Can I Split A Large Cosequine Pill In Half To Give To A Small Dog To Save Money

Tin you split parasite prevention tablets in half?

Wed NOV 7 2018

This article is written by one of our in-house veterinarians, Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc.

1. Reasons why pet owners want to split tablets

2. Instances when you tin can carve up

3. Instances when you lot can non split

4. Why they say not to split: what can go wrong?

As vets, a mutual question we get asked is 'tin can I split this flea tablet in half?' There are a few reasons why a pet owner may wish to split their parasite prevention tablets or chews:

1. Toll saving; many people with pocket-size dogs, or multiple animals in the firm, may desire to buy a large canis familiaris chew and carve up it between their pint-sized pups. Possibly your dogs are unlike sizes, and information technology seems more affordable to purchase one packet, rather than multiple? Or maybe y'all take one pooch, and want your pack to last twice equally long?

It's easy to assume that if yous take a small dog who weighs 5kg, you should be able to purchase a tablet for a 10kg dog and halve it; specially if the medication dose seems to line up equally an fifty-fifty double. Nevertheless, manufacturers usually advise against this, except in certain circumstances. See below for more about this.

2. Easier dosing; peradventure you don't intend to dissever the dose, merely you just want to split a chew into smaller pieces so it is easier to requite. Or perchance you lot want to beat a tablet into something palatable, such as wet food, so your pet will accept it. In full general, this is usually fine so long as you lot can guarantee your pet will receive the entire dose. All the same, there are sure circumstances where this is non advised. An easy mode to cheque is past looking at whether the medication is meant to be chewed or not. A chewable medication volition be crushed up by the time it reaches the stomach anyway, whereas some pills or capsules may need to exist given whole, with an intact outer membrane. Annotation - this only applies to parasite prevention. If you wish to beat another type of medication into nutrient, such as hurting relief or antibiotics, we recommend you check with your vet beforehand.

Instances when you can split

Firstly, permit's talk well-nigh when information technology is okay to split your dog'southward parasite prevention chew, tablet or topical handling.

You can split pills if:

The tablet is 'scored' with a articulate graduated line downwardly the middle - this is a sign that the manufacturer created the medication to be 'okay to carve up'. A split line also makes information technology easier to interruption evenly, reducing the risk of over or underdosing.
The medication comes with instructions for splitting - this is commonly seen with some brands of wormers such every bit Drontal tablets or Milbemax.
Yous are able to utilise the remaining portions inside a reasonable fourth dimension frame. Many tablets will disintegrate when they are removed from their packet and cleaved. In some cases, this can reduce the efficacy of the medication.
You intend to requite the whole dose, but but want to split the medication into smaller pieces to make information technology easier to give. For example, if your dog or cat won't eat a chew, or a tablet is too large, information technology commonly fine to carve up it into smaller pieces or beat information technology into food, so long as y'all tin guarantee that your pet receives every part. However, every bit mentioned before, this merely applies to we still recommend checking with your vet outset.
You take been instructed past your vet to do so. This may be the case with some topical applications, such as Revolution, which can be dosed in partial amounts to minor pocket pets such every bit rabbits or guinnea pigs.

Instances when yous should not dissever

You lot should never halve medication if:

The medication is not 'scored' with a clear graduated line downwardly the middle. Most chewy medication does non incorporate a 'score' line and is intended to exist eaten whole.
The medication has different packet sizes for specific weight ranges. If the brand produces a weight range for 'pocket-sized dogs' and another for 'large dogs' it's always best to stick to the range that suits your pet.

Just why?

Manufacturers provide a number of reasons why you lot shouldn't split medication that isn't scored with a articulate line. These include:

ane. Uneven dosing - if the medication doesn't comprise a scored line, in that location is no guarantee that the medication will be evenly halved when you break it - no matter how careful you lot are. This increases the adventure of over- or under-dosing.

Overdosing your pet can potentially lead to advserse affects, while underdosing can put your pet at gamble of potentially fatal parasite infection.

2. The distribution of medication within the preventative product is not guaranteed. Many drug manufacturers cannot guarantee that the active ingredient is evenly distributed throughout the inner core of the chew or tablet. So, even if you split a chew evenly, the amount of active ingredient may not be present in even amounts in each half.

This is especially important with chews that contains more than one drug - for example, flea and worming combinations that comprise one medication for fleas, and another for worming.

While in theory halving the tablet should provide your pet with an equal half of the medication, studies and tests have non been performed for almost brands to prove even distribution.

three. Tablets may exist designed to be given whole and unbroken for slower release. Many medication is coated in a special layer, which slows the speed of drug release and the location within the gastrointestinal tract at which information technology is absorbed. If y'all break a medication's outer layer, you could be affecting the pharmacological properties. This has the potential to make the drug ineffective, or - worst case scenario - information technology may put your pet in danger.

There currently aren't whatsoever parasite preventatives designed for slow release, but this does evidence a good signal nigh how pharmacology is a complicated science, and why we should always follow to the advice of manufacturers!

Still non sure? If you lot have any questions about specific products, feel free to Enquire one of our in-firm vets