Not having a good day, He has learned how to spit out the pills

Hi all,

I think Squeaky is having another bout of pancreatitis, and I've tried twice today to give him his pill with cerenia and budesonide. BOTH times he spit them out without swallowing.

What's a mom to do? I tried sneaking meds in his foods, but he's not eating very much today.

Errghhh.

 

I use a pill popper like:
https://www.entirelypets.com/pillgu...cNh7G8AjsGD6KWucRX1eu2egDqoG15LBoCf24QAvD_BwE
https://www.chewy.com/dee-pet-pille...D6NpROaFrDFgc88PKJJS_NU2bRdJUofxoCJBYQAvD_BwE
If necessary I put them in a gel cap.

 

Thanks they were in a gel cap. I have a pill popper, last time I tried didn't work. I can try again. Thanks.

 

Hi Jan,

Not sure whether you've seen this video before. The technique demonstrated is very good (fast forward to 4:45):



The one thing the vet missed out was the importance of getting the cat to eat a little, drink a little or giving a water chaser via syringe (sideways, across the tongue) after pilling to make sure it doesn't get stuck on the way down.

If you can manage it, when you have Squeaky's head tilted back and his mouth open, if you look at the back of his tongue it should be in a V shape. Aiming to drop the pill or the gel cap in the centre of the V increases the likelihood that it will be swallowed, not worked to the side of the mouth and spat out.


Mogs
.

 

I got the budesonide compounded into a liquid, I think it was chicken flavour. Anyway, much harder for them to spit it out!

ETA: My favourite pill popper, also allows you to load water in the syringe to you can easily chase the pill with water. Kruuse pill popper. I also used it with gel caps. I'd load as many pills as I could into a gel cap, at least ones that could be given together, so less pilling sessions.

 

Second this particular pill popper!! Sometimes it is the type/brand of popper that is an issue for people. This one seems to work really, really well!

 

Looking at the positive Jan if he is having the energy to resist and spit them out then he must be feeling a little feisty still not just limp and lethargic!
Hope those pill poppers help! PS I did have a friend who used to put her cat pill in a little cube of cheese or coat the outside with a little butter so they slipped down easier and were harder to spit out - messy but she swore by it. not sure if that would damage gel tablets though.
Squeaky you little rascal stop stressing your mommy out !!!
Gill

 

This is helpful, thank you so much!!!!

 

Glad I read this post today Wendy- I've found one of those on Amazon UK and will get one to keep in my cat box in case I ever need to pill one of my 3,- if it is Lady (one of my civvie girls) it usually takes me & DH in combo & 3 attempts with a spat out increasingly slimy tablet dodging my fingers round her teeth to reach the back of the tongue. I notice it says to discard after 10-15 days\treatments but am assuming it will keep indefinitely in its sterile packing until used.

 

Oh you have a Wiggles! I did too, he became my guardian angel about 5 years ago and I miss him so! He was so fun and indeed he did Wiggle!

 

Thanks Gill! The video helped a lot and I think butter sounds like a good idea. I will try! Thank you so much! Actually I wasn't feeling very well yesterday and I think that was most of the problem..... Today's pills went much smoother.

 

I use the Kruuse pill popper also.

 

Thanks for the tips!!! I will consider the pill popper! We're doing much better, I watched the video for technique and it helped a lot.

 

Jan, can the pills be crushed or do they have to be whole? I know with Angel's flea allergy meds they are best swallowed whole, but with antibiotics they can be crushed and mixed with food. Good luck. Angel is overdue his flea allergy meds, I haven't pushed it with everything else going on, but I'm going to try to give them to him later, wish me luck. Hugs to Squeaky x
x

 

I find it easiest to wrap pills in a bit of semi-soft cat treat. I give the treat with the pill in it, and then follow with another couple of pieces with no pill.
Another option with nasty tasting meds is to put them into a gelatine capsule and coat it with a bit of butter to make it nice and slippery. Then the cat can swallow the capsule before really having a chance to chew it. I have size 5 capsules which I think are the smallest.
I should say that I am a total wuss when it comes to pilling cats directly, so have had to work out alternatives....

 

Cerenia is really bitter tasting. Maybe you can put it in an empty gel cap

 

One hug for each of you.....

We're grinding the cerenia with the budesonide and putting them in a gelcap. It's STILL a PILL LOL.

He's not eating consistently, nor is he eating treats consistently...... so this is the only alternative!

However I watched the video on pilling and learned to tip his head back more. That's helping! A LOT!!!!! We're doing much better!

 

Jan, after you give the pill keep his mouth closed and stroke his throat, that's what my vet reccommended. In UK there is some paste the vet gave me and I've hidden Angel's meds in that before. I daren't do that at the moment with his newly diagnosed ckd before I've checked contents. Good luck. x

 

Hold his mouth closed. Hmmm, interesting idea. I will try! Thanks for the tip!

 

Butter.... I need to try that. Thanks for continuing to keep me on track!

 

Another trick to try is to put a tiny bit of food on his nose after pilling, because a cat will reflexively lick the food off and then swallow. Place a hand under his chin and keep the head tilted toward the ceiling till you see him swallow.


Mogs
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Thanks Mogs! You are an expert, so knowledgeable! Much appreciated!

 

Not so much an expert, more a bewildered critter parent who's been through a lot of trial and error.

I'm really glad you found the video helpful, Jan. A vet taught me that method many moons ago. My earlier attempts to administer tablet medications were more along these lines:

How to Give a Cat a Pill






Mogs
.

 

HAHA Why does this sound familiar? Some of my entire days are like that, not just with the cat LOL!!!! Might need a little vodka at the end of that story!!!!