L-Lysine: Can I Give "Too Much?"

staceyloobug

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I took Rosalita to the vet to have her stitches removed today (and she enjoyed the ride on my lap with her little leashie on
). While there I left a message for the vet that the antibiotics weren't working for Butters, and that I had started him on L-Lysine like we had discussed.

She had wanted to do the $200 test to see if it WAS FHV, which is fine by me, but in the meantime, I thought I'd go ahead with the L-Lysine. She said that was fine, and to give him 250mg a day.

Meanwhile, I've been adding 500mg to his water (which maybe he doesn't drink the whole thing every day, but I'd say at least 2/3 of it), and 500mg to his wet food (which again, he's probably not getting all 500, but I'd say more than 2/3 of that as well). So let's call it 750mg a day he's getting.

The vet left a message, so I didn't get to SPEAK with her to tell her that I've been giving more than that, but is that alright? Not that I'd take strangers' advice over the internet over my vet's advice, but at the same time, we're in a small town in WV where I'm sure most people don't notice if their cat is sneezing a lot, so I'm not sure how many people around here really bring that to the vet's attention. I trust her; she's a good vet. But she probably hasn't dealt with this a lot. And it seems like you guys are VERY well-versed in this.

So, is the 750mg too much? Are there any long-term effects of being on TOO MUCH L-Lysine? For the record, he seems to be doing just fine...still some sneezing, but no congestion, and his breathing seems pretty good, actually.
 
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staceyloobug

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Originally Posted by mews2much

That might be to much but I am not sure.
I give 500 MG to my cats.
I've heard 500mg, too, but 1000mg a day during flare-ups, which he's going through. I have the other cats on 500mg in their fountain...

Nonetheless, I think 250mg is too little. Although he's very tiny. He's around 7 pounds.
 

carolina

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250 mg might be ok as a maintenance dose, but not during a flare up. If you want to do that, at least double that during the flare, which is what she is going through. So, 250 daily for life, and 500mg during flare ups. Keep in mind you can only control 100% what in in the food; so I would put the measurement for 500mg on the water...
My cats are all on 500mg a day, and double that during flare, which puts them at 1000mg/day; including the little one, who is 10lbs.
Lysine is an amino-acid, and the excess will be expelled by the urine; it is very hard for you to make her overdose on lysine.
I am glad Lysine is working - that is a big indication that her problem is indeed herpes...
 

riley

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So a friend of mine told me that giving cats lysine could possibly cause urinary crystals. Could giving too much of it and having cats on it for long term cause crystals?
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Riley

So a friend of mine told me that giving cats lysine could possibly cause urinary crystals. Could giving too much of it and having cats on it for long term cause crystals?
That is news to me... Never heard of this one before... Where did she hear this? Perhaps if someone was giving a cat a non pure form of Lysine... But that would not be because of the Lysine itself, but because of the other ingredients on the pills.

If you are giving 100% pure Lysine, no, I really can not see how that would happen.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Riley

So a friend of mine told me that giving cats lysine could possibly cause urinary crystals. Could giving too much of it and having cats on it for long term cause crystals?
It is a single amino acid and actually many vets RX it for UTI kitties as many also have herpes
 

riley

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Thanks y'all. It kinda freaked me out a bit when she said that. But then again, she has never used it, and I know y'all have. I just love my babies a lot and don't want to do anything to hurt them.

And Staceyloobug, I hope all is going well with your kitten!
 

spiritflower

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i buy capsules from the drug store which are 500mg can't get it any small dosage......i give him 1 capsule full in the morning and one at night in his wet food he does eat it all. There is no taste for smell to lysine, it does seem to be helping he has a lot more energy, eyes stopped running and nose is looking much better, i really hate the thought of cutting back on the dosage as it is helping
 

spiritflower

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i too have my cat on 500mg twice a day in his wet food and really does help .......... ty for posting 
 
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