I'm absolutely in tears right now! Advice please!!!!

danimarie · Dec 17, 2009

My Sophie has had an anxiety marking problem (and general anger problem) for a long time now and finally we made a decision with the vet to put her on kitty anti-depressants.

She WILL NOT take the pill, no matter what I do. I've listened to all the advice, tried to force her to just swallow the pill everyday and she wouldn't swallow it and would just drool down her face. I put it to the side of her mouth, stick it in and hold her mouth closed while blowing at her nose to make her swallow but she WILL NOT swallow the pill. It turns into a big drooly mess where she looks visibly in pain or something.

So today I crushed up the pill and put it in a little bit of her food (I've tried this in the past and she generally cannot be tricked).

She licked up one little bit and tasted the medicine so ran off drooling and giving that awful look with mucusy drool just running from her mouth to the floor. After she starts drooling she won't eat or drink anything at all. It's sooooo sad.

I'm crying thinking that she'll never trust me again. She was rubbing up against me all excited for her food and I feel like she thinks I poisoned her.

What should I do?!?!! Should I just give up on the medicine?? I can't put her through this every single day.

HELP!!!

katachtig · Dec 17, 2009

Have you tried pill pockets? These hide the pills rather than break them apart which can cause the bad taste.

howtoholdacat · Dec 17, 2009

Because I'm a pet sitter, I get to pill lots of cats and they're all different. I'll tell you what I do and maybe it will work for you too. First, and this may be the very most important part, never make a big deal out of pilling your cat. If it doesn't go down after a few minutes leave it alone and try again later. Also, I like it best if they're sound asleep when I get the pill and go to find them. I've gotten pills down cats who otherwise will bite hard by waking them, pilling them and leaving them alone. What I do is I get the pill, go to the cat and as smoothly and quickly as I can I kneel down on the floor and slide them between my knees. If you push your feet together they can't slide out under you. Then, (I'm right handed, reverse if you're left handed) I take my left hand and put it under their chin and tilt their head back against me while at the same time opening their mouths with my thumb and fingers. Now, this is the real trick, get a clear shot at the throat and you can actually drop the pill straight down without it ever touching their tongue. It's best if you can do it on the first try because once it gets sticky from spit it's harder to get it down. If you get it right to their throat you don't have to worry about her drooling or swallowing for that matter. It just goes from your fingers to their tummies. I also think that the less fuss I make over it the better they do so I don't mess with picking them up or wrapping them in towels. The faster the better and the more likely I'll be to get it down them the next time too.

As far as your actual question about whether you should proceed, I don't know an answer to that. I guess it just depends on what you think will be best for your cat. I might try the meds for a while and just see how she did if she were my cat. You might find they don't do enough to be worth the trouble in the long run but at least then you'd know.

I hope I've helped! Hang in there!

the_food_lady · Dec 17, 2009

Originally Posted by DaniMarie

My Sophie has had an anxiety marking problem (and general anger problem) for a long time now and finally we made a decision with the vet to put her on kitty anti-depressants.

She WILL NOT take the pill, no matter what I do. I've listened to all the advice, tried to force her to just swallow the pill everyday and she wouldn't swallow it and would just drool down her face. I put it to the side of her mouth, stick it in and hold her mouth closed while blowing at her nose to make her swallow but she WILL NOT swallow the pill. It turns into a big drooly mess where she looks visibly in pain or something.

So today I crushed up the pill and put it in a little bit of her food (I've tried this in the past and she generally cannot be tricked).

She licked up one little bit and tasted the medicine so ran off drooling and giving that awful look with mucusy drool just running from her mouth to the floor. After she starts drooling she won't eat or drink anything at all. It's sooooo sad.

I'm crying thinking that she'll never trust me again. She was rubbing up against me all excited for her food and I feel like she thinks I poisoned her.

What should I do?!?!! Should I just give up on the medicine?? I can't put her through this every single day.

HELP!!!

You have 2 options!

1. If you have what's called a "compounding pharmacy" around where you live, you can have them compound the pills into a tasty liquidl; one that's flavored with something that cats like eg: chicken flavor, tuna flavor, etc. There's several well reputed compounding pharmacies that you can find online that can do this as well. Do a search on Google: veterinary medication compounding pharmacy.

