Tapazole for Thyroid

I am wondering if anyone has a cat that is taking Tapazole and if there are any side effects to be expected. Also am I paying too much for this drug ?? I paid $12.60 for only 9 pills I was shocked at the price and I was just curious if it is really that expensive ?? My cat is 16 and I am willing to pay any amount to make her better but I do not want her to suffer from horrible side effects. Anybody with a cat on Tapazole ??? Thanks and I will be awaitng your answers.

Judy, I can find out how much it costs wholesale on Monday. For now, you can go look here and see what thier going rate is. http://store.yahoo.com/healthypetscom/index.html

Also, there are lots of pro's and cons about the medication. Most of the feedback is positive. The best site that I have found lot's of comments on this and other things is..

http://www.vetinfo.com/catindex.html


I hope this helps a little

I have read some of the pros and cons which has just made me more confused. I guess every cat reacts differently. I will check out the vet site you gave me. As far as the cost I will have to wait because Doc is not totally sure if Cookie will stay on Tapazole. She wants to recheck her thyroid in 10 days. I will, for sure ,want to buy them wholesale if she has to be on them for life. I look forward to Monday if you would be so kind to find out for me Thanks a bunch !!

Judy!!!!

My approx. 12 year old cat that I just adopted from a shelter 3 months ago had an elevated thyroid level of 74. Then it went up to 86. Our Doc put her on Tapazole, 2.5 mg. twice a day. She was fine the first few days, then got a bit lethargic for about 2 days. I called the Vet, and he said that was normal, her levels were crashing, and that she should normalize in the next few days. If she did not, he said bring her in for a blood test.

Well.....She did become more alert. She seemed fine after those few days. Then we had her first blood test after 3 weeks of being on the Tapazole. Her level was down to 55. The Vet told me to increase the dosage by another 2.5 a day. He wants her levels down to 40 or below.

SOOO.....I increased the dosage, and like last time, a week later she was lethargic. This has lasted about 3 days. Right now she seems to be coming out of it, and we go back for another blood test in 2 weeks.

She has gained a half a pound which the doc said was good. We are watching her closely to see any patterns that arise in her behavior.

I don't know how long a cat can stay on the meds....we anticipate that in the future we will have to do a proceedure to cure her thyroid, either surgery or radioactive iodine, which I have heard do wonders.

But for now, just keep an eye out for any unusual behavior and call your Vet if you are concerned.

You also have to watch through blood tests for any funky stuff happening with the liver. If this happens, I understand the damage is reversable with the stopping of the meds. In which case another means of controling the thyroid is to be discussed.

I hope this has helped.
Good luck with your kitty.

Thank you for the information and I will now keep an eye out for any unusual behavior. So far so good. She is only taking one quarter of a pill twice a day and even that is hard getting down her. I have tried hiding it in a soft cat treat but Cookie chews her treats completly unlike my Buzzy who just about swallows his treats whole. I hate to force it down her as I am still forcing her to take her antibiotic daily and she gets so at me. Any hints on how to get this tiny Tapazole into my Cookie without a lot of stress?? Also do you ask the vet for the blood test results because I have no idea what Cookies numbers are. I am so glad your kitty is doing better and she is lucky to have you as her new owner. So sad that most people want kittens and overlook the adoptable older cats that are available.

Judy, the eternal question. How to get a pill down a cat's throat. OY!!

When we first got Dani, we had to put her on an antibiotic (Orbax) for one month for a staph infection. She FOUGHT us like mad! Hubby had to literally sit on her, while I ultimately got that dang pill down her...but she hated it!

Now I am very, very lucky. The tapazole is so tiny that although I know she does not like me giving it to her, I can manage alone. What I do is give her a few treats first. Then I gently hold her around the back of the base of the head. Then I take the pill and gently push it against the side of her mouth, and she eventually opens it. Then I quickly shove the pill into her mouth as fast and far as I can. Then I close her mouth, and rub her throat gently downward, to get her to swallow one or two times, and when I am satisfied that she can't spit it back up, I give her more treats.

Now this to me is a miracle!!! I did try originally putting the pill in food, even when I hid it, she must have smelled it, cause she would eat all around it, or not at all. Then I tried crushing it and smearing it on her face (cause I knew she would lick it off), but she ran from me...... Then I had a compounding pharmacy make me salmon flavored tapazole chewies...hoping she would like it as a treat. She had NO interest. AARGGGGGGGG

My only option was to give her the pill straight. So far so good. For some miraculous reason, she lets me do it.

Every cat is different. I would advise experimenting with every way you can think of, and I wish you luck with this. I know how difficult it is to give a cat a pill.

