Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with hair loss and hyperactivity from valproic acid exposure
By Zoran, D L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2001·Department of Small Animal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hyperactivity and alopecia associated with ingestion of valproic acid in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old male cat was brought to the vet because he had been losing hair and was acting very hyper for about four to five months. It turned out that he had been eating food mixed with valproic acid, a medication used for a child in the household. Once the source of the drug was removed, the cat's symptoms gradually improved, and he made a full recovery. This case highlights how sensitive cats can be to medications meant for humans and the importance of sharing complete information about a pet's environment with the veterinarian.
People also search for: cat hair loss · hyperactive cat behavior · valproic acid poisoning in cats · cat recovery from medication exposure
Abstract
A 1-year-old castrated male cat was evaluated because of alopecia of approximately 4 to 5 months' duration as well as hyperactive behavior. It was later determined that the cat was ingesting valproic acid by eating food to which it had been added for daily administration to a child in the household who had cerebral palsy. The clinical signs slowly resolved after the source of valproic acid was removed. This emphasizes the sensitivity of cats to drugs that are commonly used in humans. It was not determined whether the clinical signs that developed in this cat were caused by an adverse reaction or from toxicosis as a result of prolonged hepatic elimination of valproic acid, which requires glucuronide metabolism for disposition. However, the cat recovered completely following removal of the drug and prevention of further exposure. This report emphasizes the importance of obtaining a careful and complete history from the owner regarding an animal and its environment. In the cat of this report, the owner had not considered the impact of the presence of the drug in the child's food.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11393369/