2. The easiest option is to get some small empty gelatin capsules; health food stores carry them, you can even order them online (like from www.iherb.com), they're very cheap. You'd want a small size. You then open up the gelatin capsule (some are veggie caps....made with veggies but are still clear, no taste for a cat), put the pill into it, then kitty won't taste the nasty-tasting pill. I learned this many years ago when I had an old kitty with kidney failure who was on many meds. I also then just lube up the capsule with a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil....just so it's easier to slide down.............then have a syringe ready, slowly squirt 2-3 cc's of water into her mouth to help ENSURE the pill goes down. All pills should be followed with 3 cc's of water; if a pill doesn't go down and sits in the esophagus (windpipe), it can cause very painful inflammation of the esophagus.

HERE is a great page from a feline CRF site (many owners w/ CRF cats have to give a lot of meds so use gelcaps or AKA gelatin caps).....gives great info on sizes, where to order, etc:
http://www.felinecrf.org/medicating_...at.htm#gelcaps

I kept #3 size (#5 is the smallest) on hand. If the pill is a little too big for it, I just split it in half and shove it in and close capsule.

danimarie · Dec 17, 2009

Originally Posted by howtoholdacat

Because I'm a pet sitter, I get to pill lots of cats and they're all different. I'll tell you what I do and maybe it will work for you too. First, and this may be the very most important part, never make a big deal out of pilling your cat. If it doesn't go down after a few minutes leave it alone and try again later. Also, I like it best if they're sound asleep when I get the pill and go to find them. I've gotten pills down cats who otherwise will bite hard by waking them, pilling them and leaving them alone. What I do is I get the pill, go to the cat and as smoothly and quickly as I can I kneel down on the floor and slide them between my knees. If you push your feet together they can't slide out under you. Then, (I'm right handed, reverse if you're left handed) I take my left hand and put it under their chin and tilt their head back against me while at the same time opening their mouths with my thumb and fingers. Now, this is the real trick, get a clear shot at the throat and you can actually drop the pill straight down without it ever touching their tongue. It's best if you can do it on the first try because once it gets sticky from spit it's harder to get it down. If you get it right to their throat you don't have to worry about her drooling or swallowing for that matter. It just goes from your fingers to their tummies. I also think that the less fuss I make over it the better they do so I don't mess with picking them up or wrapping them in towels. The faster the better and the more likely I'll be to get it down them the next time too.

As far as your actual question about whether you should proceed, I don't know an answer to that. I guess it just depends on what you think will be best for your cat. I might try the meds for a while and just see how she did if she were my cat. You might find they don't do enough to be worth the trouble in the long run but at least then you'd know.

I hope I've helped! Hang in there!

Thank you so much!!!!!! Hearing that you have to do this frequently makes me feel better about it. I do wrap her in a towel because the first time I tried, she cut me up ALLLLLLLLLLL over, I was bleeding through my pants and my socks.

Maybe tomorrow when she's sleepy I'll try getting it straight down the throat.

I have tried pill pockets before when she needed to take medicine after surgery and that was an impossible journey as well.

I feel so terrible right now, my heart is breaking. Now she's off in the other room and didn't eat her dinner. I feel extra bad because I usually feed her at five but figured, if I wait, she'll be extra hungry (VERY picky cat) and definitely eat the food with the crushed up pill.......so she must be so hungry but now doesn't trust me.

I offered her some treats that she loves and she won't go near them.

I really hope she doesn't hold a grudge. I love her so much and she's had so many problems, and my husband has HAD IT with her peeing all over our clothes, bags, bed, carpet, EVERYTHING. So I'm trying so hard to do what's best for us and her.

danimarie · Dec 17, 2009

Originally Posted by the_food_lady

You have 2 options!

2. The easiest option is to get some small empty gelatin capsules; health food stores carry them, you can even order them online (like from www.iherb.com), they're very cheap. You'd want a small size. You then open up the gelatin capsule (some are veggie caps....made with veggies but are still clear, no taste for a cat), put the pill into it, then kitty won't taste the nasty-tasting pill. I learned this many years ago when I had an old kitty with kidney failure who was on many meds. I also then just lube up the capsule with a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil....just so it's easier to slide down.............then have a syringe ready, slowly squirt 2-3 cc's of water into her mouth to help ENSURE the pill goes down. All pills should be followed with 3 cc's of water; if a pill doesn't go down and sits in the esophagus (windpipe), it can cause very painful inflammation of the esophagus.

Oh my god, that's GENIUS!!!!!! Thank you so much! I hope I haven't hurt her esophagus, as she will not drink water and I've been scared to shoot water down her throat because I don't want it to go into her lungs. I didn't even think of getting gelatin capsules.

