Administering Pills Help!

[halfpint]

They do have pillar's, I always take a syringe small one cut the part off that the needle goes in put the pill in the end pull back the plunger and sick it into the side of there mouth and plunge it

and rub there throat after so to make sure they swollow it. To me it's easy that way.

 

[momofmany]

Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

Yep that is what the vet gave us. Jenny & Jean that is what I used to do but she has outsmarted me.

Anyone know where on the jaw to press to get the mouth to open?

I've used a pill gun for years with a lot of success, but for those squirmy cats, I have to do the following:

Get on the floor on your knees with your ankles crossed behind you (under your butt). Put the cat between your thighs with the cat's head facing away from you. (If the cat tries to squirm away, they can't go sideways cause of your thighs, and can't go backwards because of your crossed ankles. Your hands prevent them from squirming forward. Don't squeeze the cat between your thighs or it will agitate them.) Have the pill gun loaded and ready to go in your right hand, with that hand placed flat on their chest to hold them in place.

With your left hand (if you are right handed), place your hand over the top of the cats head with your thumb on one side of their upper jaw and your index finger on the other side of the upper jaw - the location is approximately halfway up the opening of their mouth. Gently pull open, insert the pill gun on a slight angle from the right front side of the mouth so that the pill is resting near the back of the tongue and plunge. Drop the pill gun, gently close the lower jaw with your right hand and raise the cats head so that is facing up. Stroke from his chin down his throat until they swallow.

If you don't have a pill gun, then you simply place the pill on the back of their tongue using your fingers. I personally find the pill gun much easier. My vet gave me 2 of them years ago and I actually panicked when we moved and I couldn't find it for a while. Mine have a rubber tip that is split down the middle and pills fit in there very easily.

I have cats that are semi-feral, and this pretty much works every time for me.

 

[crazyforinfo]

Originally Posted by Momofmany

I've used a pill gun for years with a lot of success, but for those squirmy cats, I have to do the following:

Get on the floor on your knees with your ankles crossed behind you (under your butt). Put the cat between your thighs with the cat's head facing away from you. (If the cat tries to squirm away, they can't go sideways cause of your thighs, and can't go backwards because of your crossed ankles. Your hands prevent them from squirming forward. Don't squeeze the cat between your thighs or it will agitate them.) Have the pill gun loaded and ready to go in your right hand, with that hand placed flat on their chest to hold them in place.

With your left hand (if you are right handed), place your hand over the top of the cats head with your thumb on one side of their upper jaw and your index finger on the other side of the upper jaw - the location is approximately halfway up the opening of their mouth. Gently pull open, insert the pill gun on a slight angle from the right front side of the mouth so that the pill is resting near the back of the tongue and plunge. Drop the pill gun, gently close the lower jaw with your right hand and raise the cats head so that is facing up. Stroke from his chin down his throat until they swallow.

If you don't have a pill gun, then you simply place the pill on the back of their tongue using your fingers. I personally find the pill gun much easier. My vet gave me 2 of them years ago and I actually panicked when we moved and I couldn't find it for a while. Mine have a rubber tip that is split down the middle and pills fit in there very easily.

I have cats that are semi-feral, and this pretty much works every time for me.

Excellent instructions! Thanks so much. I will try shortly.

 

[shambelle]

I think I posted about the pill gun on another thread, but I will agree that at least for my cat, it's an excellent option.

For my other cat who doesn't do pills, we have her medication compounded into fish flavored liquid, and that works great as well.

We're actually about to try liquid prednisone for Teddy - but for now, we just crush the pills into his food, or if he doesn't want to eat, we pill gun him. Of course, the crushing doesn't work with those bitter medications!

 

[crazyforinfo]

Thank You Momofmany! It worked!!!! YAY!

 

[momofmany]

Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

Thank You Momofmany! It worked!!!! YAY!

You are welcome!!

The same position can be used for liquid meds also.