Lacto-Stop for dogs: instructions for using tablets with side effects and cheaper analogues. What will help better

04/02/2021 9,078 Diseases and treatment of dogs

Author: Olga

Today we will talk about a common problem - diseases of the genitourinary system in dogs. How should an owner behave if his pet is faced with similar illnesses? What is the frequently prescribed drug Mastomethrin, what are its instructions for use for dogs? The answers to all these questions should help your pet find health and give you peace of mind!

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Uterine bleeding and other indications

The drug is prescribed if necessary to block the production of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for the development of the mammary glands and lactation.

School animals are characterized by the manifestation of false pregnancy, this is expressed in the enlargement of the mammary glands and the production of colostrum.

Such changes occur at the level of innate instincts and are controlled by humoral regulation. They help preserve the offspring in the pack if suddenly the female that produced it dies or is unable to feed the puppies.

This condition is considered normal in the wild, but domestic animals experience discomfort because it causes hormonal imbalance and premature aging of the body. To protect your pet from a stressful situation, it is necessary to administer drugs that inhibit the production of prolactin.

Lacto-Stop is used to prevent mastitis during heavy lactation, as well as to suppress it during early weaning of puppies. The drug is prescribed for abortion and uterine bleeding.

Storage conditions

Since the drug is quite specific and is capable of acting on the body’s hormonal metabolism, storage conditions must be observed very carefully.

The manufacturer recommends the following:

Temperature range is strictly from 5° to 25° Celsius. In principle, the medicine can withstand storage at lower temperatures, but it is strictly not recommended to overheat it! The fact is that at high temperatures, the coconut oil that is part of the drug begins to oxidize. Of course, this has an extremely negative effect on the medicinal properties of Galastop.
Do not allow the medicine packages to be exposed to sunlight during storage.
The medicine must be kept away from children and pets.

Composition and expiration date

Lacto-Stop is available in the form of a solution. 1 ml contains 50 mcg of cabergoline as an active ingredient, the rest of the volume is supplemented by excipients - triglycerides. The solution is an oily, transparent liquid with a yellowish tint. The product is intended for oral use.

It is available packaged in 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 ml. The containers are dark glass bottles with rubber stoppers, which are secured with aluminum caps. An alternative could be a polymer bottle with a polyethylene gasket and a screw cap that provides first-opening control.

In sealed packaging, the medicine is stored in a place protected from light at a temperature of +5º...+25ºC for 2 years from the date of manufacture, which is indicated on the bottle label. The storage location should not be accessible to children. The proximity of food products should be avoided.

After opening the bottle, it is recommended to use the drug within 4 weeks. After this period, the solution can no longer be used. Therefore, you should calculate the required amount of medicine in advance in order to purchase a bottle of the required volume. Remains of unused drug must be disposed of.

Instructions for use

Dosage by weight

To eliminate the symptoms of false pregnancy and to interrupt lactation when weaning offspring, the dosage of the drug is prescribed in proportion to the body weight of the female. For each kilogram of mass you need to count 0.1 ml (3 drops) of the medicinal solution.

To more accurately determine the dose, you can use a syringe. Some manufacturers supply polymer bottles with dropper pipettes.

The medication is given once a day. The drug stops lactation in a short time. The course for each individual is calculated individually, but lasts no more than 1 week.

How to give the drug?

Taking medication should not cause stress to your pet. Therefore, most often the solution in the required quantity is added to food. In this case, you need to make sure that the dog takes the entire portion.

If the animal calmly tolerates various manipulations, then the medicine can be given using a spoon or a syringe without a needle directly on the tongue. This is done carefully so that the animal does not accidentally choke.

Pills

Lacto-Stop for suppressing lactation in dogs should not be confused with the drug of the same name “Laktostop” , which is a biological food additive that is used to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This drug comes in tablets and is intended to treat people.

Contraindications

Since the drug is quite specific, it has contraindications, some of which are quite serious.

It is strictly forbidden to use the medicine simultaneously with dopamine antagonists . In this case, the effectiveness of both means drops sharply. Usually this does not threaten anything serious, but in rare cases a “pendulum effect” is possible, which can lead to serious problems with the dog’s health.

It is not recommended to use the product simultaneously with painkillers and anesthetics, since in this case the effect of the latter is seriously deteriorated (i.e. the animal will not receive high-quality pain relief).

It is strictly forbidden to give medicine to females in the first half of pregnancy (up to 40 days) due to the extremely high probability of abortion. The same applies to bitches during the period of feeding puppies. Due to the characteristics of ergoline derivatives, the administration of Galastop to pets with liver and kidney failure, as well as to dogs suffering from “drops” in blood pressure, is strictly prohibited.

Side effects

When taking the drug for the first time, some individuals fall into a depressive state, this manifests itself in drowsiness and lack of appetite. In rare cases, vomiting may occur. This is considered a normal reaction and should not be interrupted.

If the condition worsens and the animal experiences pressure surges, fainting, or hallucinations, then you need to consult with veterinary specialists . In such cases, as a rule, the dosage is reduced and maintenance therapy is prescribed. Metoclopramide is used to neutralize side effects.

If the animal is sensitive to cabergoline, the drug is not prescribed. The use of the medicinal solution during pregnancy is prohibited. Lacto-Stop does not affect the development of the fetus, but can cause termination of pregnancy.

