Help with blood pressure medicationSampson

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mccat2

mccat2

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Hello:
My Sampson went blind several weeks ago. I have seen a vision specialist who prescriped .25 amdoplomine twice a day. I couldn't pill him 2 times a day, as he wouldn't let me. When I did pill him with that little tiny 1/4 pill I could never be certain that he really swallowed it or it landed in the fur on his chest. He is losing more vision I can tell. So the vision vet perscriped a transdermal (you rub it on the ear) medication. I had him on it for 6 days, had it checked again and it never came down. She said perhaps I should try a veterinary internal specialist. I made several phone calls (we have very few of them in my area) and when I spoke with 3 of them on the phone they said that their vets would never, never use a transdermal medication. THis vet also told me that he had a 60-70% chance of his retina's reattaching, which these specialists said that they have never heard of this happening. They want me to make an appt of course that will cost at least $600.00 for the office visit and the blood work and told me that they would not look at his eyes that I had to see an opthamologist or see the same on that I have been seeing that perscribed the transdermial at $70.00 a visit.
Sampson is 17 years and has a lot of other issues, but I had hoped that I could let him live out his days with some sight. I understand that this medication can be liquified so has anyone ever used the liquid high blood pressure meds and how in the hell do you pill a cat that won't be pilled.
I have tried pill pockets, crushing the tiny little pill in a little bit of gravy, he just walks away from it. I have put it on my finger, I have put it in hairball medication, NO LUCK. I just want to help him but he is making this very, very hard for me. His pressure continues to be around 240 with no reduction over the last 2 weeks.

HELP.

Thanks, Vicki & Sampson
 
This is sure a tough one.

If you haven't yet tried the pill-popper, you can see your vet(s)
about that.

It's a long skinny thing you load the pill into one end, and there is
a plunger on the other end.

Put pill-loaded end into throat, push the plunger. Takes some
practice, I'm sure.

And, perhaps an instruction session from a vet-tech on pilling. Maybe there is
some technique a 'professional' can teach you.

Of course we want Sampson to have the best quality of life possible.
And I don't say this to be discouraging, but 17 is a good ripe age for a cat.
I imagine he is slowing down in a lot of ways. Considering all your constraints,
financial and otherwise, you can opt to just let nature take its course.
Do what you can reasonably do.

Cats DO adjust to being blind. I had a cat go blind in one eye at age 13, then in
the second eye a year later. Then she went deaf, also. She learned to get around
and lived to 16-1/2 years old. She had a stroke and went quickly. I suppose she
could have had high blood pressure. But back in those days (30+ years ago), I don't
know if they checked for such things.

Is Sampson an only cat ? Is he getting around OK, finding food and the litter box ?

Don't move any furniture or his favorite beds. If you pick him up for any reason,
put him back where you found him when you are done. This helps him keep his
whereabouts straight.
 
The other thing you could try is making a slurry. For some of my harder to pill kitties, I check with the vet to make sure the pill can be crushed. There are some specially coated that can't be crushed because they are time released. The generic norvasc which you have is one that my vet said I could crush when my Lucy and Henry were on it, but double check to be sure.

I used to have quite a few kitties on meds so a local deli gave me tuna juice each week when they made their tuna salad, they just put the stuff aside for me. I crushed the pill either with a pill crusher available at any pharmacy or when small enough used the back of a spoon and smooshed it. Then I used a needleless syringe, drew up a small amount of the juice, mixed it in with the pill then redrew it. Your vet can give you one or check with the pharmacy, they have items available for kids.

I held the kitty so that I could insert the needleless syringe through the side of the mouth and pushed slowly so as not to choke the kitty but fast enough to get the job done. Since it was tuna juice it was usually easy. I've also done the same with cold water.

There were times that I fed tuna fish and just crushed the pill right into the tuna and they ate it without noticing.
 
Thanks very much. I will try the syringe 1st and then I will ask about the plunger (don't think I want to stress him out like that). The Vet has ordered some liquid amdopolmine for me and I will try that. Have to pick it up on my way to work. His vision is probably getting worse from what I can tell. Got home from work tonight and his left eye the one that is totally detached is slightly shut. He won't open it all of the way. And he is hiding out more and doesn't seem to want a lot of attention. I need to take his blood sugar again, but I really don't want to bother him tonight. I feel so helpless and I love him so. And yes I have another Kitty Delilah, she is a beautiful white sweetheart that is 15 years old. She seems to be concerned about him, but they have never really been lovey, dovey with one another. I am sure they do love each other though. She loves everyone but Sampson is a Mama's boy one and only.
Have you had any success with the liquid medications? Should I put it in a little food or down his mouth. He really doesn't like me doing that though, have tried with the liquid flagyl and he threw up immediately. I am alone so I don't have anyone that can help me pill him on a regular basis, certainly not twice a day.