OOHHH by the way, they also make liquid forms of the meds, in various flavors. You use a dropper and just squirt it into the cat's mouth. Guess what. She HATED that. I guess the taste was icky. But some people do have success with that.

As for her thyroid levels, the Vet told me what they were, but I would have asked anyway, just so I could keep track of how well the pills were working, and not to just take the Vet's word for it.

Hope this helps.

Judy, I did not have a chance today to look the meds up. We had appts all day and then I had to leave at 2 to take my own baby to the vet. I promise I will look it up tomorrow while all is quiet.

I am in no great hurry Sandie so take your time. I will not need the pills for at least 10 more days after the new blood work is done. Hope your baby is allright and just went in for a check-up

Oh no, he's okay...He seems to have an allergy to something and so I took him to get a steriod injection. If he starts getting red in about 3 to 4 weeks, I am going to start the tests to find out what he's allergic to. First they will do a blood test to find out if there's any enviromental allergies and if not, we will go to food trials. LOL, he's probably allergic to the dog

Yes I know the drawbacks of liquid meds and how horrible they must taste. Cookie went through 2 bottles of liquid(for the same urinary infection) until I switched vets and finally got her on Baytril. The Clindadrops were simply horrible to give her and half seemed to droll out of her mouth as she ran frantic around the house. It is not any easier with a liquid and believe me with 4 cats we have had our share of cat prescriptions! Cookie now RUNS under the computer desk when she see me sitting on the floor. I give her the pill by getting down on the floor and laying her on my lap,opening her mouth and dropping the (NOT TO TINY) Baytril down her throat. OH she gets sooooooooo mad !!
Like I said before I just hate to force another pill down her throat but I guess I have no choice. Doc said the Baytril was liver flavored so the first time I crushed it up ,added a little water, and put it in her mouth. Oh my god she started FOAMING out her mouth franticly running around with this foaming drool flying everywhere. What a mess as there was foam everywhere. Now when I think back it was really quite funny but at the time I was scared out of my wits. It wasn't until she finally calmed down that I had a good laugh at myself for such a dumb and messy idea I was wiping up her mess for hours !!! Maybe if I wait till she gets really hungry and slip the pill in her food she will eat it and not notice. Ha,cats are much smarter than we think I just feel so terrible forcing another pill down her throat. I am a BIG wimp when it comes to my cats!!!

You can get your pharmacist to put the medication into a gell suspension. You then rub a small amount of the gell into the cat's outer ear. If you do this while you are petting the cat, he'll never know he is getting medications!

Everyone who has tried this gell has sworn by it! They will never return to pills or liquids! (you do have to wear a finger covering so that your skin doesn't absorb the medication.)

Originally posted by Judy831
Like I said before I just hate to force another pill down her throat but I guess I have no choice.......... laugh at myself for such a dumb and messy idea

..........Ha,cats are much smarter than we think

I just feel so terrible forcing another pill down her throat. I am a BIG wimp when it comes to my cats!!! [/b]

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Judy, I know how you feel. When we were forcing our cat's pill down her throat, we felt so terrible, it broke our hearts that we had to scare her that much. But we knew we HAD to do it. Tough love. Our cat actually cried the first few times we had to put drops in her ears, because they were ulcerated and she was in terrible pain. That first time was one of the worst moments of my life. But....we stayed the course and she is now healthy. It hurts to make your baby so unhappy.....believe me, I know. But in the end when they are healthy, it is all worth it.

And about your idea of mixing the pill with water and it foaming.... that was NOT a dumb idea like you said. You need to try every possible way, and you never know what works. I have had the thought of doing that also, but fortunately, I managed other ways.

I hope your putting the pill in her food works.

By the way everyone.....sorry I am not at the forum much lately, my father-in-law is back in the hospital, and everything is a mess.....Sigh...... There is also some family conflict to confuse everything. I will check in when I can... I will catch up. I check in about once a day now.

Judy, good luck, and if you have any other questions, ask away....

Val,Have you heard of the gell that lotsocats has mentioned?? Man that would be the BEST way to get meds into a cat. Yes I know forcing the pill down her throat is for her own good and I have not stopped doing it with the antibiotic and luckily today she ate the thyroid pill that I put in her food bowl. Hopefully I can get her to ALWAYS take it in her food. Only time will tell as she changes her attitude on a daily basis. I sure know what you are going through with a family member in the hospital. My Mom was in for 5 weeks for bypass and other complications and the stress on the whole family was amazing. I am the only daughter and my dad wanted me with him 24/7.So I totally neglected MY family, and myself. I felt like a wishbone being pulled in two different directions. So remember do not forget to take care of yourself in times of trouble.

