Can you give L-lysine to cats?
Often, veterinarian appointments and prescribed medications are necessary to help a cat recover from her cold. Along with conventional treatments, many veterinarians prescribe L-lysine supplementation to cats suffering from respiratory problems or illnesses like the feline herpesvirus.
How much lysine does a cat need?
The online version has since been updated to read: “Previously, lifelong oral L-lysine (250-500 mg/day) was recommended to help prevent or reduce the severity of recurrent feline herpesvirus infections. However, recent work has shown that oral L-lysine can actually exacerbate feline herpesvirus infections.”
Which L-lysine is best for cats?
Vetoquinol was the early pioneer of using Lysine as a food supplement to support the immune, eye and respiratory health of cats and kittens. As a result, Viralys has been the trusted brand of Lysine for felines for more than a decade.
How fast does L-lysine work for cats?
Lysine is given by mouth in the form of a powder, crushed tablet, chewable tablet, or paste/gel. Mix the powder in a small amount of food unless otherwise directed. This medication can take up to a few weeks before full effects are noted, but gradual improvements are usually noticeable after a few days.
Can cats be allergic to lysine?
Unfortunately, while lysine has few side effects, some cats will experience an allergy to it. An amino acid given as a supplement, lysine can be helpful in keeping the herpes virus under control. While it has minimal side effects, should your cat’s immune system overreact, he will experience an allergy.
Is it healthy to take lysine everyday?
Taking lysine supplements is very safe and does not seem to cause many side effects. Most people can take a daily dose of up to 3 grams (g) of lysine without any side effects.
Can lysine hurt cats?
Finally, and most importantly, several clinical studies with cats have shown that lysine is not effective for the prevention or the treatment of feline herpesvirus 1 infection, and some even reported increased infection frequency and disease severity in cats receiving lysine supplementation.
What is the difference between lysine and L-Lysine?
The main difference between lysine and L lysine is that Lysine is one of the essential amino acids in humans whereas L-lysine is one of the two isomers found in a racemic mixture of lysine. Furthermore, lysine is an α-amino acid while α-carbon of the L-lysine is in the S configuration.