Itraconazole for Lung Disease in Cats
Lung diseases are a relatively common cat ailment. Pet Education describes Itraconazole as an antifungal medication used in treating serious fungal infections. These infections may affect many different parts of the body. For diseases affecting the lungs, itraconazole can be an effective treatment if the cause is a fungus.
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Which Lung Diseases Can Itraconazole Treat?
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Several diseases affecting the lungs are caused by fungi. According to Pet Education, itraconozole is used in the treatment of blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, and cryptococcosis (References 1). These are all fungal diseases that may affect cats.
Dosage and Treatment
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According to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, 5 mg/kg of body weight every 12 hours is considered a safe and effective dose of itraconazole for most cats. Pet Place warns that itraconazole should never be administered without consulting a veterinarian and that many fungal infections require several weeks of treatment.
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Side Effects
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Pet Education notes that itraconazole usually causes fewer side effects than other antifungal medications, but your cat may experience appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, depression, jaundice, or bleeding problems. If your cat is taking this medication and experiences any of these, consult your veterinarian.
Other Facts About Itraconazole
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Itraconazole is FDA-approved for use in humans only and is available only in human formulations, but veterinarians can legally prescribe it as an extra-label drug, as noted by Pet Place. Itraconazole is available only by prescription. Sporanox is the brand name. According to Pet Place, itraconazole is also an effective treatment for ringworm.
Cost
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Itraconazole is very expensive. The price of a bottle of 30 100-mg capsules on Drugstore.com is $239.99. You can also get 150 mg of a 10 mg/ml solution there for $194.57.
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References
- Photo Credit cat image by nutech21 from Fotolia.com
