Advice needed for pilling

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Randi & Max (GA)

Randi & Max (GA)

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I need some thoughts and/or advice about giving Max pills.
I have checked many sites as well as on the board.

I have no problem "pilling" Max.
My concern is that they are pretty big capsules. The pills are "hepato support"
Vitamins and enzymes to help his liver, not medication.
The vet sugested I empty the powder from the capsules into his food which of course
he would not go near and I am too afraid of Max turning his head from food.

I have it in liquid form which stains everything and I tried it this morning which he then
proceeded to throw up.

My only option is to give him the capsules whole but I am afraid from the readings
I have been doing that they could get stuck in his esophogus.

This is what I have done so far.
Coat capsule with Vaseline, just a little. I know I read here that it is gross but he is OTJ so I do not know what else I can use that wont elevate his BG.

Put capsule in his mouth, rub his neck and then syringe water into his mouth for it to go down.

I would love some opinions if this is okay or looking for any other tricks or ideas.
Max has had many liver issues and I really want to get these capsules into him safely.
Thanks
 
Just some thoughts:

Coat the capsules in soft butter and firm up in the fridge. Won't raise BGs and better for him than Vaseline

Buy smaller, empty gelatin capsules and divide one larger capsule into two smaller capsules.

Empty the contents of capsule into a pill pocket and pill with the pill pocket. Softer and less likely to stick than gelatine.
 
You could take the powder from the capsule, add a liquid (water or tuna juice), make a slurry and use a needleless syringe to place it in his mouth to drink it.

Don't use too much liquid, just enough to liquify but not too much where you have to do the syringe more than once.
 
i usually give harry a little butter to lick first, then i pop a pill coated with butter into his mouth as close to his throat as possible and follow with an oral syringe full of water. i like to follow with a little wet food or more butter.
 
I second using butter instead of vaseline. Max may actually like the taste--my Potter (GA) sure did!

The slurry in a needless syringe could work too--that's what I've been told to do for my son with his reflux meds if he won't keep the tablet in his mouth long enough to dissolve. So far I haven't had to do that, but I imagine it would work.

One last thought...is there a compounding pharmacy near you that could make them into a chewable tablet, tuna or liver flavored or something like that? The prednisone my Max was on, that caused his diabetes in the first place, was made into special tuna-flavored treats. He loved them and ate them up as soon as I put it on the floor. I don't know where my vet's office got them, but they had to order them from somewhere as they didn't normally keep them in stock.
 
Thanks for the ideas.
I was afraid to use butter because of the dairy and possible issues with
his OTJ status.

I already ave a slurry although I don't think its with tuna juice.
The powder tyrns into florescent orange/yellow and gets all over him.
It is only 1ml in the liquid form but would rather use the capsule.
I could try putting the powder in a pill pocket but Max never liked those either
and again I am worried about his BG.

I am going to the vet tomorrow night with new baby kitten so I will ask
again if there other ways of making these pills.

These are the capsules
 
I think if it's a capsule, it's ok for it to be digested in the stomach as opposed to the sort of pill that has to go through the stomach unscathed. So, if the capsule can be opened, open it carefully into two halves. Jam a ball of pill pocket into each of the open ends, to seal it. Use another pill pocket to surround each half-capsule.

If a cat doesn't go for the pill pockets, roll it in dust from crushed freeeze dried salmon or chicken (like Liv-a-littles). Put the two halves in a dish with several other smaller chunks of the freeze dried treat. Mine will always scarf the big things first! :) The other smaller chunks of treat will ensure the pill pocket does go down, but follow with syringed liquid as desired.

This has worked really well for me, even with my cats that won't eat pill pockets directly.

laur
 
randi, it's such a tiny amount of butter i wouldn't worry about it (i think butter has fat, not carbs). just really helps slick the pill's way down his gullet.
 
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