Edited to add::: I wish I had come on here on day 1 to ask this question. I just didn't think it would be so difficult. I'm on day 4 and have wasted the majority of the pills via her drooling them out...and wasted one in her food.

the_food_lady · Dec 17, 2009

Originally Posted by DaniMarie

Oh my god, that's GENIUS!!!!!! Thank you so much! I hope I haven't hurt her esophagus, as she will not drink water and I've been scared to shoot water down her throat because I don't want it to go into her lungs. I didn't even think of getting gelatin capsules.

It works like a charm!! God, I wish I had known about doing this many, many years ago; I remember I used to have to give my old boy Taco a nasty antibiotic (Flagyl) and he would drool and be miserable and I'm sure I cried, too...knowing he had to have it but not getting it into him.

You might find that a size # 2 is better than a #3. I find the #3 a little small to work with. They're so cheap though, like $10 for a package of 1000 that you might just try buying a bag of each.

If you pill like Jennifer explains, that works so well, too. While you're getting your confidence up at doing it, try doing it in a small room where kitty can't run as far away....like on the floor of a bathroom with door closed. What I started doing years ago was..........i have a huge big dog pillow. That's where I pill my cats. I have bad knees so it's comfy for me AND the cat LOL. I just kneel down, put kitty between thighs, cross my back feet....this way kitty can't wiggle out.......and you can then use your one hand/arm to keep kitty from running forward. Actually, it helps to even do this in front of a wall..........so that pillow is on the floor (or a thick towel) right in front of the wall........then kitty is snug between your thighs and there's the wall in front. Much easier to control the cat.

And giving the water........just give 1cc at a time........you want to avoid squirting with force because then you could risk water going into lungs. I never knew about this for years, either. I read an article by a well respect Vet who spoke of a study where they found that unless you "chased a pill" with water like this, there's a high probability that the pill is undigested in the esophagus and not only can it cause inflammation but it can erode the esophagus.

ACTUALLY, I found the article, here it is!!

http://www.catinfo.org/pillingcats.htm

lovemahkitties · Dec 17, 2009

Yep, lots of us have to pill cats! My cat is on phenobarbital, and requires a pill twice a day. We have it down to a science, and the pilling takes about 3 seconds for us now.

I always sit him on my lap with his back almost to me, with my left hand i go up under his chin and push his back back so the top of his head is against me, with my fingers very slightly pressing on the corners of his mouth. He opens his mouth from the pressure, then I put the pill down his throat with my right hand. i just push it pretty far to the back before i let go of his head, so he can't work it back out. his pills are pretty tiny, but i think this should work with most. trust me, it gets easier. when we started with the pill, it was an ordeal every day.. now, he couldn't care less. it's just part of his day.

oh, i almost forgot, i always associate pill time with food. after his 7:30 am pill, he gets a couple treats. after his 7:30 pm pill, it's dinner (canned food, his favorite). it's like his little reward for taking his pill. good luck, you can do it!

the_food_lady · Dec 17, 2009

These are the #3 size gelcaps I buy, from www.iherb.com

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-3-Gel...sules/889?at=0

Size #2 are sometimes a little harder to find but here's a good site that carries all sizes, including #2:

http://www.capsuline.com/product_inf...products_id=30

pookie-poo · Dec 17, 2009

I have gel caps of all sizes #1 (quite large) #2 (a little smaller) #3 (what I use the most,) and #4 (smallest)

I've given calcitriol, flagyl, Elavil, B complex vitamins, pediatric iron, aluminum hydroxide gel powder, cyproheptadine, and sodium bicarbonate to treat metabolic acidosis via gel caps. They are absolutely MAGIC!

If you want to PM me your address, I would be happy to send you an assortment of sizes, to see which ones would work best for you.

Once you figure out the sizes that work best, I can PM or post links to the best places to purchase the empty gel caps. I usually deal with SpiceDiscounters.com because they are very dependable and have good prices. I once ordered the wrong size, and they re-shipped the correct size to me before they received my wrong size ones back. Very accommodating, pleasant people to deal with.

farleyv · Dec 18, 2009

I have been pilling my scaredy cat for a month now. I find putting a bit of unsalted butter on the pill triggers more swallowing after pilling insuring that the pill makes its way down. Then he starts to wash, and that is even more insurance.

Especially when waking a cat, their mouth will be dry. I think he like it too!

katachtig · Dec 18, 2009

There's some very good advice on technique here. One thing that will help is that before you start pilling her, you take some deep calming breaths and get yourself calm. They pick up on our anxiety extremely well. I know your frustration all too well.

littleraven7726 · Dec 18, 2009

We used the gel capsules when Raven

was on amitriptyline. It was so bitter that when we had it compounded, we had the same issue you did. AND he got suspicious of his wet food (which he needed to eat because of bladder issues). We used butter rather than oil (I always have butter around) and also squirted water down after.

