Cat with struvite crystals refusing RX food and meds

articdoll

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As i posted last week my cat has struvite crystals, the vet told me he was so easy to pill ( MY EYE ) its like pulling teeth!!!! Today he threw up 5 mins after pilling him ( we didnt see a pill in the vomit, hubby says maybe it was dissolved already and he threw up the liquid of it ) 

Now he is refusing the Hills SD dry cat food the vet insists he eat, i had to mix a little in his normal food yesterday JUTS to get him to take a few bits.... UGH.... So if pilling him wasnt bad enough now he wont eat the rx food, what do I do !!!!

Thanks
 
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articdoll

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OH the vet said i can bring him in daily and they will pill him.. cause clearly THAT'S convenient for 2 weeks, 10 mins to get in carrier, 20 min drive each way, followed by my other cats hissing at him when he returns.....  
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Does he usually eat kibble or canned?  If not kibble, then maybe try the canned S/D?  If kibble is his preference, there are OTHER foods for struvite crystals.  Royal Canin has a prescription food, as does Iams, Purina and Wysong has one that is probably not even prescription. 

As far as pilling him, I know exactly the trouble you are having.  We have a 4.5 pound cat we absolutely cannot pill
.  We finally ended up hiring  Vet Tech who lives very close by to come over to pill her for us when it's absolutely necessary.  I found her by calling around to all the local Veterinary Clinics and just asking if anyone wanted to earn some money by pilling our cat!   Turned out someone did, and since she lives less than 1/2 mile away, it worked out great since she could stop by on her way to/from work.  Now we utilize her for lots of things, even vacation times and cat sitting.
 

Columbine

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Sometimes unpillable cats take liquid meds via syringe much more readily than pills. Strange but true. My Cali wouldn't take pills for anyone, but tolerated liquid meds into his mouth quite reasonably (by comparison anyway). Might be worth trying?

Second the idea to try a different rx food. There's a reasonable choice out there, so you may well find one he likes.

I hope he's better soon :vibes:
 
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articdoll

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Update : my brother in law gave me a medical syringe plunger ( sorta wide ) I wasnt sure if i could crush the baytril, but after researching that its a tasty tab ( chew-able) its only common sense if it can be chewed, it can be crushed... I used liquid from wet food... just enough to dissolve pill in , scruffed him put tip of plunger in side of mouth and squeezed... he didnt shake it everywhere or spit it out ! I then put down his wet food and he ate. I think we have a winner. as for the food he prefers either, just not this RX food  !   LOL I have still been adding some of his old dry to the new RX dry.. its about a 80%rx, 20% regular mix and he eats it just fine! and he gets RX wet for dinner. afet crystals are gone, I will be weaning then off dry completely.... as everything i read says cats have no business eating dry kibble! 

His behavior seems back to normal, he is playful, he isnt visiting the litter box 20 times an hour, although when he does go, the amount is still kinda smaller then his normal, but at least it isnt jellybean droplets anymore, and he isnt peeing in the cat bed anymore, nor have i seen anymore blood in the urine in 3 days! 

Thank you everyone, i will keep you posted !
 

Columbine

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:clap: Great news! Well done to your BIL for getting the syringe, and well done you for getting the meds in. :woo:

Fantastic that he's eating the rx food too. This couldn't have been a better update. :banana2:

Do bear in mind that it's a good idea to continue with rx food for some time after the crystals seem to be gone - just to guard against a recurrence. My crystals boy did very well on a mix of normal wet and rx kibble (he hated all rx foods except the RC kibble). He blocked completely as a 3 year old, but has been fine ever since - he's 13 now. Definitely something to bear in mind. Do take your vet's advice on when it's safe to look at reducing the rx food though - it would be awful to rush it and end up back at square one.

For now, keep doing what you're doing :clap: :D
 

nansiludie

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I like to add in with all the other advices,  that it may be best if you kept him on the rx canned food, especially since he likes canned food. It helps keep the bladder flushed with plenty of water and also naturally acidic since its real meat in the canned food versus the higher carb, dry kitty kibbles. I'm leaving the link to Dr. Piersons blog which she wrote specifically for urinary-tract issue prone kitties.  http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Great update!  Kudos to your brother in law
 
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