kidney health significantly
Overdosage
Methimazole is an effective medication used to treat hyperthyroidism in cats. When administered on a consistent schedule, Methimazole helps your cat’s body regulate itself and avoid producing too much thyroid hormone. Like with all medication, however, it’s essential that they receive their dose to achieve maximum results – but what happens if your pet misses one of its doses of Methimazole?
If you accidentally forget to administer methimazole to your pet as scheduled, attempt to give them their dose as soon as you realize. If it has been less than 12 hours since they missed it, give a full dose; otherwise do not exceed what has been recommended by your veterinarian as long-term exposure can cause hypothyroidism in them – an extremely serious condition with symptoms including weight loss, heart issues and nerve problems.
Watch for any sudden or unusually frequent vocalization by your pet; this could indicate too much methimazole is in her system and necessitate immediate veterinary assistance.
Methimazole can be administered in several forms: oral tablets, compounded liquid, and transdermal gel for application on hairless areas on your pet’s ears. When applying this transdermal gel it’s essential that rubber surgical gloves be worn as this medication may penetrate through to enter their bloodstream via absorption through skin tissue. Furthermore, dosing at a consistent time each day ensures you stay on track with their exact dosing schedule.
If your pet is taking methimazole but switches diets, their dosage should also change accordingly. Gradual changes are best, so as not to throw off their equilibrium. Consulting your veterinarian could also be useful; they’d know exactly how to adapt it according to what foods are changing their regiment.
If your pet was previously being fed on Y/D but switching over to Purina One will require less protein for their diet than before; as Y/D contains more proteins. Therefore, their dose will need to be decreased accordingly.
Overdose Symptoms
For optimal results, your cat should take methimazole exactly as prescribed. If they tend to miss doses or alter their dosage schedule regularly, establishing a medication routine with their veterinarian could help create consistency and familiarity – giving it at the same time each day or keeping their pill in an easily accessible spot – thus increasing the odds that their medicine will be taken as directed.
As a rule, cats taking methimazole do not experience serious side effects from taking this drug; however, in rare instances it may cause changes to bone marrow and blood counts, liver issues or myasthenia gravis which leads to weakness of muscle fibers and requires dose reduction or discontinuing treatment altogether. Your veterinarian may advise dose adjustments or cessation altogether for your feline’s wellbeing.
Crushed methimazole tablets should only be given whole and should never be mixed in food or crushed and mixed into other substances to make swallowing them easier for cats. Some compounded medications can be crushed and mixed into food to make swallowing them simpler, however this action requires prior authorization from your veterinarian.
If your pet experiences symptoms of overdose while taking methimazole, such as vomiting and diarrhea, please seek professional medical assistance immediately. Likewise if their behavior changes significantly or their weight fluctuates while taking methimazole medication they should also contact a veterinarian immediately.
Methimazole can be harmful to both people and animals, so it’s crucial that it stays out of reach of children and other animals. Storing it in a cool, dry location without direct sunlight is recommended, while rubber surgical gloves should also be worn when applying transdermal gel transdermally for added protection from absorption by your hands. Furthermore, people with low thyroid levels or pregnant women should stay away from this medicine altogether.
Thyroid Storm
As long as a cat takes methimazole as prescribed by their veterinarian, their prognosis should generally be good. The medication works to suppress their thyroid to stop it producing too many hormones that could contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, or other health complications; but missing doses could trigger serious side effects that put their health at risk.
If a cat misses its dose of methimazole and shows signs of weakness, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive urination, greasy hair or depression it should be brought immediately to an emergency veterinarian as this could indicate thyroid storm – a potentially life-threatening medical emergency requiring urgent attention.
First, determine whether or not the missed dose was close enough to its scheduled time that two doses should be administered simultaneously. If it occurred more than 12 hours away from its next scheduled dose, give an extra dose; otherwise give normal dosage. However, if vomiting occurs within two hours after taking medication then short-acting beta blockers such as propranolol or esmolol should be given to control adrenergic responses, which often lead to tachycardia symptoms.
Once the pet is on an appropriate schedule, blood levels of thyroid hormone should be tested every 2-3 weeks in the initial three months to make sure their dosage is appropriate. Thereafter, however, veterinarians may opt to continue monitoring blood levels of this drug at least monthly.
To make sure a cat doesn’t miss their dose of methimazole, the best option is using a pill organizer or reminder device to track their medication schedule. This can especially come in handy for pet owners who may forget giving their cat medication on time; conversely, if this proves challenging for any reason it might be worthwhile consulting their vet about alternatives like prescription or over-the-counter pill dispensers designed to hold multiple pills at once as well as electronic reminder devices which send alerts at certain times of the day/night.