Another important thing. If your kitty can have treats, give them a treat after you pill them.

Nabu gets pilled every other day and he gets a treat after.

Before I started doing that, he would get harder to pill each day. Now it's not such a bad thing when he can have a treat right after.

Pill pockets worked for Nabu for exactly 2/3 of the bag. Then he figured it out. So we went back to pilling. He HATES the ear applied medications.

alleygirl · Dec 18, 2009

You have gotten some great advice and one of these methods should work

Luckily, Riley loves the pill pocket "treats" and takes them like a little trooper.

howtoholdacat · Dec 18, 2009

Maybe tomorrow when she's sleepy I'll try getting it straight down the throat.

Just don't be afraid to walk away if it doesn't go down after a few minutes of trying. It's far better to keep them happy and then try again later. Don't fight her.

I love the gel cap and butter ideas. I'm glad I read those as they were new to me. Poor Hemmy has to get Bendryl from time to time and it makes him drool like he's rabid. Neither of us enjoy it very much though he's really easy to pill and I always get it down I have to wipe drool off my floor for a good 5 minutes, plus he runs so it spreads out. I think I'll get him some gel caps and save us both the unpleasantness! Hemmy sends his thanks to the gel cap posters!

tamgirl99 · Dec 18, 2009

I thought I'd add my two cents in as I use a lot of these ideas with some minor differences. I use Howtoholdacat's method almost exactly, but it varies between my two cats:

My little one is easy as I don't even have to hold her, I just lift her chin, pop open her mouth and drop the pill down the hatch, followed by a pill.

My oldest CRF kitty is the tougher one, but I've learned to do this easily. I get the bag of treats and shake it so she comes running. When she gets close, I step behind her (still holding the bag to keep her distracted) and squat down in the position Howtoholdacat mentioned, between the knees with my feet together so she can't back out. I have to get her pill in VERY quickly or she gets too aggravated. So, I started out using a pill popper. I used these a lot when I worked for a vet/boarding clinic to medicated dogs. Turns out it works extremely well for cats also. You can buy them at Petsmart and most pet stores but I have only seen them in the dog section. Just get the smallest you can. You're vet may even have these for you as well. You just put the pill in the end and it sort of acts like a long syringe. You quickly and gently slip this to the back of their throat, push syringe at the opposite end and the pill pops out and down the hatch. Easy peasy.

Now that I've done this for so long, I no longer need a pill popper. I've learned to use my finger to push the pill quickly down my cat's throat so that she never tastes it nor can gag it back up. I ALWAYS follow pills with treats as well because not only does it ensure that they get it down, it also puts them at ease from the whole process.

Good luck with your kitty!

fifi1puss · Dec 18, 2009

Just adding a note: If you need a compounding pharmacy there is one in Beverly, MA. Not sure if that is anywhere near you. But wanted to let you know just in case. It is on Cabot St.

bunnelina · Dec 18, 2009

There's a compounding pharmacy, Animal Pharm, in Scituate, Mass. too.

Here are two things that worked for me and my non-pillable calico namesake (the late, beloved Bunnelina):

1. Injections. If the medicine can be formulated to be administered subcutaneously (under the skin), you'll be home free. Injecting into the skin is painless, takes 2 seconds, and you can do it while your cat is eating or napping. It's about as tricky as injecting a sweatshirt, especially if your cat is older or has looser skin. My wily, pill-rejecting girl barely noticed when we did this. (Vet referred to this technique as a "drive-by shooting.")

2. My canape technique. I roll the pill in a little blob of Laughing Cow cheese. To get it to come off my fingers, I might wrap a bit of turkey lunch meat (all-natural, nitrate-free) around that, but the turkey is optional. The sticky cheese makes it almost impossible to spit out.

If you are uncomfortable giving her this medication because of what they contain (rather than your technique), I'd suggest trying holistic or homeopathic remedies before you go further. Trust your instincts. I'm not sure where you are in Massachusetts, but there are holistic vets on the distant outskirts of Boston, about 40 minutes to an hour in several directions. If you are in Boston, you're stuck, but around 128, you might find one. There are also online homeopathic remedies from sites such as this one: http://www.spiritessence.com/

I've never tried them, but people I respect on this site have had results. And these remedies should do no harm.....

Good luck!

I'm absolutely in tears right now! Advice please!!!!

TCS Member

Thread starter

Moderator

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Moderator

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member