Activated carbon for cats with diarrhea: how and how much to give, features of use

Features of the drug

The product is made from charcoal processed into powder. Starch and sucrose are used to form the tablet.

The substance removes toxins from the gastrointestinal tract, does not break down and does not enter the blood. Complete removal of charcoal from the body is observed 24 hours after its administration .

The drug for cats with diarrhea is prescribed in the following cases:

1. Food, drug and chemical poisoning.
2. Foodborne infections: dysentery or salmonellosis.
3. Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, during which flatulence or bloating occurs.
4. Kidney diseases.
5. Diarrhea after taking antihelminthic drugs.
6. Food allergies.

Giving a cat the drug without consulting a specialist is allowed when the animal:

1. Diarrhea, vomiting.
2. Excessive saliva production.
3. Dilated pupils.
4. Breathing problems.
5. Increased body temperature.
6. Poor coordination of movements.

If several symptoms occur at the same time, it is better not to risk it and give the cat a pill, because in these cases it is necessary to quickly help the pet. Sometimes it's about saving lives.

Signs of food poisoning

Before going through step-by-step instructions on using activated carbon, let’s look at the obvious symptoms. Poisoning can be recognized by the following signs:

1. Unsteady gait, weakness in the legs, the cat may lose consciousness;
2. Copious secretion of saliva;
3. Dilated pupils;
4. Dry cough, but often accompanied by copious sputum, which turns into gagging;
5. Diarrhea or diarrhea;
6. The rhythm of breathing becomes confused, it becomes more frequent;
7. Excessive urination, the cat often goes to the litter box;
8. Cramps and numbness of the limbs are common.
9. Bad breath or after going to the toilet.
10. An active cat becomes passive, avoids its owners, its behavior changes dramatically, it refuses its favorite food.

Poisoning is often associated with the animal's curiosity and activity. If an item has a pleasant or neutral smell, the cat may well taste it. Interestingly, domestic four-legged purring creatures are extremely clean and this can play a cruel joke on them. Particles of household chemicals, plant pollen, and the results of the vital activity of microorganisms remain on the wool.

When the remedy is needed

The product is used to combat toxins. This is necessary in the following cases:

1. When bacteria penetrate the animal’s body, the drug removes fermentation products from the gastrointestinal tract that cause bloating.
2. When infected with worms, charcoal removes mucus elements and toxic substances produced by worms.
3. For food poisoning, tablets are indispensable because they will quickly rid the body of harmful substances.

But the remedy does not remove the cause of diarrhea. This suggests that it is only suitable for symptomatic treatment.

Charcoal for diarrhea

Approximately 25% of pet owners' visits to veterinarians related to poisoning result in the prescription of activated charcoal. Therefore, cat owners must be able to distinguish one type of poisoning from another and know in what cases it is appropriate to give this remedy to the animal, and what it can be combined with.

Due to the fact that the drug acts as a cure only for the symptoms of diarrhea, it does not eliminate the real causes of the problem.

Chemical composition of activated carbon

Activated carbon is a raw form of graphite. It is obtained by heat treatment of wood. It can also be obtained from any substance that contains carbons in sufficient quantities. Most often, coconut peel is used for this.

The resulting substance is a porous light mass. In terms of its chemical structure, it is a crystal, the layers of which are held together by carbon bonds. The final structure depends on the feedstock and the manufacturing process from which the sorbent is obtained.

The “activation” process clears the active substance of foreign impurities, freeing up space for binding with other molecules, ions or atoms. Cleansing the body with activated carbon is based on adsorption: toxin molecules are captured by the external or internal surface of the sorbent.

How does the product affect diarrhea in cats?

The main active substance of the drug is black coal. It has no odor or any taste and quickly absorbs liquid. White coal is commercially available, which differs in dosage and contains silicon dioxide.

If you place the tablet in water, it will immediately begin to draw it into itself, acquiring a pasty consistency and increasing in size.

Thus, the product fights pathogenic microflora, neutralizing microorganisms in the intestines. Charcoal prevents the spread of infection .

Harmful bacteria are eliminated from the body naturally along with feces.

Overdose

Side effects from activated carbon are rare; symptoms of overdose correspond to severe constipation. Since the drug, as mentioned above, absorbs a large amount of liquid and mucus.

Symptoms:

• the animal tries to go to the toilet, strains, but feces do not come out;
• severe dehydration; if you lift a cat by the withers, it then does not straighten out for some time;
• dry, cracked stool;
• stomach ache;
• a lump is felt in the abdomen.

a large amount of water along with the charcoal . Enveloping drugs and agents that enhance intestinal motility will help the dense lump come out (the latter may not be given in case of diarrhea).