Thanks,

Vicki & Sampson
 
Gell capsules are great. I use the #3 and can get into that one 50 mg of metronitizole, 2.5 mg Pepcid AC and 2.5 mg methimazole. You can get smaller capsules, the smalest being #5.
 
With pills that I can crush I don't bother getting liquid meds, for me it's just easier to make the slurries or put in food. I know this is hard but each time you give him his meds just remember that you are doing what is best for him and hopefully it can get easier on both of you.
 
Hi:
I have tried the slurry but Sammy doesn't even like the syringe in his mouth, he gags even though I am very careful not push it hard. I have resorted to putting the pill (it melts into a little of the human canned chicken juice) on a saucer. He laps all of it up, however, I really don't know if some of the residue may be remaining on the saucer.

Any thoughts on administering pills like this. I also have the transdermial bp medication but I called several internal specialists and all of the vet techs say that their vets would never use the transdermial that rubs in the ear as they can't tell if the medication is getting into the blood stream. Anyway the short of it is his blood pressure is not coming down and he continues to lose weight. My vet pulled another full blood panel and say the thryoid is fine with a T-4 at 2.5, however, he is 17 years and exhibits most if not all of the symptoms. He is in what is known as the grey zone.


Thanks All,


Vicki & Sampson
 
One more thing to try (finger-feeding):

Crush the pill...mix into a small amount (1 teaspoon or less) of a canned food he
really likes, or baby food chicken or turkey.

The put a pea-sized dab on your finger tip. Open his mouth as if to pill him,
but don't tilt the head back very far.

Now scrape the dab of food onto the roof of his mouth just behind the upper front
teeth.

Now let his head return to normal position while he swallows several times.
Each time the tongue comes forward out of his mouth, he is swallowing.

Repeat until all the food is taken.

Good luck.

Maybe he will not perceive this as bad as having a pill shoved all the way to the
back of his throat.

IMPORTANT:
You need to cut any fingernails that will be handling his mouth. Cut your fingernails
VERY SHORT. The inside of a cat's mouth is very sensitive and you do not want
to cut or scrape it.

Yes, I know some of you like those fancy manicures, but this is important for your cat.
You can always get a manicure someday. You can never get this particular cat back after he
is GA.
 
I will try this but he clenches his mouth shut everytime I try to open his mouth. I really don't know about doing this several times and I have to do this twice a day. If he thinks that I will be doing this everytime he eats he will hide from me. I want to make it a pleasant experience. The older he gets the smarter he gets. I am lucky to get the flagyl pill into him a couple of times a week if I have to. I also have liquid chicken flavored meds but if he smells any of it, he walks away from his food and eats Delilahs instead. I don't like using the liquid bp, because I have to make sure that my other cat Delilah doesn't get it. I have a limited amount of time in the a.m. as I have to get to work.

Also I put him up on my kitchen counter to pill him with his flagyl for the IBD. Do you put your kitty on the counter or where do you pill them?


Thanks for the advice. I will try this.


Vicki & Sampson
 
For difficult cats, I kneel on a towel on the floor, with the cat backed up between my knees
and my feet together in back so they can't back out.

There is a technique for opening a cat's mouth. You apply pressure with
your thumb and middle finger at the jaw joint at the back of the mouth.

Perhaps you can get your vet/vet-tech to show you.
 
Thank you again. I haven't tried this technique yet. Yes my vet showed me how to do this but the bad boy keeps throwing the pill out with his tongue as soon as I get the silly little 1/4 pill in this mouth. Then I have to try & find it to see if he really got it. It's a tiny 1/4 of a white pill and his fur is light colored. Good Luck with that I say. For as old & frail as he is now, he is still a pistol. No matter how frustrating this is I am happy that he is still a fighter. Love my babies to death. I used a little vegatable oil on it and it seems to slide better, but it's still hit & miss with him. I will try it tomorrow and see if it works.
 
You might actually try to make the pill a little bigger. Easier for you to handle.

Get some empty #3 gelcaps and put the 1/4 tablet in there.

Pay attention to which end of the pill is the 'cap' and dip that end in a tiny bit of
butter. Stick that end to a saucer---the butter acts like 'glue'.

Now get the saucer within reach of where you are going to manage the cat.

Open mouth, grab pill, pill cat. Sounds easy, huh ? (sure)

Having the pill ready to grab leaves two hands free until the very
last second.
 
Where do I get these empty #3 gel caps from? Hate to ask a dumb question but I am not sure.


Thanks,

Vicki
 
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