For those cats that routinely come down with an infection of the bladder or urinary tract, bladder infection antibiotics are a crucial means of preventing the spread of the infection and curing the pet's ailment. Bladder infections can be painful and long lasting if left untreated, and they may cause a variety of other potential health problems as well. Therefore, it's important to treat them as quickly as possible so that you protect your cat's overall health. Additionally, bladder infections are oftentimes quite easy to treat with antibiotics.
How Antibiotics Work Against Bladder Infections
Antibiotics are drugs that work to disable or kill bacteria. When bacteria of various types enters into your pet's bladder or urinary tract, it can begin to spread and reproduce. The work that your cat's body does to stop this bacteria from spreading results in the symptoms of a bladder infection. As the infection continues, the bacteria can migrate to another part of your pet's body and cause further damage.
Antibiotics are very effective against infections caused by bacteria. If, however, your pet is suffering from a bladder condition that is caused by a fungus, a virus, a parasite or some other problem, you'll need to discuss additional treatment options with your vet.
Types of Antibiotics for Bladder Infections
There are a variety of different antibiotics that veterinarians routinely prescribe in order to reduce infections of the bladder and urinary tract. This is necessary because there are multiple types of bacteria which may bring about the infection, and not all bacteria will respond well to the same type of treatment. Some of the most commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of infections of these types include the following:
- Amoxicilin
- Baytril
- Ciprofloxacin
- Cephalexin
- Amoxi drop
All of these antibiotics are available through a veterinarian's prescription only. If you suspect that your cat is suffering from an infection that is targeting his urinary tract in some way, you'll need to have him examined and properly diagnosed by a vet before you can treat his condition with antibiotics.
Using Antibiotics for Your Cat
Different antibiotics have different side effects and risks. All of the above antibiotics are generally considered safe for use in cats, although there may be certain side effects, like:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- loss of appetite
- sedation
It's important to discuss these risks with your vet, and be sure to also alert your vet to any other health conditions or medicines that your pet has in his system at the same time.
Antibiotic regimens are based upon the severity of the condition and on the weight and health of the cat. It's important that you always continue to give your pet the full run of antibiotic doses, even if his condition appears to get better earlier on. This is to ensure that all of the bacteria is eliminated from his system and to help protect him from a recurrence of the condition or a repeat attack from the same bacteria.