Clavamox dosages?

Does anyone know if Clavamox 125mg pills (twice daily) is too high of a dosage for a cat? I have read that cats should not be given more than 62.5mg twice daily, however, the vet prescribed the 125mg. My cat has been vomiting from it, and the doc said to reduce it to once a day every other day then. I thought antibiotics had to be given consistently, or else they won't work. Can I break them in half, and give him half in the morning and half at night? Thank you!
Answers:
125mg twice daily is the dose for an 18-20# cat. The basic 62.5mg dose twice a day is for an AVERAGE-sized cat (7-12#.) Sometimes we DO have to use higher than average dosages to treat certain problems. Are you sure your DVM is aware that that's the size you have, however? It's entirely possible that he prescribed the 62.5mg tabs, but the technician grabbed the wrong one off the shelf when filling it. Or someone could have put a strip of 125mg pills back in the 62.5mg box, and it wasn't noticed. Does the prescription label on the envelope confirm that 125mg was the dose intended?

Cats do best with twice daily dosage on this drug. The 125mg pills won't break in half, but you CAN cut them with a pill splitter. Just don't do more than one pill at a time. They are packaged in that foil strip because they are very sensitive to light and air. If you give 1/2 in the morning and put the other half back in the foil pouch and pinch the end over, it's usually fine for that evening.

Many antibiotics maintain consistent blood levels when given once a day or every other day. Clavamox is not one of them, however.

Vomiting is the most common sign of a sensitivity/allergic reaction/intolerance to either the amoxicillin or clavauronic acid (the 2 ingredients in Clavamox.) Can't say whether a different antibiotic would be indicated..depends on the condition being treated. But there are generally substitutions that can be made for the conditions commonly treated with Clavamox. If your cat continues to vomit, ask your veterinarian if you can change to a different medication. If your cat is truly allergic to the Clavamox, he's in danger of developing an even worse reaction, no matter what the dose. I would recommend to not give him his next dose until you discuss it again with your DVM.


Edit to answer asker's additional info: The reason he didn't want to use the liquid is generally only one of convenience. At 62.5mg twice daily, one bottle lasts 7 days. At the dose your cat needs, however, each bottle would only last 3.5 days. We normally treat bladder infections for 10-14 days.so you would have needed 3-4 bottles, which would cost you a whole lot more than the pills. If his dosage is reduced, it might not eradicate all of the bacteria.and the remaining bacteria will end up becoming resistant to that particular drug. I use 125mg Clavamox twice daily in cats that size all the time..but it sounds like your cat might have developed a sensitivity to it.

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The vet's timetable would be consistent and all the medication should be used up for it to be effective. Giving it half in the morning and half at night would also work especially if it reduces vomiting.

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Yes, break it in half. The point of the antibiotic is to keep a steady flow of it in his system. If he is throwing it up, then that isn't happening. The recommended dosage is a suggestion, some animals cant handle that dosage. Try the half a pill twice a day (say 8 am and 8 pm) and see if that helps.

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Hi Jen.According to the Pfizer Animal Health pharmaceutical distribution for dosage and adminstration:
http://www.allivet.com/clavamox_tablets_.

. cats recommended dosage is 62.5 mg twice a day.

Skin and soft tissue infections such as abscesses and cellulitis/dermatitis should be treated for 5鈥? days or for 48 hours after all symptoms have subsided, not to exceed 30 days. If no response is seen after 3 days of treatment, therapy should be discontinued and the case reevaluated.

Urinary tract infections may require treatment for 10鈥?4 days or longer. The maximum duration of treatment should not exceed 30 days.

I would first consider recommending to discuss this with your vet to be sure that dividing the medication in half is fine, which I don't see why it wouldn't be.

Side effects of Clavamox may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If an allergic reaction occurs, symptoms include rash, fever, swelling of face or limbs, difficulty breathing, rapid heart beat and incoordination. If one of these are occurring please contact your vet immediately.