Credelio for cats is an oral flea and tick preventive treatment manufactured by Elanco Animal Well being. On this article, you’ll be taught what Credelio does, the way it works, unwanted side effects to search for, and a few regularly requested questions.
Credelio for Cats Overview
Treatment Kind:
Isoxazoline Ectoparasiticide
Treatment Type:
Chewable pill
Model Names:
Credelio Cat
Results:
Treats and controls fleas and flea infestations and the black-legged tick for one month.
Obtainable Dosages:
12 mg (cats weighing 2lb-4lb) and 48 mg (cats weighing 4.1lb to 17lb)
Potential Aspect Results:
Weight reduction, elevated respiratory price, vomiting, diarrhea, poor urge for food. Neurologic unwanted side effects like muscle tremors, poor stability, and seizures are doable however not often reported.
Precautions:
Use in cats lower than 6 months of age for treating black-legged ticks has not been evaluated. Secure use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating cats has not been evaluated. Cautious use in cats with a historical past of seizures or epilepsy. The Credelio product for canines shouldn’t be used for cats.
About Credelio for Cats
Credelio Cat is a model identify for a feline product model of lotilaner, manufactured by Elanco Animal Well being.
Lotilaner is a member of the isoxazoline class of medicines that are very efficient at treating and stopping flea and tick infestations. Lotilaner works by inhibiting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated signaling channels within the central nervous programs of bugs and ticks.
GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter within the physique. By blocking GABA channels, lotilaner results in hyper pleasure and fast demise of bugs and ticks.
The GABA receptor in ticks and bugs has variations in construction and sensitivity in comparison with the GABA receptor in mammals like cats, canines, and people. That is the premise for the perceived security of isoxazoline medicines and why they kill bugs and ticks whereas having restricted unwanted side effects in pets.
Credelio Cat is FDA accredited to be used in cats with the next pointers:
- Therapy for grownup fleas and prevention of flea infestations (attributable to Ctenocephalides felis) in cats and kittens 8 weeks of age and older
- Therapy and management of infestations attributable to the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in cats and kittens aged 6 months and older.
- Cats should weigh no less than 2 lb or extra.
- Therapy and management of parasites lasts for 1 month.
It is very important be aware that Credelio Cat doesn’t present safety from intestinal parasite worms or from mosquito-borne heartworms.
Additionally it is vital to notice that Credelio Cat has solely proven efficacy for management of Ixodes scapularis (the black-legged tick) within the US. There are a number of different species of ticks it has not confirmed efficient tick remedy for.
Dose for Cats
There are two dosage sizes for Credelio Cat.
The 12mg measurement is indicated for cats and kittens weighing 2 lb to 4 lb (0.9kg to 1.8 kg). The 48mg measurement is for cats weighing 4.1 lb to 17 lb.
For cats weighing over 17lb, the producer advises combining tablets to realize essentially the most acceptable dose. For instance, a 20 lb cat would obtain a 48mg pill plus a 12mg pill.
How To Administer Credelio to Cats
Credelio for Cats is a chewable pill with vanilla and yeast flavoring. The treatment will be given as a month-to-month deal with.
For cats that will not eat Credelio Cat by itself, the chewable will be administered immediately by mouth or will be hidden in meals. Since it’s in a chewable kind, it may be damaged into smaller items and hidden in meals or a deal with, so long as it’s consumed in a single sitting.
Palatability research confirmed that of 221 cats, simply over 20% ingested the pill on their very own. About 26% of cats ingested the pill when it was given with meals. About 53% of cats wanted to have the pill administered immediately by mouth. Happily, cat dad and mom within the examine had been unable to manage Credelio Cat in solely 0.5% of circumstances.
The palatability research do assist that cats will be very choosy, particularly with treatment. If in case you have tried giving your cat Credelio as a chewable by itself and your cat won’t take the treatment, listed below are some hyperlinks to useful suggestions for administering a medicine with meals or immediately by mouth.
No matter how a cat consumes the pill, the producer recommends giving Credelio in shut proximity to a meal, as absorption by the physique is about 9 instances higher.
Aspect Results of Credelio for Cats
Based on the producer, in a area examine evaluating Credelio Cat the place about 230 cats obtained the treatment, no severe adversarial response occasions had been reported.
A low proportion of unwanted side effects had been reported throughout the trial, however the commonest included:
A security examine was additionally carried out with outcomes supplied by the producer. This examine concerned 24 eight week outdated cats who obtained both the labeled dose, 3 instances the labeled dose, or 5 instances the labeled dose as soon as a month for 8 months. Outcomes had been in comparison with a management group receiving a placebo.
Vomiting was the commonest seen impact that was famous which was extra within the 5 instances group. No clinically vital modifications had been seen with bodily and neurological examinations. Some minor bloodwork modifications had been present in a few the cats within the 3 instances and 5 instances group.
Neurologic adversarial reactions like muscle tremors and seizures weren’t discovered throughout scientific trials or security research. Nevertheless, they have been reported to the FDA for each cats and canines whereas on isoxazoline class medicine like Credelio. The FDA has suggested that these indicators have been reported in cats that haven’t any prior historical past of seizures or epilepsy. This treatment must be used with warning in a cat with a historical past of neurologic problems.