Features of treating cats with charcoal

Many owners ask specialists whether it is possible to treat pregnant cats with activated carbon. It is possible, because the product is not absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract and is completely harmless to the animal’s body.

In what form should I give coal to cats?

The drug is ideal for treating diarrhea in cats.

It is allowed to be used in the following forms:

1. Tablet.
2. Dilution of powder in liquid.
3. Special enema. It is recommended to do it no later than 2 hours after poisoning, while the toxins have not yet entered the animal’s intestines. This method of drug administration is used for persistent vomiting, when the medications do not have time to activate in the gastrointestinal tract.

Many experts indicate that it is better to give the drug in its pure form, without diluting it with water, so as not to reduce its adsorption. But in this case, you need to drink plenty of fluids after taking the medicine so as not to harm the stomach.

How many tablets to give a cat for diarrhea?

In pharmacies, the drug is often sold in tablet form, and the instructions do not indicate a special dosage for animals, because the product is intended for humans.

One tablet is designed for 10 kg of weight, so an adult cat is given from 0.5 to 1 tablet at a time, and half of the indicated dosage is enough for a kitten.

Excessive dosage may cause constipation. If the coal does not have time to leave the body during the first day, then the toxins return to the gastrointestinal tract and lead to the opposite effect, so owners should know how much coal to give the cat.

Dosage of the drug

The dosage depends on the cat's weight. The most important thing is not to forget to give the animal water to drink after taking the medicine.

Therapy lasts no more than a week, and the frequency of administration varies between 3-4 tablets per day - it all depends on the severity of the pet’s condition. When the animal quickly becomes better, the dose can be halved.

If the effect of such treatment does not occur on the 5th day, then it is better not to postpone a visit to the veterinarian to prescribe other medications.

Tips for hosts

So that a person does not have a problem with how to give medicine to an animal, he must study several basic points:

1. You need to put the cat on its hind legs and hold it tightly. Experts recommend carrying out the procedure with an assistant.
2. The kitten's mouth is opened and a tablet is placed on the root of the tongue.
3. Close the mouth, raise the head and wait until the pet swallows the drug.
4. Then you should open your mouth again and make sure that there is no tablet in your mouth.

After the procedure, you should fill the animal with water using a syringe if it refuses to drink on its own.

Pharmaceutical analogues

Activated carbon has effective analogues:

• "Smecta". A harmless drug with zero risk of complications. Quickly relieves irritable bowel symptoms. Diluted in water in a ratio of 1:2 tsp. and is consumed 2 times a day.
• "Polysorb". The main substance is silicon dioxide, which is much more effective than activated carbon. Reduces symptoms of poisoning within 10 minutes. The suspension should be dissolved in 30 ml of water at a rate of 1 mg/1 kg of body weight and consumed 5 times a day.
• "Enterosgel". Has contraindications. To alleviate the condition, one application is enough: 1 tsp. 2 times a day 3 hours before meals.
• "Polyphepan". Consists of hydrolytic lingin, activated carbon. Take 1 tsp three times a day. 30 minutes before meals.

Important! Before using these products, read the instructions and possible contraindications.

The use of activated carbon plays an important role in rescuing a poisoned animal. Animal owners should be aware of the indications, method of use and possible consequences observed when taking the drug. Before using a medicine, it is important to evaluate the benefits and risks.

Features of the treatment of small kittens

When an animal has diarrhea, charcoal does not distinguish between harmful and beneficial substances. If the kitten is given any other medications, then charcoal may reduce their effectiveness, so it is better to give it to your pet an hour after taking the other medications.

The drug has a positive effect on the intestines, so it is allowed to be used even when the pet is severely weakened.

Coal will eliminate symptoms of intoxication in case of mild food poisoning or during a diet change.

Contraindications and side effects

Do not give medicine for organic damage to the gastrointestinal tract:

• gastrointestinal bleeding;
• violations of the integrity of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract (ulcers, erosions).

Very rarely, an animal may develop an individual intolerance to the drug.

Side effects:

• difficulty defecating (constipation);
• staining feces black.

Do not give medicine if there is repeated vomiting, dehydration, severe weakness, or impaired consciousness.

It is not recommended to give it to kittens under six months of age due to the traumatic effects of the particles on the delicate intestinal mucosa.

Since the sorbent does not have a selective effect, it is able to neutralize the effect of other drugs prescribed by the veterinarian. Therefore, when giving an adsorbent to a pet, you need to maintain a two-hour break between taking charcoal and other drugs.