How to use the drug Kantaren when treating cats?

Description of the drug Cantaren

Cantaren is a homeopathic medicine used in veterinary medicine to treat kidney and urinary tract diseases. It was developed by the Russian pharmacological organization AlexAnn. The drug does not have an international nonproprietary name.

AlexAnn LLC produces homeopathic medicines for animals with any diseases

At the beginning of the 21st century, the AlexAnn organization became part of a group that has been developing and producing veterinary drugs since 1995. Currently, the Helveta catalog contains 18 homeopathic medicines for animals. Cantaren, like other drugs developed by AlexAnn, can be marketed under the brand name of any of these companies.

In what forms is Cantaren available?

Cantaren is available in 3 dosage forms:

• pills;
• injection;
• desoldering solution.

Often, when it is not possible to give injections to a cat, owners are advised to give their pet an injection solution. I asked the vet if it was possible to replace one form with another. He said that in general it is possible, but Cantaren has a different composition in these forms. And we are talking not only about active ingredients, but mainly about auxiliary ones.

Pills

Kantaren tablets for oral use are packaged in plastic jars with lids. One jar can contain 50 or 100 pieces. Each can is packed in a separate cardboard box along with an annotation. The tablets are shaped like a flat disc and weigh 0.1 g.

The jar of pills may feature silhouettes of 2 or 5 animals

Injection

Kantaren solution for injections is sold in glass bottles (10 or 100 ml), closed with rubber caps and rolled in metal caps. Each bottle is packed in a cardboard box along with instructions for use. This form of the drug is a clear, colorless liquid.

In pet pharmacies you can find Cantaren solution in bottles of two samples:

• colorless bottles of 10 and 100 ml with labels depicting silhouettes of animals;
• a clear 10 ml bottle and a brown 100 ml bottle with labels that have no pictures and the name is written on a brown stripe.

The injection solution can be sold in two modifications of bottles

Soldering solution

Cantaren oral solution is a clear liquid that may be yellowish in color. The drug is packaged in plastic bottles with a screw cap equipped with a dropper. The volume of the packaging unit is 20 ml.

The bottle of Kantaren drops is equipped with a dropper with a cap, and the container itself is made of flexible plastic

Composition of the medicine

Composition of tablets:

• tincture of barberry bark - 0.06 ml;
• Spanish fly powder - 0.6 µl;
• lime sulfur liver powder - 0.4 g;
• copper arsenite - 0.04 µl;
• molasses - 17.5 g;
• food additive E-572 - 1.0 g;
• granulated sugar - up to 100 g.

Solution for injection (1 l) consists of the following components6

• tincture of barberry bark - 0.03 ml;
• Spanish fly powder - 0.3 µl;
• calcareous sulfur liver - 0.2 mg;
• arsenous copper - 0.02 µl;
• preservative E-218 - 0.5 g;
• sodium chloride - 5.8 g;
• sodium salt of acetic acid - 2.0 g;
• hydrochloric acid to pH 5.4;
• ethyl alcohol 95% - 5.26 g;
• water for injections up to 1000 ml.

Liquid for drinking (1 l) contains the following substances:

• tincture of barberry bark - 0.3 ml;
• copper arsenite - 0.2 µl;
• lime sulfur liver - 2.0 g;
• Spanish fly powder - 3 µl;
• glycerol;
• purified water.

On the packaging of the drug, the components of the composition are indicated in Latin, so many people do not recognize the names of the natural components

How to properly store a veterinary drug

The manufacturer recommends storing Cantaren under the following conditions:

• in sealed manufacturer's packaging;
• separately from food and feed;
• in a dry place, protected from direct sunlight;
• in places inaccessible to children;
• at a temperature from 0 to 25°C (any form of the drug).

The shelf life of Cantaren in tablets is 5 years from the date of production, in the form of any of the solutions - 3 years from the date of production, but after the first opening of the bottle - only 3 weeks. After the expiration of the shelf life, the remainder of the drug or empty containers must be disposed of according to general rules.

Instructions

The one-time amount of medication depends on the cat’s weight and age. The form of the disease (acute, subacute, chronic) also matters.

