Aminophylline

[tom w]

Hi, I have a cat I am supost to give this stuff to but he won't swallow pills. I just tried mashing it into powder and mixed it with a little tuna but as soon as he tasted the med he wouldn't eat the tuna. He likes milk so would it be ok to mix it in a little milk or is milk bad for a cat with breathing problems? I have heard that milk is bad for people with breathing problems because it increases the junk in the lungs. He don't like cat treats, at least any of the ones I have tried so far. I can get liquid meds into him with a dropper but no way we can get pills into him. The more we try the more he pulls away from us and hides under things so we can't get to him with the pills. I don't want him to be affraid that every time I pick him up he thinks I am going to do something he don't like.

 

[emb_78]

Milk is bad for cats in gerenal! I would sugest pill pockets! They are made by Butler and you can get them at a pet store. They are tasty treats will a hole for the pill.

 

[nebula11]

Rather then regular milk which will give your kit diarreah that will smell something awful...you can try Cat Milk....there are several brands and you can find them at any pet store or at any pet aisle of the grocery store.....

Not only can cats stomach cat milk but its chalked full of taurine which is great for your kits heart

Also you may try crushing the pill and mixing it with water then administering it orally with a syringe...

Good luck....Emmet was a pain in the behind when he had to get meds

 

[pat]

Please do not crush and liquefy this medication without asking your vet - some medications are coated and need to be time released. I did a quick search and found the info on use of this medication for humans, it is not to be chewed or crushed - designed to be a long acting tablet.

I think the pill pockets suggestion is a great idea. You could also consider using a pill gun - especially if you can find my favorite design in these - one with a soft blue rubber tip.

 

[nebula11]

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Please do not crush and liquefy this medication without asking your vet - some medications are coated and need to be time released. I did a quick search and found the info on use of this medication for humans, it is not to be chewed or crushed - designed to be a long acting tablet.

I think the pill pockets suggestion is a great idea. You could also consider using a pill gun - especially if you can find my favorite design in these - one with a soft blue rubber tip.

Sorry didnt know the specs of this specific meds...i just assumed because she already spoke of crushing them....
Sorry....just ignore my previous post then...oops

 

[tom w]

The vet didn't seem to worried about crushing it. Unless I misunderstood what she told me, with my memory problems I have trouble remembering all the stuff I am told alot. The pills she gave me are already broke into 4 pieces to get the dose right, unless that don't affect the time release thing. They are just a little white pill. I am sure if we got rough enough we could get the pills in him but like I said I don't want him to think that every time I want to pet him or pick him up something bad is going to happen. If it was someone elses cat I could be a little more forcefull because I wouldn't have to be with him everyday if that makes sence to you all. I will look into these pill pockets but I don't know if he will eat them either. I had some treats here the other cats love but he wouldn't eat them. He acts like his sence of smell is bad sometimes, Yvonne got some cat nip for the other cats, we put it in a couple of those cardboard scratch pad things and the other cats go nuts over it, but Missy, our old cat and the stray couldn't care less about the cat nip.

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by Nebula11

Sorry didnt know the specs of this specific meds...i just assumed because she already spoke of crushing them....
Sorry....just ignore my previous post then...oops

Don't apologize...you were problem solving, and I am just not sure...which is why I thought double checking with the vet would be the easiest solution first <G>.

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by Tom W

The vet didn't seem to worried about crushing it. Unless I misunderstood what she told me, with my memory problems I have trouble remembering all the stuff I am told alot. The pills she gave me are already broke into 4 pieces to get the dose right, unless that don't affect the time release thing. They are just a little white pill. I am sure if we got rough enough we could get the pills in him but like I said I don't want him to think that every time I want to pet him or pick him up something bad is going to happen. If it was someone elses cat I could be a little more forcefull because I wouldn't have to be with him everyday if that makes sence to you all. I will look into these pill pockets but I don't know if he will eat them either. I had some treats here the other cats love but he wouldn't eat them. He acts like his sence of smell is bad sometimes, Yvonne got some cat nip for the other cats, we put it in a couple of those cardboard scratch pad things and the other cats go nuts over it, but Missy, our old cat and the stray couldn't care less about the cat nip.

