1/10 - Gen, AMPS >400

[Allie & Gen]

Yesterday

Well, nothing can ever be simple, right?

Last night as I was getting myself to bed, I noticed two things: Gen's cheek was oozing (it's been scabbed over and healing for I think over a week, so this was an unwelcome development), and there was an abrasion where he'd been grooming himself right at the arm hole of the harness. I touched it, and it felt like there might have been something--some surgical glue that I missed from way back in November when the vet tech used it for the Libre?--but it was hard to be sure. He started trying to groom it as I watched, and I went and got the soft cone I bought awhile back in case I needed it to keep him from scratching at his cheek. (Did he scratch at his cheek? I don't know if the oozing just happened on its own, or what. :/)

I also made another attempt at giving him one of the antibiotic pills the vet gave me, but putting it in a Royal Canin Pill Assist and sticking it into his wet food. This backfired, and he did not eat most of his overnight food. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to have caused any BG emergencies; his PM cycle was very similar to his AM cycle, with some brief blues in the middle.

This morning I have removed the harness, so he's just wearing the cone. In a bit I'm going to see about cleaning up the abrasion and getting a better idea of what's going on there.

The vet offered to have him come in for an antibiotic shot, and I'm going to take her up on that this week.

Aaand, he only ate a little wet food this morning and then held out for dry. I gave him roughly 1/4 scoop with some freeze-dried rabbit, about equal amounts, I think. He scarfed that down immediately. Tomorrow I'm planning on only using the dry food as a topper for the wet ... not sure how that's going to go. :/

I hope everyone's having a nice, peaceful Saturday morning. Safe surfs to your kitties!

 

[squeem3]

If it's the Convenia shot, you should read this first: Convenia- long term antibiotic: Is it worth the risk?

Leroy's vet suggested that for the leg wounds but I said NO. Leroy does not need any more issues on top of what he already has.

If you ignore the begging for dry food, does Gen eventually give up and just sulk and pick at the canned food or does he become a little terror?

 

[Allie & Gen]

If it's the Convenia shot, you should read this first: Convenia- long term antibiotic: Is it worth the risk?

Leroy's vet suggested that for the leg wounds but I said NO. Leroy does not need any more issues on top of what he already has.

If you ignore the begging for dry food, does Gen eventually give up and just sulk and pick at the canned food or does he become a little terror?

Oh, dear. I'll take a look at that. :/ I'm just so frustrated ... they haven't been able to find any openings for him to get in for surgery sooner than February 2nd, and he really doesn't need to be dealing with more infection, unchecked.

He's been eating all his food (so long as I don't put in gross-tasting meds). Right now, since he's still getting a tiny bit of dry food, he's only begging/holding out until I give it to him. He doesn't yell at me for more. What he'll do when he gets none has yet to be seen.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

I also made another attempt at giving him one of the antibiotic pills the vet gave me, but putting it in a Royal Canin Pill Assist and sticking it into his wet food.

Hi Allie, I’m sorry to hear about the abrasion. Good job figuring out what is going on and handling it

As for the pills, can you bury it in the pull assist and just give with a small amount of food so he eats just that?
Or can you hide it in a pill pocket? Will he eat the little meatball you mold around the pill?

I agree about the Convenia shot. Makes me nervous.

After Ivy had a dental done, they gave her a Convenia shot, and I didn’t find out about it until I happened to look at the receipt after I checked out.

The vets argument to me was that he figured it would be easier to give her the shot since her mouth would be sore and I wouldn’t have to try to get antibiotics into her while she was healing.

I really wish they would have discussed it with me first, and I didn’t know at the time to ask preemptively. Luckily she was fine, but some of the stories I’ve read can be very scary.

I have since put a “no Convenia” on my charts with my vets and with that Hospital as well. At the very least I would want them to discuss the options with me beforehand.

I hope Gen eats more today and does well with the cone.