Overdose and Emergencies
Based mostly on the security research, a cat receiving an overdose would most definitely develop indicators of vomiting.
If you’re ever involved that your kitty could have developed unwanted side effects whereas utilizing Credelio Cat, or if an overdose is suspected, ensure that to instantly contact a number of of the next for recommendation:
- Your veterinarian
- ASPCA Animal Poison Management Heart (1-888-426-4435)
- Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661)
Potential Drug Interactions With Credelio for Cats
In a area examine, lotilaner/Credelio was used along with different medicines together with vaccines, antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment, dewormers, and anesthetic medicines with no noticed unwanted side effects.
As a result of Credelio is just efficient towards fleas and ticks, it might be mixed with one other preventive treatment for mosquito-borne heartworms and/or intestinal parasites. It is vitally vital when combining merchandise to train warning and never use a second product additionally containing an isoxazoline.
If in case you have any particular questions on utilizing Credelio with one other preventive treatment or another treatment, ensure that to contact your veterinarian.
Additionally Learn: Flea and Tick Treatment Poisoning in Cats: Causes, Signs, & Therapy
How To Retailer Credelio
Credelio Cat chewable tablets must be saved at about room temperature between 59 levels F and 77 levels F (15 levels C to 25 levels C). The producer signifies that storage temperature fluctuations between 41 levels F and 104 levels F are permitted (5 levels C to 40 levels C).
As a result of it’s a flavored, chewable treatment, it’s best to retailer Credelio in an space out of attain of pets and youngsters.
Continuously Requested Questions
Is Credelio a Good Flea Therapy for Cats?
Credelio does seem like an efficient remedy for fleas in cats. Based on the producer, in a managed lab examine, Credelio Cat started to kill fleas inside 6 hours of administration. Inside 12 hours, greater than 98% of fleas had been killed. In one other examine, Credelio Cat was 100% efficient in killing fleas by 24 hours and remained efficient for as much as 35 days.
A examine additionally confirmed that Credelio Cat was efficient at killing fleas earlier than they might lay eggs, making it efficient at controlling and stopping infestations.
For ticks, Credelio Cat was proven to be over 97% efficient at killing black-legged ticks after 72 hours, with the impact lasting for as much as 31 days.
What if I Miss a Dose of Credelio for Cats?
Credelio must be administered month-to-month on about the identical date every month. Should you miss a dose of Credelio, give the following dose that’s due as quickly as doable. For future doses, ensure that to regulate your calendar so that you’re giving future doses each 30 days on the brand new date every month.
What Are the Aspect Results of Credelio for Cats?
Essentially the most generally reported unwanted side effects in cats embrace weight reduction, elevated respiratory or panting, vomiting, diarrhea, and poor urge for food. The most typical impact seen in cats receiving a dose of Credelio above the labeled dose was vomiting.
Neurologic unwanted side effects like muscle tremors or seizures have been reported to the FDA however weren’t seen with any appreciable frequency in area research and are thought-about uncommon. That stated, in case your cat has a historical past of neurologic illness, seizures, or epilepsy, many veterinarians would advise towards utilizing any isoxazoline treatment, together with Credelio Cat.
Is Credelio Secure for Cats?
Security research for Credelio Cat have proven that it’s a secure treatment to make use of for many cats. As a result of each cat is a person and might have particular person sensitivities to medicines, unwanted side effects to any treatment is all the time doable.
The potential for neurologic results have been the priority for a lot of pet dad and mom. Whereas occasions like muscle tremors and seizures have been reported to the FDA in pets taking isoxazoline medicines, security research and area trials didn’t see these results for Credelio Cat.
Isoxazoline medicines work to kill bugs and ticks by blocking Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) channels within the central nervous system. The GABA channels of bugs and ticks are much more prone to lotilaner and different isoxazolines whereas GABA channels for mammals like pets and people are usually not, lending to the security for utilizing these medicines.
In pets that develop neurologic results on isoxazoline medicines, the particular trigger isn’t identified, however is taken into account to be very unusual.
How Lengthy Does it Take for Credelio to Work in Cats?
Based on the producer, Credelio started to kill fleas inside 6 hours of administration, with larger than 98% of fleas killed by 12 hours. One other examine confirmed all fleas had been killed by 24 hours.
For ticks, larger than 97% of black-legged ticks had been killed by 72 hours following the administration of Credelio.
On the whole, the expectation can be that results of flea and tick safety can be anticipated inside just a few hours after administration with full impact and all affected parasites killed inside 3 days.
About Us web page to study our requirements and meet our veterinary overview board.
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Credelio CAT (lotilaner) [package insert]. Elanco US Inc. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=365b701f-e9a8-458f-90ff-33ca1fb947ca
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US Meals and Drug Administration. Truth Sheet for Pet Homeowners and Veterinarians about Potential Hostile Occasions Related to Isoxazoline Flea and Tick Merchandise. Final up to date August 13, 2021. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/fact-sheet-pet-owners-and-veterinarians-about-potential-adverse-events-associated-isoxazoline-flea
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Plumb DC. Lotilaner. In: Plumb DC, ed. Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. ninth ed.