Lacto-Stop is not prescribed for low blood pressure or for symptoms of renal and liver failure.

Reviews about the medicine

Veterinarians

Sergey Vladimirovich, veterinarian, 9 years of experience:

“I’ve been working with the drug for 5 years. Its effectiveness has been verified. The product quickly suppresses lactation and improves general condition. The mammary glands and skin around the nipples become softer, swelling subsides.

The disadvantage of this medicine is the high price and short shelf life in open packaging. Treatment is not always economical.”

Marina Nikolaevna, veterinarian, 11 years of experience:

“I prescribe Lacto-Stop to prevent mastitis. It works quickly and is easy to use. Taking this medication does not cause stress in four-legged patients.”

Evgeniy Nikolaevich, veterinarian, 8 years of experience:

“Lacto-Stop copes well with false pregnancy and normalizes lactation. I often prescribe it to prevent mastitis. But I do not recommend using the drug without a doctor’s prescription, because its effect on the endocrine system does not always pass without consequences.

I recommend that animal owners, during the days of taking the drug, pay more attention to adjusting the diet, giving priority to protein foods, and creating conditions for the dog’s physical activity.”

Owners

Elena, owner of a dachshund:

“In my dachshund, every heat provokes a false pregnancy, so we cannot do without medication. We used the French drug Galastop. The medicine is effective, but expensive. A friend advised me to switch to domestic Lacto-Stop.

The composition of the drugs is the same. We tested it in practice and were not disappointed. The effect is the same, but the price is slightly lower. Therefore, I recommend it to everyone."

Margarita, Chihuahua owner:

“The drug Lacto-Stop was used to stop lactation after weaning puppies. In the first days the dog's condition was depressed. She began to refuse food, so a second dose was given using a syringe. After some time, vomiting began. But the veterinarian did not recommend interrupting treatment.

Our pet's condition improved on the third day. She became more active and began to eat herself. Overall, the drug has proven its effectiveness.”

Can it be used?

The packaging states that Galastop is intended for dogs, but in veterinary medicine the medicine is also used for cats. In this case, you need to strictly follow the recommendations and carefully select the dosage.

After the drug enters the animal’s body, the active substance begins to act on dopamine receptors located in the central nervous system and peripheral organs. These sensitive receptors are able to inhibit the formation of prolactin, which is important for activating milk production in the female.

The advantage is the fact that the medicine only affects the reduction of lactation. It has minimal impact on other systems and organs. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve the most gentle treatment for cats and dogs.

After oral administration, Galastop is quickly absorbed from the digestive tract and enters the blood. The highest concentration is achieved 4-8 hours after consumption.

The main indication for the use of the drug is false pregnancy in a female. This term is usually understood as a condition in which a cat, in the absence of pregnancy, develops all the symptoms of its presence. The causes of this condition can be caused by mental or hormonal disorders.

Moreover, without diagnosis (only by the symptoms and behavior of the cat) it is impossible to determine whether the pregnancy is false or true. In most cases, the first signs appear 1.5 months after mating or the end of estrus. In case of a false pregnancy, a cat experiences:

loss of appetite;
signs of toxicosis (vomiting in the morning);
nervousness;
apathetic state (loss of interest of the animal in games, walks);
abdominal enlargement;
nesting (this is the choice of a place for the birth of offspring);
engorgement of the mammary glands and release of colostrum.

In most cases, signs of false pregnancy in pets go away on their own, without intervention from the owner. However, sometimes this condition can cause negative changes in the animal’s body:

endometritis (this term refers to inflammation of the uterine mucosa);
purulent mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands);
nervous disorders.

Another indication for Galastop is the need to quickly complete lactation after feeding. For example, in a situation where a cat fed kittens for a long time, after which they were distributed in one day, or all the cubs were dead at birth.

What is better and cheaper - Galastop or Lacto-Stop?

Lacto-Stop is a domestic analogue of the French drug Galastop. The similarity of medicines is manifested in many ways: release form, dosage, composition, pharmacological action. The drugs cause the same side effects.

Galastop is a faster-acting drug and reaches maximum concentration in the blood after 4-6 hours. When using Lacto-Stop, this effect can be achieved 2 days after administration.

When comparing prices for 15 ml of medicinal solution, it turns out that Lacto-Stop is inferior by about 100-200 rubles.

Other analogues

Analogues of the drug are the drugs Dostinex, Agalates and Bergolak , which are produced on the basis of cabergoline. Available in the form of tablets of 0.5 mg. The package can contain 2 or 8 tablets.

To stop lactation, 2 tablets are prescribed once after childbirth. If you need to interrupt the established cycle, then prescribe 1/2 tablet 2 times a day for 2 days.

When the production of prolactin is activated (false pregnancy), the drug is prescribed at 1-2 mg per week. It is taken 1/2-1 tablet 1 time per day at intervals (for example, on Tuesday and Thursday). In severe cases, the weekly dose can be increased to 4 mg.

The drug Lacto-Stop is worthy of attention. It has a quick and effective effect, is easy to use, acts only on the pituitary gland, without disrupting the functioning of other parts of the endocrine system. It acts comprehensively, not only reduces lactation, but also regulates the behavior of the animal.