Are you following the pills with a syringe (3 ml) or two of water? With
that many pills it is especially important. You could also give her a
tablespoon or two of canned or baby food immediately after to not only
help the pills go down so they don't dissolve in her throat, but also to
get her to associate the pills with something good. You could also try
Pill Pockets, which are a treat you can stick the pill in. They are a
bit expensive, but for small pills you can fit two pills in one treat.
Here is an article about pilling cats and esophagitis:
http://www.catinfo.org/pillingcats.htm

Megan

                                   

You are absolutely *right*.  Your vet should have told you to follow the
pills with a water bolus or canned cat food- even water-packed tuna if your
cat won't canned cat food.

Here's an abstract from a study on this exact problem that I posted 4 years
ago when it
was first published.  Print this out and show it to your vet:

Newsgroups: alt.cats
From: "Phil P." <p...@maxshouse.com> -
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 06:56:35 -0500
Local: Sun, Dec 30 2001 6:56 am
Subject: The Importance of water after pilling

For the group:

This is an abstract of very recent (2001) study that many vets may not yet
have seen.  It addresses a potentially serious problem associated with
pilling cats that has only recently been discovered.  We're all aware of the
discomfort of swallowing a pill "dry", however, the problem can be more
serious for a cat.  The pill or capsule can become entrapped in the
midcervical region of the cat's esophagus for as long *five minutes*.   This
can not only cause discomfort, esophageal entrapment can also cause
esophagitis and esophageal stricture formation.

"Evaluation of esophageal transit of tablets and capsules in 30 cats"

Westfall DS, Twedt DC, Steyn PF, Oberhauser EB, VanCleave JW.

Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and
Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.

"We have reported tablet-induced focal esophagitis and esophageal stricture
formation in cats. The proposed mechanism is thought to be abnormal
esophageal
tablet retention resulting in focal esophagitis with subsequent stricture
formation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the passage of tablets and
capsules when given alone (dry swallow) and when followed by a water bolus
(wet swallow) to determine if this could, in part, explain the esophageal
stricture formation we have observed in cats. Fluoroscopy was used to
evaluate tablet or capsule passage after administration.

The percentage of dry tablet swallows that successfully passed into the
stomach was 0.0% at 30 and 60 seconds, 6.7% at 90 seconds, 13.3% at 120
seconds, 26.7% at 180 and 240 seconds, and 36.7% at 300 seconds. Wet tablet
swallows successfully passed 90.0% of the time at 30 seconds, 93.3% of the
time at 60 seconds, and 100.0% of the time thereafter. The percentage of dry
capsule swallows that successfully passed was
16.7% at each time interval.

Wet capsule swallows successfully passed 96.7% of the time at 30 seconds and
100% of the time thereafter. For each time interval, wet swallows achieved
significantly greater percentage passage into the stomach when compared to
dry swallows (P < .05). This study shows that tablets or capsules given by
dry swallow have prolonged retention in the esophagus compared to those
given by wet swallow.

On the basis of this study, we recommend the routine administration of a
water bolus to cats receiving tablets or capsules PO to facilitate
esophageal clearance. This practice may help prevent medication-associated
esophagitis or stricture formation."

(Excerpt from: The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine; Vol 15; Issue 5;
Pages 467-70; Sep-Oct 2001)

The vet

Ridiculous.  Your vet just doesn't want to admit that he didn't know pills
can become entrapped and retained in the esophagus for as long *5 minutes*
where they can dissolve and induce medication-associated esophagitis or
esophageal strictures.

Before sending

Just be *absolutely* sure to follow each pilling with a water bolus from a
medicine syringe or canned cat food.  Give her the water slowly so she
doesn't choke.  There's a little gap (diastema) just behind her canine teeth
where the tip of a medicine syringe fits perfectly- so you don't have to try
to force open her mouth.

http://www.maxshouse.com/Illustrations/liquid_meds.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/anatomy/mandible__right__medial_view.jpg

http://www.maxshouse.com/Medicating_Your_Cat.htm

If your cat won't eat canned food, rub a dab of the food around her mouth
and/or on her belly.  She'll lick it off and swallow it whether she likes it
or not.  This will clear her esophagus.  You can also offer her tuna water.

Print out the above abstract and show it to your vet.

Best of luck,

Phil