It can be hard when you get into a situation of needing to medicate on a regular basis. I do my best with my couple on daily meds to make it as fast and comfortable as possible, and a LOTTA kisses are involved afterwards!!

My one girl with asthma went through several meds, ultimately what she's on now, she gets every other day. She hates it...gives me the big eyed "how could you?" look, but forgives me quickly

I must say if they are already broken into doses, then my only true concern is if it's really bitter which crushing would emphasize.

 

[cloud_shade]

You might try getting some empty gel capsules. If you put the pill in that, and wet the capsule a little, it goes down a lot easier since the capsule masks the bitterness of the pill. Follow-up with a treat or some love for your kitty, and you can make it a regular routine. Spot knows that after his pill he gets fed (with CatSip on his food), so he doesn't fight me most of the time.

 

[jeanw]

You also might ask your vet if it's available in a different form - liquid or transdermal.

 

[menagerie mama]

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

You might try getting some empty gel capsules. If you put the pill in that, and wet the capsule a little, it goes down a lot easier since the capsule masks the bitterness of the pill. Follow-up with a treat or some love for your kitty, and you can make it a regular routine. Spot knows that after his pill he gets fed (with CatSip on his food), so he doesn't fight me most of the time.

I've used those empty capsules too, and they work well. Pill pockets worked on my cat a few times, he loved them at first. Then he bit into one instead of just swallowing it, and the bitter pill came out and he hasn't touched them since!

 

[shrimplover]

sometimes. Aminophylline very bitter...and most cats and people don't like it.

If you have a medication that is bad tasting (cephalexin is another)...

I found that giving some tuna in canola oil as a treat... conditions the cat to it, and then you use it this way for medicating. Most cats will accept tuna in canola (we call it human tuna)
give a tiny bit of the treat with alot of the oil, then mix some of the tuna/oil with the powder of a med (if crushing okay) and give again, then follow with a pure chaser.. use small amounts so the cat is eager.. We got a very aggressive cat to accept cephalexin this way..it was easy.

The oil will coat the tongue temporarily and allow to hide the bad taste.
This works for kids too.. using ice cream. (or anything fatty)

Our youngest cat had to have clavamox (a very bad tasting thing) and prednisone when she had her tail encounter with the mystery wild animal 3 yrs ago. She happens to get whipped cream as a treat... so I crushed the pills and mixed with some whipped cream and put it in the middle of her plate with real whipped cream all around it.. and a little on top... she snarfted the whole mess up every time. She is very active and hard to "pill". Our oldest, I do pill by hand.

I also have a friend who uses cream cheese for this. She taught the cat to have this (and luckily the cat likes it) as a treat. So she puts the med into a little ball of cream cheese!
Most meds for cats can be taken with food..so that is not an issue.
Can't use dairy with some antibiotics, so check with your vet on details.

 

[tom w]

He has been doing great the last couple days so maybe I won't have to fight with him to get the aminophylline in him. We never got any into him so it should be OK to give up on the stuff, Unless he goes downhill again then I supose we will have to do something. He was tearing around and jumping around like a little 3 month old kitten this morning and wrestling around with the big guy [panther] and rusty also. Our big guy is probably about 18 lbs now, not fat just a big cat. He is probably twice the weight of the stray cat. He and panther are best buds now, they sleep all rolled up into a big ball alot and they groom each other all the time. I really hope he is over the hill now with all his problems and can be a normal happy kitty. I have been pretty much layed up the last couple days because of my back hurting real bad, the stray kitty must know I am hurting because he has been laying by me in bed alot more than he normaly does. I have some pictures of our zoo, I will have to post them one of these days real soon. Like I have said many times, this board is great and thanks for all the advice with the sick cat. I have cats forever but never really had to deal with a real sick one before and not knowing any history on him has made it that much worse, we don't even know how old he is, vet looked at his teeth and thinks about 3 years old. We live in the same town as the campground I found him in and have checked around and nobody has been looking for a lost cat like him. I am almost sure he was a house cat before so I don't know if he took off and got lost or if someone just dumped him off. He don't seem to have any intrest in going outside since he has been here. Sorry if any of you are tired of reading about all my problems with the stray cat.

 

[emb_78]

That's great Tom!!!

We don't get sick of people!!! That's why we are here!!!

 

[hissy]

Just for next time, spray cheese or cream cheese works great.