He’s one lucky boy to have you as his caregiver

 

[Allie & Gen]

As for the pills, can you bury it in the pull assist and just give with a small amount of food so he eats just that?
Or can you hide it in a pill pocket? Will he eat the little meatball you mold around the pill?

Unfortunately, when I have historically tried to give him medication in a small amount of wet food (before surgery), he has refused to touch it at all. I think it makes him suspicious.

The Pill Assist is basically a little meatball that you mold around a pill, but he won't eat them on their own (he did once and never again) and they tend to come apart as he munches away at his food. I have them because my vet's office has seen a lot more success with them than pill pockets overall, but my boy is just a pain about this.

Having now read about Convenia, I'm not going to let them do it after all, but I'm still really worried about unchecked infection. The antibiotic I've been trying to give him, never successfully, is clindomycin. However, he was on clavamox for 10 days after I first discovered his abscess, and I was able to get him to take that, crushed in his food (I use a method where I mix it with just a small amount of the wet, then use that to top the rest of the can of food - to avoid the "suspicion" issue). I'm wondering if that might be a viable alternative in the circumstances. I've emailed my vet's office about all of this, though they won't be open/respond until Monday.

I'm sorry your vet administered Convenia to Ivy without checking with you first! Thank goodness she didn't have any adverse effects.

 

[SarahJeanne]

When tiny was on antibiotics, my vet gave me the liquid version, so I mixed it in a feeding srynge with a bit of his food and shot it in the left back of this mouth...
He hated me for it, but it was quicker than a pill and i knew it was going in.
Also without food mixed in he would foam at the mouth for a while and scare the hell out of me because the liquid med is unpalatable.

Sending you and Gen tons of health vibes and I hope you can enjoy your weekend!

 

[Allie & Gen]

When tiny was on antibiotics, my vet gave me the liquid version, so I mixed it in a feeding srynge with a bit of his food and shot it in the left back of this mouth...
He hated me for it, but it was quicker than a pill and i knew it was going in.
Also without food mixed in he would foam at the mouth for a while and scare the hell out of me because the liquid med is unpalatable.

Sending you and Gen tons of health vibes and I hope you can enjoy your weekend!

Unfortunately the very instant you push anything into the corner of Gen's mouth, he responds with full-blown panic as though he's being murdered. Jerking his head around and fighting like hell to get away, even when he was completely chill and relaxed before. I can't use an oral syringe with him. It may have to do with the dental issues; not sure.

 

[Allie & Gen]

Adventures continue. Gen wasn't touching his wet food at all this morning. (He devoured the token amount of dry and the freeze-dried rabbit I put with it.) I had given him a dish with 1 can of tuna on top of .5 can of chicken & liver, so on the theory that he didn't like the combo (I wasn't sure; first time I've tried that), I replaced it with just the tuna, and viola ... he started eating that. So I guess if I want to give him two types of wet food, I have to use two separate dishes. Good to know.

I also had a go at cleaning the abraded spot on his side, first with coconut oil, then witch hazel wipes. If the crusting was glue, I didn't get all of it, but I got some. Might try Brava spray later as I have found that to be a little more effective with adhesives than the coconut oil in general. He was really losing all patience with being held in place and wiped at, so I put a little Derma Gel on the site and let him go. He's avoiding me, now. I have to go out for a bit anyway.

This is from before the wiping incident. I'm a little nervous about leaving his sensor open to the air, but I don't think he can get at it with the cone--at least, he hasn't tried--and I want to give his skin a break from any rubbing the harness might do where it's already not happy. I keep seeing him make aborted attempts at licking (usually the kind of licking where the cat notices you looking at him and decides he has to do a quick touch-up because you've made him self-conscious, or whatever goes on in their heads when they do that). It's a bit sad, and also a little funny, not gonna lie.