Injections

The medicine enters the animal's muscle or under the skin. Any owner of a domestic cat can easily learn this last treatment option. The injection will be almost painless if you act consistently:

1. Buy a syringe.
2. Lift the edge of the covering that covers the rubber plug.
3. Wipe the visible part of the stopper with an alcohol solution.
4. Open the syringe needle and insert it through the stopper into the bottle. Draw up liquid.
5. Press the plunger to remove excess air from the syringe.
6. On the back of the neck of a fixed cat, make a fold of skin (below the back of the head, but above the shoulder blades) and insert a needle (about 1 cm). Press the plunger of the syringe and inject the medicine.
7. Pull out the needle and pet the animal.

To determine the duration of therapy, the veterinarian takes into account the phase of the disease, the condition of the animal, and sensitivity to the components of Cantarene. If the cat has severe intolerance to the drug, the drug is replaced with another.

Table 2. Cantaren dosage regimen.

If the drug is prescribed prophylactically, it is taken in courses (1 course every 6 months). It is best to treat the animal once a day for 2 weeks. If necessary, treatment is extended for another 2 weeks.

Drinking solution

This medicine is used by injection. Cantaren drops are added to wet food or dripped directly into the cat's mouth. Take no more than 1 drop per 1 kg of live weight of the pet.

Experienced breeders advise not to bother adding the product to the animal’s food, since in most cases cats smell the medicinal smell and refuse the treat. It is better to stick with the option of direct instillation into the mouth. So the drug will definitely end up in the esophagus.

Indications for use of Cantaren

Cantaren is indicated for the following diseases:

• cystitis, urethritis;
• urolithiasis disease;
• nephritis and pyelonephritis;
• prostatitis, etc.

In addition, Cantaren is used to prevent urolithiasis. If you doubt the diagnosis, contact your veterinarian (he will confirm or refute your guesses).

Only a veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

How Cantaren works

Cantaren is a combination medicine, so it has several effects:

• removes kidney stones;
• stops inflammatory processes;
• relieves spasms;
• promotes tissue restoration;
• has a diuretic effect.

Advantages

The main advantages of this homeopathic remedy are:

• high speed of impact;
• low toxicity of the constituent components;
• wide range of influences (kidneys, liver, immunity);
• relieving the patient of spasms;
• metabolism optimization;
• antibacterial effect.

If you treat a cat with Cantaren on the advice of a doctor, the removal of urinary conglomerates from the pet’s genitourinary system occurs with minimal pain. At the same time, the drug works to prevent the further appearance of such formations in the cat.

What can replace Cantaren?

The manufacturer assures that Cantaren has no analogues. Sometimes, instead of this drug, medications with the same indications for use are used:

• CatErvin (“Veda”, Moscow region);
• Healthy kidneys (“Veda”, Moscow region);
• Canephron N (Bionorica SE, Germany);
• Cantharis compositum (Heel, Germany).

Canephron and Cantharis compositum are intended for the treatment of humans, but they are often used in veterinary medicine. Before use, you should definitely consult a veterinarian, since choosing the dosage of “human” medicine for a cat is not so easy.

Photo gallery: analogues of Cantaren

KotErvin is the most popular analogue of Cantaren, but these drugs are often prescribed together (for greater effectiveness)

The drug Healthy Kidneys is not so much a homeopathic as a herbal medicine, but it is often used to treat diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract

Canephron is a popular diuretic for people, but it is sometimes substituted for Cantaren

Cantharis is a human medicine, but its composition is close to that of Cantaren

Comparison table: KotErwin, Canephron, Cantharis compositum

Operating principle

Cantarene has pronounced diuretic properties. In addition to them, the composition has an anti-inflammatory effect and an antispasmodic effect. This is due to the content of powerful plant extracts, tannins, berebrine, berberubine, iatroricin, berbamine.

These substances have long been used to relieve inflammation, improve the trophism of kidney tissue, and fight harmful bacteria. Thanks to berberine, which is part of Cantarene, uric acid passes through the membranes of hepatocytes (liver cells).

Pathogenic flora is suppressed by arsenic copper, and the animal loses pain during urination. Spanish fly normalizes the removal of salts from the body and removes burning sensations. The filtration qualities of the kidneys improve.

The unique biochemical composition of Cantaren allows you to quickly restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver. The animal's immune system is noticeably activated.

