title: Difficulties in administration of oral medication formulations to pet cats: an e-survey of cat owners.
abstract: The purpose here was to determine the problems cat owners encounter in medicating their cats with orally administered drugs at home. The study was carried out as an open e-questionnaire survey addressed to cat owners in which the authors focused on the oral administration route. A total of 46 completed questionnaires were included in the survey. In the study, 46 cats received 67 orally administered drugs. Approximately half of the drugs were registered for use in cats by the European Medicines Agency (54 per cent), and there were also off-label drugs registered for human (36 per cent) and canine medication (7.4 per cent) and an ex tempore drug (3.0 per cent). The owners were unable to give the doses as prescribed for their cats for one-fourth of the medications (16/67). Drugs that were registered for feline medication were significantly more palatable than drugs registered for other species (odds ratio (OR) 4.9), and liquid formulations were significantly more palatable than solid formulations (OR 4.8). However, most of the owners (22/38) preferred a solid dosage form, while few (4/38) chose a liquid formulation. The results indicate that there is still a need for more palatable and easily administered oral drugs for cats.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sivén
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Räntilä
authors.affiliation: 4Pharma Ltd, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Männikkö
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vainionpää
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raekallio
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vainio
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Juppo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D010067:Ownership; D057805:Pets / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cats; Companion animals; Drug administration; Medicines; Surveys