His BG is staying stubbornly high, but that could be stress and/or the late meal. Or he could be bouncing. I'm not going to fret about it right now.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Adventures continue. Gen wasn't touching his wet food at all this morning. (He devoured the token amount of dry and the freeze-dried rabbit I put with it.) I had given him a dish with 1 can of tuna on top of .5 can of chicken & liver, so on the theory that he didn't like the combo (I wasn't sure; first time I've tried that), I replaced it with just the tuna, and viola ... he started eating that. So I guess if I want to give him two types of wet food, I have to use two separate dishes. Good to know.

I also had a go at cleaning the abraded spot on his side, first with coconut oil, then witch hazel wipes. If the crusting was glue, I didn't get all of it, but I got some. Might try Brava spray later as I have found that to be a little more effective with adhesives than the coconut oil in general. He was really losing all patience with being held in place and wiped at, so I put a little Derma Gel on the site and let him go. He's avoiding me, now. I have to go out for a bit anyway.

This is from before the wiping incident. I'm a little nervous about leaving his sensor open to the air, but I don't think he can get at it with the cone--at least, he hasn't tried--and I want to give his skin a break from any rubbing the harness might do where it's already not happy. I keep seeing him make aborted attempts at licking (usually the kind of licking where the cat notices you looking at him and decides he has to do a quick touch-up because you've made him self-conscious, or whatever goes on in their heads when they do that). It's a bit sad, and also a little funny, not gonna lie.

His BG is staying stubbornly high, but that could be stress and/or the late meal. Or he could be bouncing. I'm not going to fret about it right now.

View attachment 76416

You’re doing such an incredible job, Allie
He’s very smart and challenging (you know I can relate).
I hope he behaves while you are out and just takes a nice cozy cat nap.
Eat, Gen, we are all waiting to hear a good report
And good luck j with the pill administration.
You know him best, so whatever works for both of you

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Clindamycin is horrible tasting, no wonder Gen complained about it! I had to give it to Neko and did the liquids - lots of foamy mouth afterwards. Can you put the Clindamycin pill in a blank gel cap? (size 3, 4, or 5 whatever fits). That'd help hide the taste. You can buy meat flavoured gelcaps too. On capsuline I think?

My current routine on pills involves lots of Churu. Churu sample, another Churu, pill pocket with pill and Churu dabbed on top, with the Churu tube in plain sight. More Churu after.

Clindamycin is very hard on the good tummy flora (personal experience ), so I'm glad you are giving that probiotic.

 

[JoM]

I use a cat grooming bag to give Karamelle her am meds. At night I dont, and really dont need to in the morning anymore, but its like habit now. When Ive had to medicate difficult cats in the past these bags have been a lifesaver. I use one called Calm & Cozy cat wrap . It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I started by using the cheaper ones and they work too, just arent as sturdy and dont last as long. Getting them in it isnt hard. You just have to set them on it, unzipped and once you wrap the velcro strip around thier neck they think they cant move, then you just pull the bag up around them and zip it up. Ive used these on a feral before. It is hard when they shake their head back and forth tho. I use a pill gun. All I need is an open mouth and its getting in there.

 

[Allie & Gen]

Clindamycin is horrible tasting, no wonder Gen complained about it! I had to give it to Neko and did the liquids - lots of foamy mouth afterwards. Can you put the Clindamycin pill in a blank gel cap? (size 3, 4, or 5 whatever fits). That'd help hide the taste. You can buy meat flavoured gelcaps too. On capsuline I think?

My current routine on pills involves lots of Churu. Churu sample, another Churu, pill pocket with pill and Churu dabbed on top, with the Churu tube in plain sight. More Churu after.

Clindamycin is very hard on the good tummy flora (personal experience ), so I'm glad you are giving that probiotic.

Clindamycin really is disgusting. I tasted a tiny bit of dust from a crushed pill and it took me ages to get the taste out of my mouth, even with the help of food. I can't blame him for not wanting to take it, either. But also.

