Vitamin Okay for Cats: Overview, Dosage & Aspect Results

Vitamin K1 (phytonadione) is mostly used to deal with cats who’ve eaten rat poison.

Vitamin Okay is a fat-soluble vitamin wanted to supply components concerned in bone mineralization and regular blood clotting. In case your cat doesn’t have sufficient vitamin Okay, there generally is a delay of their blood clotting. This causes a threat of spontaneous and uncontrolled bleeding.

Vitamin Okay for Cats Overview

Type:

Injectable, tablets, capsules, compounded liquid

Prescription Required?:

Sure

Model Names:

No licensed veterinary preparations. Human preparations might have a commerce identify comparable to Konakion® or Mephyton®. Or it could simply be known as Vitamin K1 or Phytomenadione.

Frequent Names:

Vitamin K1, Phytomenadione

Out there Dosages:

Injectable 10mg/ml, tablets/capsules fluctuate

Expiration Vary:

Tablets usually have a shelf lifetime of 1-2 years when saved correctly. Injectable options might have shorter shelf lives after opening. At all times verify product labeling for particulars.

Many mouse and rat poisons work by inducing a vitamin Okay deficiency, leading to deadly inside bleeding. In case your cat ingests rat poison, your veterinarian will deal with them with vitamin Okay to counteract the poison’s results. Fortunately, if began rapidly, this may be very efficient.

Cats also can change into vitamin Okay poor if they’ve issues with their liver, gallbladder, or fats absorption.

Learn on for every little thing you’ll want to find out about vitamin Okay and cats, together with when it’s prescribed, learn how to administer it, and what to look out for in case your cat is taking it.

About Vitamin Okay for Cats

Vitamin Okay is used as an antidote for cats who’ve by accident ingested mouse or rat poison.
Picture Credit score: Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock.com

Vitamin Okay is a vital vitamin, that means it isn’t made within the physique and your cat should eat sufficient of their weight loss plan to remain wholesome. In case your cat eats a nutritionally full, balanced weight loss plan, they are going to obtain sufficient vitamin Okay. So, it isn’t one thing you’ll want to complement in a standard cat.

Due to its vital function in blood clotting, cats who’re poor in vitamin Okay can endure from severe bleeding problems. The most typical reason behind vitamin Okay deficiency in cats is rodenticide poisoning, which happens in case your cat eats poison designed to kill rodents comparable to rats and mice. Many kinds of rodenticide poisons are ‘anticoagulant’ – they work by inflicting extreme vitamin Okay deficiencies within the rodent, resulting in deadly inside bleeding. Cats who ingest the poison are affected in the identical manner and may endure from life-threatening spontaneous bleeding.

Much less generally, vitamin Okay deficiency might be attributable to sure liver circumstances, gall bladder obstructions, fats absorption issues, and power antibiotic use.

Vitamin Okay deficiency is handled by administering vitamin Okay treatment. This replaces the misplaced vitamin Okay, permitting your cat’s blood to clot usually. It normally begins to work inside 24-48 hours.

Particular Precautions for Cats Receiving Vitamin Okay

Your cat can have been prescribed vitamin Okay treatment as a result of they’ve low ranges of their physique. This implies they’re prone to bruising and spontaneous bleeding, so you will need to deal with them gently.

Cats ought to be saved quiet and calm whereas they’re receiving therapy. You must attempt to stop your cat from leaping or strenuous taking part in, to cut back the chance of harm. This may imply confining them to at least one quiet space of the home for the primary week or so. They need to be saved inside till they’re totally recovered.

Dosing Data for Cats

Notice: This info doesn’t change a vet go to. Whereas these are the most typical dosages, you need to seek the advice of along with your cat’s veterinarian on the precise dose and therapy protocol

Injectable Vitamin Okay

Vitamin Okay remedy will normally begin with a course of injections earlier than being continued with tablets at residence for a number of weeks. H_Ko / Shutterstock.com

In an emergency, comparable to ingestion of anticoagulant rodenticides, your veterinarian would administer vitamin Okay as an injection beneath your cat’s pores and skin as this works sooner than oral treatment. The dose vary is 0.25 – 2.5 mg per kg physique weight.

