Duphalight as a veterinary drug
Duphalight is a veterinary multivitamin that belongs to the group of means for the maintenance treatment of weakened animals or animals suffering from dehydration. This medication is quite widely used in adult cats and kittens.
Duphalight is freely available to all consumers and can be found in many veterinary pharmacies. But these facts do not give pet owners the right to independently engage in treatment.
Duphalight is widely used in veterinary practice for cats and kittens.
This veterinary drug is produced in the form of a yellow aqueous solution for injection: intravenous and subcutaneous. It can be purchased in a plastic bottle with a dosage of 500 ml. But it is worth noting that Duphalight is included in the category of quite expensive drugs: its cost in Russia averages 900 rubles.
The therapeutic effect of the drug is achieved due to the content of the following components:
- B vitamins;
- amino acids and nutrients;
- dextrose;
- electrolytes;
- excipients (ethylenediaminetetraacetic and citric acids, phenol, sodium acetate, methyl and propylparaben).
All of the above components are diluted in distilled water.
Duphalight does not contain genetically modified products. According to the safety class, this drug belongs to group 4, that is, it is completely harmless to animals (according to GOST 12.1.007).
Table: composition and beneficial properties of Duphalight
| Useful material | Beneficial features |
| Vitamins | |
|
|
| Electrolytes | |
|
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| Amino acids and nutrients | |
|
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| Dextrose |
|
When using Duphalight, the cat's body becomes more resistant to stress. Due to improved metabolic processes and the intake of nutrients into the body, the pet’s coat becomes smoother and shiny.
Indications for use in cats
Duphalight can be used for both therapeutic and preventive purposes. The list of indications for its use in cats is quite diverse:
- avitaminosis;
- dehydration and weakness;
- prevention or relief of stress before transportation;
- protein metabolism disorder;
- lack of appetite;
Lack of appetite and problems with the digestive system - indications for the use of Duphalight
- dysfunction of the digestive tract;
- inflammatory diseases in the digestive organs;
- anemia;
- recovery period after surgery;
- pregnancy - in this case the drug is used to ensure the normal course of the gestational period;
- delayed growth and development of kittens;
- massive blood loss;
- helminthic infestations in kittens;
- the need to improve lactation;
- food poisoning.
This medicine is widely used in fattening small kittens who, for some reason, cannot eat food naturally. Duphalight “nourishes” the body, bypassing the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
I first encountered this veterinary drug six months ago, when it became necessary to transport our pet over a distance of about 1000 km. At that time, the cat was only 3 months old, and the veterinarian advised us to inject Duphalight solution subcutaneously a week before the intended trip once every two days. Finding the drug on the shelves of veterinary pharmacies turned out to be quite problematic. And the first thing that caught my eye was the high cost. Out of a large total volume, we only needed a few milliliters. We gave the rest of the drug to my grandmother in the village. At that time, she had small broiler chickens, and the drug came in handy for her. As for our cat, no adverse reactions were observed after the injections. In addition, she handled the move well and quickly acclimatized to the new place.
When to use
If you follow the instructions for use, you can use Duphalight for cats in the following cases:
- with hypovitaminosis caused by poor diet and other factors;
- in case of metabolic disorders;
- with weak immunity.
Often the medicine is prescribed for the prevention of immunodeficiency and vitamin deficiency. The drug is also suitable for cases where the animal cannot eat food on its own, suffers from vomiting and nausea, or has serious problems with the digestive system. The vitamin complex is successfully used as an auxiliary therapy in the following situations:
- when dehydrated;
- when exhausted;
- for diseases of the liver and other internal organs;
- in case of hormonal imbalances;
- after severe blood loss;
- after surgical interventions;
- during intoxication.
Contraindications and possible negative reactions
The only contraindication to the use of Duphalight is individual intolerance to the constituent components.
This drug can be used during pregnancy and lactation as prescribed by a veterinarian . Moreover, it is also used on newborn kittens.
Duphalight can be used even for newborn kittens
Duphalight is contraindicated for use in humans.
Some specialists who use Duphalight in their veterinary practice have rather mixed opinions about this drug. Thus, veterinarian Valery Shumakov talks about the fairly frequent occurrence of adverse reactions that he observed in cats after using the medicine.
We have been working with Duphalight for 6 months now. Overall, we really like it, but there are 2 drawbacks - it does not appear regularly, because it seems there is no Russian certificate. And the second - I saw 3 cases of reactions to it. One is very violent, complete anaphylaxis. But he pulls out heavy cats and small dogs (we don’t handle large ones or rarely - it’s expensive).
Valery Shumakov
https://www.vet.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=38451
Adverse reactions that occur after taking Duphalight are associated with an allergy to the composition of the drug. Medical science knows of no cases of overdose of this veterinary drug. At the first signs of adverse reactions, the cat is prescribed antihistamines and symptomatic therapy.
Duphalight can be used in combination with other drugs and nutritional supplements. It does not in any way affect the degree of their absorption.