Judy,

I have heard of the gell, but have not tried it. My cat HATES it when anyone touches her ears ::rolling eyes::

But, I have heard that it is a great way to administer the meds for some people, so by all means, keep it in mind and try it.

Thank you for the advice about a family member in the hospital. My husband feels like a wishbone torn. It is very stressful. I am trying to keep him centered, to understand that he cannot give his life to this. (his mother cannot take care of his father), so hubby feels like he and his brother must do everything for him in terms of keeping on top of the doctors, and figuring out his long term care, and other stuff. Very, Very stressful....Thank you for your kind words Judy, and I hope your mother is doing well...

You sound like such a nice person, I am happy to meet you.

Judy, okay I called our vendor today and it's pretty much the same price as the web site I gave you. When we buy it, it breaks down to about 47 cents a pill, but when you add the shipping it goes over to about 49 cents a pill. The website offers it for 50 cents a pill. If she needs to stay on it, then I would try and just get a prescription from the vet and get it through the website. The markup at most vets is just sickening!! I wonder how many people know that if you break down the rabies vaccines, they are close to about 55 cents!!
Just hang in there and you will be fine (so will she). I really don't know of many cats who like to be medicated. Come to think of it, most cats don't like the idea of being told or made to do anything..LOL. I still have a few scars on my fingers from a few years ago. If you can manage to hang onto it, if you put a little veggie oil on it before you pop it in there, it usually goes down pretty easy

Well I thank you for the compliment and I am also glad to meet you and I feel like I have made some wonderful connections via the different web sites including this one. Funny but when you "Talk" with someone on the computer you can really get to know them. Ha,I guess that is the reason for so many internet related divorces. Not my "BAG" as I only talk with females and I never go into any chat rooms. I have been married for 32 years and not interested in talking with other men. I have only had this computer for 7 months and so far I only go to the medical sites,both human and animal. I find it all so amazing and informative. So I might give the ear med a try as my Cookie LOVES it when I rub her ears. Sometimes she sits on my lap and I just play around with her ears,like folding them down or lifting them on top of her head and making her look so funny I laugh ! She just lays there taking it all in. I have even put little hats on her head and she leaves them there. She is such a sweet ,gentle cat and she totally amazes anyone that comes over to our house. People can't believe how friendly she is, almost like a dog , because if anyone starts to pet her she will not leave them alone. She is truly an My Mom is doing wonderful now,thanks for asking. Hope everything turns out O.K. with your family. Your husband is so lucky to have you by his side for the support that he needs right now. That is what a loving marriage is all about.

Sandie, I just got out the calcuator and I paid $1.80 A PILL !!! Talk about a huge markup and a big Vet ripoff I was wrong in telling you I received 9 pills,as it was only 7 for $12.60. Is that unbelievable or what?? Do you really think a vet will forgo their profit and let me get the Tapazole from another source?? I was recently told that my new vet was very good but also VERY expensive. I happened to start a conversation with a gal that runs the adoption program for cats at our local Petsmart. She said compared to all the other vets around mine charged the most for her services. I am willing to pay for her "hands on" experience but to charge me over 3 times the price for one Tapazole pill is not something I will do willingly I will see how Cookies blood work turns out on the 27th of December and THANK you for finding out the price of Tapazole and putting me in a state of SHOCK And also for saving me tons of cash

Judy,

I get my Tapazole as generic, (Methimazole 5mg) from my local drug store, Walgreens. It is cheaper than the brand. For 21 pills, I pay $14.09. That comes out to 67 cents a pill. (hubby did the math for me)

I am glad your cat likes her ears rubbed. You are very lucky :LOL:

How do you get it from Walgreens? Can you use a vet prescription at a human drug store?? I would of never guessed that it could be done. Goes to show you how much I know Thanks for the idea and I may just do it that way. Hey ,is your cats name on the bottle??? Just wondering how funny that would be as they announce on the P.A. in Walgreens........ Prescription ready for Fluffy Smith !!!!

Originally posted by Judy831

How do you get it from Walgreens? Can you use a vet prescription at a human drug store?? ......Hey ,is your cats name on the bottle??? Just wondering how funny that would be as they announce on the P.A. in Walgreens........ Prescription ready for Fluffy Smith !!!!

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:LOL: :LOL: Yes, Judy, they use the cats name and your last name :LOL: I laughed when I first learned that!! I still think it is funny!

Tapazole is a human drug. Most drugs as I understand it, for animals, are human drugs. (I may be wrong) My Vet gave me a regular prescription, and I took it to the drug store. Prescriptions for pets in drug stores is very common, as I have learned.

I hope Fluffy Smith is doing well on his meds! :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: