No one wants to witness their cat or dog suffer through chronic pain, diseases, infections and terminal illnesses. It can be terrifying to look on helplessly as your pet faces his physical battles unaided. Fortunately, for most ailments and diseases, there are medications which can help the dog or cat maintain a decently normal life. These come in a variety of forms, and depending on the prescription, pet owners might be able to provide their dog or cat the medication in a way it is easy for them to take.
Though no one would want to see their fur-baby suffer, when medication is required, it is in the animal’s best interest to follow instructions in order to give them care they need. Below is a summary of the kinds of pet medications that exist, as well as their most common forms.
Types of Pet Medications
Antibiotics: Primarily used to kill bacteria, yeast, and cure viral infections.
Anti-inflammatories: These are used to bring down swelling, pain, and agitation.
Antiparasitics: Generally applied for infestations of worms, fleas and ticks, these medications work to repel or kill both internal and external parasites.
Hormones: Medications like insulin use hormones to treat a specific condition or disease caused from physical imbalance.
Pain relievers: Usually a derivative of morphine, these drugs are used to manage pain/aches/soreness, but must be administered carefully so as to avoid potential addiction.
Behavior altering drugs: These are prescribed for pets that struggle with acute anxiety disorders or other behavioral issues that require a mild sedative.
Steroids: These medications are applied as anti-inflammatory drugs, or to decrease the distresses of allergies of anaphylactic shock.
Chemotherapeutics: Similar to drugs used on humans, these treat tumors and cancerous cell growth
Forms of Pet Medications
Tablets, capsules, and pills: Steroid medications, pain and fever reducers, anti-inflammatories, allergy medications and antihistamines, antibiotics, antiparasitic drugs, thyroid hormone management, behavior modification drugs, etc.
Most medications have either a pill, tablet or liquid capsule form.
Liquid medications: Immune system boosters, supplements, vitamins, anti-inflammatories, hydration boosters, and behavior altering medications (like de-stressors), are just a smattering example of the kind of medications that can be given in liquid form. These are easily mixed in with regular food, and can be less complication than pill medications.
Chews: Antiparasitic treatments can be taken in the form of pet chews, as can pain relievers, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications. Many pet-owners find these kinds of medicines to be the easiest to give dogs and cats since they often smell and taste like delicious treats.
Powders: Antiparasitic products (like tick and flea repellents) often come in powder form so that they can be applied topically with ease. Certain oral medications also come in the form of powders so that they may be mixed into liquids for the pet’s consumption.
Injections: If a pet needs doses of drugs like insulin to manage diabetes, is dehydrated, or has experienced anaphylactic shock, or is in need of chemotherapy, treatments are usually administered through intravenous injections.
*Note: For helpful instructions, read through our guide on how to administer oral medications to your pet.