Remdesivir for Cats: Overview, Dosage & Aspect Results

Remdesivir is an antiviral remedy that could be used to deal with some cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). On this article you’ll be taught extra about remdesivir, the way it matches with FIP remedy protocols, hostile results and precautions.

Remdesivir for Cats Overview

Treatment Kind:

Antiviral

Type:

Injectable resolution

Prescription Required?:

Sure

Life Stage:

Grownup cats and kittens

Frequent Names:

Remedesivir

Accessible Dosages:

Given solely as an injection primarily based on a cat’s weight

About Remdesivir for Cats

A cat with a distended stomach like this one has is a standard look of FIP. Remdesivir could also be used to provoke a remedy course for FIP. M. Sam / Shutterstock.com

Remdesivir is an antiviral remedy. It could be used short-term as a part of remedy protocols for cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Remdesivir is the precursor for GS-441524. GS-441524 has change into far and away the popular remedy for treating FIP. Remdesivir is a prodrug of GS-441524, which means that when metabolized after being given, it’s quickly transformed into GS-441524 within the physique.

Remdesivir is an injectable remedy. Its function in remedy of FIP is commonly solely as a approach of beginning remedy for the primary couple of weeks. After an preliminary remedy interval, an oral remedy like GS-441524 is then used for continued remedy. Use collectively has demonstrated a very excessive remedy survival price (86%-96%).

Remdesivir may be tough to acquire, particularly in the US. Use within the UK and Australia could also be extra frequent.

Dosing Data for Cats

The next data shouldn’t be used to exchange a veterinary go to or alter your vet’s prescribing data. It’s best to by no means use a human remedy in your cat that was prescribed for you or a member of the family with out consulting your individual vet.

Remdesivir shouldn’t be an FDA permitted remedy to be used in cats. When used for FIP remedy, it’s prescribed in an off-label method by veterinarians.

When used for FIP remedy, remdesivir is used predominantly as an injectable remedy early on. This can be as a result of a cat may be very ailing from FIP the place fast onset of remedy is required, or if orally medicating a cat is tough.

Actual dosing quantities for remdesivir relies on the type of FIP. Your veterinarian ought to decide the right dose on your cat to manage. The FIP Remedy Information for Veterinary Professionals has probably the most up to date data and remedy protocols primarily based on the newest analysis and collaboration.

In some circumstances of relapse throughout remedy, increased dosages could also be used. This has resulted in profitable remedy outcomes most often of relapse.

How you can Administer Remdesivir to Cats

Remdesivir is usually given solely as an injection, generally underneath the pores and skin, as demonstrated right here. Dina da / Shutterstock.com

Remdesivir may be given underneath the pores and skin as a subcutaneous injection. Or, it could be given intravenously. When given intravenously, it’s diluted with sterile 0.9% saline and infused over 10-20 minutes.

As a result of it’s tough to acquire, Remdesivir is barely used when wanted. The subcutaneous injections could also be given day by day at house. However as they’re painful and oral remedy choices can be found, it is a much less frequent method to full remedy.

The intravenous injections ought to solely be given at a veterinary clinic.

The injectable resolution has been given orally, although there’s restricted research knowledge to help its use this fashion. One 2025 research demonstrated comparable remedy success charges (about 86%) with oral remdesivir as seen with oral GS-441524 and molnupiravir.

Nevertheless, given availability constraints and the vast availability of its metabolite GS-441524 and molnupiravir as oral drugs, oral administration of remdesivir may be very unusual.

Remdesivir could also be given as an injection day by day for a few weeks at most, however transition to oral administration of GS-441524 is most popular and the remedy normal for the complete 12 week length of remedy.

Aspect Results of Remdesivir for Cats

The commonest aspect impact of remdesivir is ache on the injection website when given subcutaneously underneath the pores and skin. This happens in practically half of cats.

When given underneath the pores and skin, injection website reactions have additionally been reported.

In lower than 10% of cats, ALT liver elevations have been seen, which has additionally been documented in people.

When given intravenously, there’s a reported 10% increased probability that current pleural effusion might worsen or that new pleural effusion might develop. Pleural effusion is the time period for fluid across the lungs, and could also be discovered with effusive/moist types of FIP.

Oral administration of the injectable resolution has traditionally resulted in nausea, drooling, and lethargy in cats. Nevertheless, a 2025 research involving about 30 cats demonstrated no noticeable unwanted effects.

There isn’t any benefit to giving remdesivir by the oral route in comparison with its metabolite GS-441524, which is most popular as an oral remedy.

Aspect impact danger of intravenous administration is lessened by diluting the remdesivir in 0.9% saline resolution and giving slowly over 10-20 minutes.

Overdose and Emergencies

There’s little details about overdoses utilizing remdesivir, given its restricted use primarily solely in veterinary hospitals.

Any suspected overdose or emergency related to remdesivir administration must be reported to a veterinary toxicologist at a 24 hour poison session heart similar to one of many following:

• ASPCA Animal Poison Management Heart (1-888-426-4435)
• Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661)

Potential Drug Interactions With Remdesivir

Remdesivir has been used alongside different drugs generally used to deal with FIP sufferers supportively together with:

• Glucocorticoid steroids (prednisolone)
• Maropitant (Cerenia)
• Mirtazapine (Mirataz)
• Gabapentin
• Opioid ache drugs (like buprenorphine)

Solely two drug interactions have been documented:

• Hydroxychloroquine (not utilized in cats): decreased remdesivir’s antiviral impact in people
• Itraconazole: synergistic (elevated) impact with GS-441524 has been demonstrated.

How you can Retailer Remdesivir

The injectable resolution must be refrigerated in a variety of 36 levels F to 46 levels F (2-8 levels C). Sealed vials could also be saved at room temperature for as much as 12 hours.

The lyophilized powder for injection must be saved under 86 levels F (30 levels C) and must be used instantly after reconstitution.

Drug Dosing Disclaimer: We’re solely in a position to present doses for drugs which might be FDA permitted to be used in cats and solely because the label pointers dictate. For drugs which might be used off-label we will solely present pointers and security data to be used. Secure and acceptable dosing for off-label drugs can solely be decided by a main care veterinarian.

We encourage you to work together with your veterinarian to find out if a selected remedy is acceptable on your cat. Altering or adjusting a dose on your cat by yourself with out consulting with a veterinarian can carry danger. We don’t encourage use of medicines prescribed for human use in pets with out first consulting with a main care veterinarian.