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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2005need help getting kitty to take medicine
Hey all. I've posted a few times about my cat Reggie, who had eye problems. Well, we finally (after a month's wait!) got in to a specialist who said that Reggie had a geographical ulcer on his eye brought on by herpesvirus. Crap. She gave him some pills and we started him on Lycene supplements. After two weeks of the pills and Lycene he seemed OK, but just a couple days after the pills ran out his eye got red and runny again. He doesn't have infection coming out of the eye anymore, but it does run a lot. We took him back to the specialist who put him back on the pills, 3 weeks this time, and after a week his eye is still runny. Part of the problem I think is that he won't take his Lycene anymore. We got powdered Lycene and he was taking it fine when we mixed it in with wet food, but now it seems like he can taste it and he won't eat it. We've tried milk, different brands of wet food, and ice cream. Any thoughts on getting him to take the Lycene would be appreciated. Stacia > Hey all. I've posted a few times about my cat Reggie, who had eye > problems. Well, we finally (after a month's wait!) got in to a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > doesn't have infection coming out of the eye anymore, but it does run a > lot. Cats that recover from herpesvirus usually become chronic carriers with occasional ocular discharge or mild symptoms of conjunctivitis. Lysine is good for managing herpesvirus because it interferes with viral replication. But chronic antibiotics can wreak havoc on the gut flora and have no affect on viruses. > We took him back to the specialist who put him back on the pills, 3 > weeks this time, and after a week his eye is still runny. Part of the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Stacia Its usually not a good idea to mix medication in a cat's regular food because the medication can cause the cat to develop an aversion for the food and stop eating it. If you must mix medicine in food, use a sacrificial treat food. First, put a small dab of the medicine of his nose; the smell will satiate his olfactory system and the taste, when he licks it off will satiate his gustatory system so he may not detect the medicine in the food. This trick doesn't work on every cat but its worth a shot. Here's a link that shows you an easy way to pill a cat: http://www.maxshouse.com/Medicating_Your_Cat.htm You might pilling a lot easier if you use a Pillpopper: http://www.maxshouse.com/instruments+equipment/pillpopper.jpg The trick to pilling a cat is getting the pill into the laryngopharynx quickly so that it doesn't dissolve and the cat doesn't taste or smell it. The Pillpopper should help you accomplish that very easily. Just be sure he drinks some water or eats some canned food after you pill him to make sure the pill doesn't get trapped and dissolve in the esophagus. Good luck. Phil Suddenly, without warning, Phil P. exclaimed (30-Sep-05 9:16 AM): >> Hey all. I've posted a few times about my cat Reggie, who had eye >>problems. Well, we finally (after a month's wait!) got in to a [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > > Phil The pillpopper worked very well for Meep for years, but more recently it's become difficult, so I've stopped using it - at least for a while. Something that I read here and that works very well for Meep is to use gelcaps and something sticky and tasty. I save the gelcaps from Meep's glucosamine supplement (I think you can pick them up cheap from most healthfood stores), then if I need to pill her, this is what I do: I break up the pill and put the pieces in the larger part of the gelcap. In the smaller bit, I put some hairball medicine (she loves the stuff!), then I close the cap, stick some more hairball stuff on the outside. I then just pop the pill into the back of her throat and hold her mouth closed till she swallows. The gelcap hides the taste of the pill. The hairball stuff serves two purposes: She likes the taste which means she's less likely to fight, and it's sticky enough to make it difficult for her to try to spit it out if she tries. I've heard peanut butter works well too, but haven't tried it. I used this method quite successfully for a 6-day course of antibiotics. I'd use the pillppoper as well, but the one I have won't accomodate gelcaps >Its usually not a good idea to mix medication in a cat's regular food >because the medication can cause the cat to develop an aversion for the food >and stop eating it. If you must mix medicine in food, use a sacrificial >treat food. Maybe I wasn't clear -- this is not his regular food (he gets dry kibble). It's wet cat food for treat only. But he won't eat the treats with the Lycene in it anymore. I'll try the trick you mentioned, thanks! Stacia Thanks for the advice. However we're pretty good at getting Reggie to take pills, with the pill shooter. The problem is the powdered Lycene which he won't eat in his treat anymore. I don't know what I can use which will mask the taste so he'll eat it. Oddly, the other cats eat his treat, no problem. Weirdo cats. ;) Stacia >> Hey all. I've posted a few times about my cat Reggie, who had eye >> problems. Well, we finally (after a month's wait!) got in to a [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > Phil Thanks Phil. I have a tough time giving my little boy medicine so your instructions are quite helpful. For now, he doesn't need medicine, thank God. |
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