How well do those gel caps hold together? One of the things that has foiled me is that when I try to hide a whole pill inside something (be it a pill pocket, wet food liberally topped/mixed with strong-tasting things like Churus and freeze-dried tuna, etc) he manages to find/expose it instead of just swallowing it down. I find the pill pockets bitten into with the pill still inside the part that's left behind.

 

[Allie & Gen]

I use a cat grooming bag to give Karamelle her am meds. At night I dont, and really dont need to in the morning anymore, but its like habit now. When Ive had to medicate difficult cats in the past these bags have been a lifesaver. I use one called Calm & Cozy cat wrap . It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I started by using the cheaper ones and they work too, just arent as sturdy and dont last as long. Getting them in it isnt hard. You just have to set them on it, unzipped and once you wrap the velcro strip around thier neck they think they cant move, then you just pull the bag up around them and zip it up. Ive used these on a feral before. It is hard when they shake their head back and forth tho. I use a pill gun. All I need is an open mouth and its getting in there.

I am tempted by the wrap, but it's so expensive, and I've had nothing but failure every time I've tried to "purrito" Gen in a towel. I even watched two vet techs working together totally failing at it with him. (He's usually very good at the vet, but!)

He's also very determined about not opening his mouth when people want him to, whether it's to put something in there or just to look inside. I have to wonder if I'd really have any more luck with a pill shooter than I have with a syringe. Sigh. He's smart and stubborn as hell, and has no idea that I'm trying to help. It's an issue!

 

[squeem3]

Wedgewood Pharamcy has chew treat and capsule options for clindamycin. Would either of those work for Gen?

Leroy occasionally spits out the budesonide I just take another Raw Bite from civvie's dinner to hide the pill in. I used a bacon flavored pill dough before and that worked well until Leroy decided he didn't like it anymore

 

[Allie & Gen]

Wedgewood Pharamcy has chew treat and capsule options for clindamycin. Would either of those work for Gen?

I don't know! I wonder how well they cover the taste. Could be worth a look. I'm just getting tired of paying for so many expensive prescription meds that wind up going to waste (three formats of gabapentin, this antibiotic, a liquid-format antibiotic a few months ago before his re-diagnosis, etc). I'll take a look though.

Leroy occasionally spits out the budesonide I just take another Raw Bite from civvie's dinner to hide the pill in. I used a bacon flavored pill dough before and that worked well until Leroy decided he didn't like it anymore

I've thought about trying to hide the pill in part of a rabbit nugget, but he munches and I swear it won't get in. And every time I try to get him to take a med he can taste/smell and reject, I have a harder time getting him to eat for a bit, so I'm cautious about trying and try to space it out.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

How well do those gel caps hold together?

Reasonably well, until they get wet. More info in here: Pilling Your Cat

 

[squeem3]

The chew treats can be flavored.

The Raw Bites are thawed from frozen so they're smushable. Freeze dried raw won't work.

 

[Allie & Gen]

The chew treats can be flavored.

Sure, but the drug is so intensely bitter, I wonder if it's possible to have it in a form with flavoring that overrides that enough. But I don't really know what I'm talking about. I think the bigger risk is that he wouldn't like it anyway - I tried to give him a liquid antibiotic back in October that was tuna-flavored, and he wouldn't touch it.

 

[Allie & Gen]

(I'm also not sure about chew treats for a cat with severe periodontal disease, but that's a separate thing.)

 

[Allie & Gen]

... that's ruff, buddy.

 

[Albert & Xander]

I hear you about the pilling woes! Luckily Xander allows me to open his mouth but he has gotten really good at spitting them back up or pretending to swallow them.

For future reference, cerenia is also very bitter if he ever has to take that. I learned the hard way, with him running around with a foaming mouth and Flare chasing him in concern I ordered size 4 gel capsules and crushed up the pill into those.

 

[squeem3]

Well cats tend to just swallow kibble whole without breaking it up into smaller pieces so A chew treat might be able to be split in half for easier swallowing.

Hope the vet has other ideas on how to get meds into Gen