Contraindications and possible side effects

A serious contraindication for prescribing Cantaren is individual intolerance to the drug. If the drug is used according to the instructions and after consultation with a medical specialist, there will be no side effects after its use. This medicine is not prescribed for allergic animals. It is replaced with antihistamines.

Important! Symptoms of Cantaren intolerance are increased salivation in the animal, the appearance of diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

For pregnant cats or kittens, Cantaren is prescribed according to general rules. The most important thing is to determine the optimal dosage of the product, taking into account the weight of the pet. For small breed cats or kittens that weigh less than 1 kg, it is 0.1 ml.

Important! Cantarene is often prescribed concomitantly with antibiotics.

How to store it correctly

Cantaren should be stored separately from medications prescribed to humans, in a dark place inaccessible to children and animals. Storage temperature: 0…+25 C.

The shelf life of a closed pack of tablets Cantaren is 5 years from the date of manufacture.

Once opened, the injection bottle must be used within 21 days. The shelf life of a closed bottle is 3 years.

After the expiration date, the drug is prohibited for use.

When to use the medicine

The wide spectrum of action allows the drug to be used for various pathologies of the genitourinary system in pets.

• Urethritis in any form - chronic, as well as exacerbation of the condition;
• Pyelonephritis, pyelitis;
• Accumulation of sand and stones in the urinary tract;
• Cystitis, vaginitis;
• Bladder tonesmus;
• Renal colic;
• Urological syndromes;
• Infectious diseases of the genitourinary system.

In addition to the properties described above, Cantaren allows you to normalize protein metabolism in the cat’s body. Therefore, it is important to use the drug in cases of water-salt imbalance.

Veterinarians advise not to wait until the genitourinary system develops symptoms of the disease. Cantaren can be used as a prophylactic agent. It would also be a good idea to keep the medicine in the first aid kit. Cantaren can be used as an emergency treatment for a domestic cat even before the veterinarian arrives.

Cantaren can also be used one-time if the owner does not know what diagnosis awaits the cat, but sees obvious symptoms. For example, blood clots in the urine of an animal. You can also give Kantaren to your animal if it experiences pain when urinating.

After such a one-time dose, you should definitely contact a veterinarian for examination. Long-term treatment with Cantaren should not be carried out without consulting a doctor. The drug is used to relieve symptoms until a diagnosis is made. The cat should be examined by a specialist!

If the condition worsens, it is recommended to use an injectable form of the medicine before the doctor arrives.

average cost

The price of Cantaren differs in different veterinary networks. It depends on the manufacturer (the medicine in Russia is produced by AlexAnn LLC and Helvet LLC) and on the retailer’s retail margin.

*Prices are as of November 2021.

Negative effects

The veterinary drug "Kantaren" is low-hazard according to GOST 12.1.007-76. Homeopathic remedies rarely provoke adverse reactions, but experienced veterinarians and manufacturers do not exclude that during treatment, digestive system disorders in the form of diarrhea, nausea, and constipation may develop. Such phenomena indicate individual intolerance to any component of the “Kantaren” composition. If you observe undesirable reactions of a cat’s body to taking a herbal drug, it is necessary to show your pet to a veterinarian, who will adjust the therapeutic regimen or select another veterinary drug that is similar in action, but the most suitable.

Kidney disease in cats

According to statistics, domestic cats most often suffer from diseases of the genitourinary system. This state of affairs is provoked by the transition of the “predator” to homemade food, which often contains elements that do not exist in nature. For example, salt, sugar and other spices in large quantities.

Of course, there are many other causes of urolithiasis. Even those pets whose diet is impeccable develop kidney problems in old age.

Every owner should understand that they should not wait for alarm bells about the animal’s well-being. It is easier to prevent any pathology than to treat it later.

additional information

The affordable cost of Katarena makes it quite attractive for the treatment of genitourinary diseases in cats. But the main advantage, according to pet owners, is not even the price, which is also pleasing, but absolute safety.

More and more cat owners are choosing to treat their pets with natural remedies. Cantaren gives positive results in almost every case, successfully eliminating the symptoms of many renal and urinary pathologies. Moreover, regardless of the course of the disease: acute or chronic. But do not forget that these are very insidious diseases that threaten serious complications and even death, so in no case should you prescribe treatment yourself. Despite the herbal composition, indications for the use of Cantaren can only be a medical prescription.