Reviews from veterinarians
Vadim, veterinarian with 12 years of experience:
“Duphalight is a great thing. He helped me save many animals, not only cats, but also dogs, parrots, and other pets. The bad thing is that it is only sold in large containers. No, this is good for a clinic - you buy medicine in bulk, but for this reason it is not suitable for home use. Although in some cases it makes sense to buy this vitamin complex.”
Irina, veterinarian with 10 years of experience:
“I call Duphalight liquid meat. This is an indispensable thing for animals that cannot eat themselves. This drug has helped me treat many animals with various diseases, and clients respond positively to it.”
The drug Duphalight appeared on the Russian market just a few years ago. This multivitamin complex has gained great popularity; it is successfully used by veterinarians for the treatment of hypovitaminosis and general support for the condition of farm animals, and cats in particular.
Rules for using the drug
The dosage and duration of the course of use of this drug for the purposes of prevention and treatment are prescribed by a veterinarian after a thorough examination of the cat and diagnosis; self-medication is not allowed. But there are general recommendations for the use of Duphalight:
- preventive therapy lasts no more than 5 days, therapeutic therapy - from one to two weeks, depending on the severity of the disease and the pet’s well-being;
- the dose of the drug is calculated depending on the weight of the cat;
- Duphalight is injected slowly intravenously or subcutaneously into the withers area, this procedure can be quite painful, so you can dilute the drug with a small amount of saline; rapid administration of the medicine can create a shock situation for the cat;
Injections with Duphalact are quite painful procedures
- frequency of use - once every two days, but if Duphalight is used as an alternative food, then it is administered to the cat daily, dividing the daily dose into two doses: morning and evening;
- You should avoid missing the next dose of the drug, as this may cause a decrease in the therapeutic effect. If, after all, one injection was missed, then it is necessary to give an injection as quickly as possible, and then the course of treatment must be resumed in the dosages and dosage regimen prescribed in the instructions.
Video: veterinarian on the technique of performing subcutaneous injections in cats
Storage conditions for the medicine
The shelf life of unopened Duphalight packaging is 2 years. The opened solution is stored for only 28 days. If after this time it was not possible to use the entire volume of the medicine, it must be disposed of. Keep the bottle of medicine in a dark place, inaccessible to children, at a temperature of 2-20 °C.
Unfortunately, today there are no special enterprises that accept expired medications for their further disposal. In this regard, it is necessary to throw the bottle with the unusable solution into the household trash.
The main disadvantages of this drug: high cost and large sales volumes. Since there is no need for 500 ml of solution to treat cats, very often it is necessary to throw away a large amount of Duphalight.
Personal prevention
Giving Duphalight to a cat is completely safe if he does not have hypersensitivity to one of the components of the drug. However, when treating an animal, follow safety precautions. The product is not intended for humans and its contact with the skin, mucous membranes or stomach can lead to an allergic reaction or poisoning.
To administer the drug, use a sterile syringe with a disposable needle. Wear protective gloves and carefully remove the required amount of solution from the container. After use, throw away the packaging and syringe; do not use the medicine bottle for household needs.
If Duphalight gets on your skin, clean the area with cool running water. If you accidentally ingested it, you must rinse your stomach and consult a doctor.
Duphalight's analogs
Unfortunately, not all cat owners can afford to purchase Duphalight due to its relatively high cost, so the question arises of choosing a more budget-friendly medication. Duphalight does not have complete analogues, but there are drugs that partially replicate its composition and have the same therapeutic effect.
Analogues of the drug:
- Glucose solution 5% “Balance”;
- Gamavit;
- Katozal;
- Roncoleukin.
Recently I have been using the vitamin-amino acid complex for subcutaneous and intravenous use “Dufalite”. I really like its effect, there is a composition of the drug, etc. After talking with me at an oncology conference, I received the most negative impressions, so I found an alternative for myself - a “normal” complex.
Andrey Andreev, doctor
https://www.vet.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=38451
Table: drug analogues
| Drug name | Compound | Release form | Cases of appointment | Contraindications | Negative reactions | Price |
| Glucose solution 5% “Balance” |
| Injection |
|
| When a large amount of the drug is administered, excess fluid in the body may be observed, accompanied by a violation of the water-salt balance. | 100 ml - 40 rubles |
| Gamavit |
| Injection |
|
| Allergic rashes. | 100 ml - 860 rubles |
| Katozal |
| Injection |
| Hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. | Allergic reactions. | 100 ml - 760 rubles |
| Ronkoleikin | Human interleukin-2 recombinant. | Solution for infusion and subcutaneous administration |
|
|
| 3 ampoules with a dosage of 1 ml - 605 rubles |
Photo gallery: Duphalight analogues
A 5% glucose solution is used in cats for the treatment of diseases of various origins.
Roncoleukin can be used both for the prevention and treatment of immunodeficiency in cats Catozal can be prescribed to cats to prevent diseases of various origins Gamavit can even be prescribed to pregnant cats to combat the symptoms of toxicosis