In case your cat has indicators of bleeding, your veterinarian might start with a high-dose injection. This will likely be adopted by a decrease dose each 12 hours till lively bleeding has stopped. At this level, your cat will likely be moved onto oral vitamin Okay treatment – normally inside 1-3 days.

Oral Vitamin Okay

There are not any licensed veterinary merchandise containing vitamin Okay for cats. So, it is not uncommon to make use of human medicines as a substitute. That is known as ‘off label’ use and should solely be accomplished beneath the path of your veterinarian.

Oral vitamin Okay is on the market in tablets, capsules, and compounded liquids. It’s normally given twice a day, about 12 hours aside. Your veterinarian might suggest a tapering dose – one which begins increased and is regularly lowered – to wean your cat off gently. Whereas dosing is particular person to every case, it’s more likely to be within the vary of 0.25 – 2.5 mg per kg of physique weight.

Oral vitamin Okay is normally continued for a number of weeks. Your cat might have blood checks to verify the treatment is working and their blood is clotting usually earlier than stopping.

Find out how to Administer Vitamin Okay to Cats

Your cat will want oral vitamin Okay treatment for a number of weeks till their blood is clotting usually. Dora Zett / Shutterstock.com

Vitamin Okay is finest absorbed when given with meals, particularly fatty meals. You could possibly conceal a pill or capsule in a strong-flavored tasty deal with. In case your cat has been prescribed a liquid, you could possibly combine it right into a moist meals. Examine along with your veterinarian which meals to make use of, as some cats might must keep away from high-fat meals (as an illustration, if prone to pancreatitis).

In case your cat won’t eat a pill you could must administer it straight into the again of their mouth. See this information for How To Give Your Cat a Capsule. You should definitely give them a fatty meal or deal with after their treatment to make sure it’s absorbed successfully.

Aspect Results of Vitamin Okay for Cats

Vitamin Okay tablets are normally effectively tolerated by cats and uncomfortable side effects are unusual. Nevertheless, contact your vet instantly in case you discover something uncommon.

There might be uncomfortable side effects from vitamin Okay injections, together with:

• Ache, swelling, or bleeding on the injection website
• Allergic response or anaphylaxis (very uncommon)

Notice: vitamin Okay ought to be injected beneath the pores and skin (subcutaneously) and never into the vein (intravenously) as a result of threat of anaphylaxis, or into the muscle (intramuscular) as a result of threat of hematoma.

Overdose and Emergencies

An overdose of vitamin Okay in cats can destroy their pink blood cells. Excessive doses also can trigger bleeding problems, regardless of being given to stop it. So, if you’re fearful your cat might have taken too many vitamin Okay tablets you need to contact your veterinarian for recommendation instantly.

Potential Drug Interactions of Vitamin Okay for Cats

A number of medicines might work together with vitamin Okay, and so ought to be used with warning:

• Thyroid treatment
• Aspirin
• Chloramphenicol, metronidazole, or erythyromycin (antibiotics)
• Allopurinol (used to deal with leishmania or bladder stones)
• Diazoxide (used to handle blood glucose ranges)
• Itraconazole (antifungal)
• Cimetidine (used to deal with or stop abdomen ulcers)
• Propranolol (used to deal with coronary heart circumstances and hypertension)
• Warfarin-type medicine

All kinds of treatment have the potential to work together, even non-prescription medicine. So, make sure to inform your veterinarian about something you might be giving your cat, even in case you don’t assume it’s vital. This consists of natural cures, dietary supplements, nutritional vitamins, or over-the-counter therapies.

Mineral oils comparable to liquid paraffin might cut back vitamin Okay absorption out of your cat’s intestine. So, you need to cease utilizing this whereas your cat is handled with vitamin Okay to make sure it will possibly work successfully.

Find out how to Retailer Vitamin Okay

Vitamin Okay tablets ought to be saved at room temperature in a light-resistant container with the lid shut. Compounded medicines ought to be saved in line with the label.

As all the time, maintain any treatment out of attain and sight of youngsters and pets.