What is Clavamox Used for?
If your pet has ever had a bacterial infection then you know that finding the proper treatment is essential to your pet's wellbeing. These infections can irritate your pet and many can cause serious diseases if left untreated. The effects of an infection vary depending on how the infection occurs and what part of the body it afflicts.
Treating a bacterial infection depends on two main factors: the type or specific strain of bacteria responsible for the infection and the part of your pet that is infected. Infections can affect wounds, abscesses, the urinary tract, the gums, and more. The bacteria that infect these areas may have different properties that determine which treatments might work best.
Clavamox is a prescription medication that combines two powerful antibiotic agents into one versatile treatment. The formula combines amoxicillin trihydrate, a semisynthetic antibiotic, and clavulanic acid, an enzyme inhibitor. The former ingredient works to actively combat the harmful bacteria behind infections, whereas the latter extends these properties to bacteria that product β-lactamase, an enzyme that would normally provide these bacteria with resistance against amoxicillin.
Indications for Clavamox in Cats and Dogs
Clavamox has a wide range of anti-bacterial properties, but all anti-bacterial medications should only be used in particular cases. Antimicrobial medications can cause bacterial strains to build up resistances if overused or if otherwise used improperly. Clavamox is also inappropriate for animals that are known to have an allergic reaction to penicillins or cephalosporins.
Clavamox is available as tablets or drops that are administered orally for both cats and dogs, and the tablets are available in different dosages to make administering the appropriate dose a simple task. The dosage needed for your pet will depend on your pet's weight, the type of infection affecting your pet, and your pet's response to the medication. It is also important that this and other prescription medications are used only as directed by your veterinarian.
Clavamox in Dogs
Clavamox may be prescribed to treat skin and soft tissue infections that occur at the site of an open wound, abscess, or other superficial cuts. Infections such as pyoderma and cellulitis can afflict these sites but are generally responsive to amoxicillin; periodontal infections in dogs can also be treated with Clavamox. This medication's inclusion of clavulanic acid makes it particularly effective at combating infections caused by the following microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus (both β-lactamase-producing and non- β-lactamase-producing strains), Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and E. coli.
Clavamox in Cats
Just as with dogs, Clavamox is often prescribed to treat soft tissue infections. With cats, however, it can also be used to treat urinary tract infections. Your veterinarian may take a bacteria culture to determine the microorganism's susceptibility to amoxicillin before prescribing Clavamox. The bacteria that infect cats that are susceptible are as follows: Staphylococcus aureus (both β-lactamase-producing and non- β-lactamase-producing strains), Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., E. coli, Pasteurella multocida, and Pasteurella spp.
As one might expect, the cost of Clavamox varies with the dosage of each tablet and the amount of the tablets or liquid included in a particular package. If you have any questions about which Clavamox product is right for your pet, you should ask your veterinarian. We hope that this article has helped answer any questions you might have had about Clavamox.
