Urgent..cat who has epilepsy won't take medicine!

[shurples]

Hey
Due to Pandora's size, there's no pill form of any medication. Keppra has to be given every 8 hours orally so I still run into the 'I work all day almost 2 hours away' and can't give it to her. So even if they changed the compound, no one is here to give it to her or I'd be all over it.

Keppra is safer, immediately effective and inexpensive.

I love your suggestions. I wish it could be the medicine for us.

I expected a seizure. I'm sad she had one but thankfully it was like her old ones. 20 seconds and she recovered quickly. I had Keppra on hand so while she was awake afterwards, she was needy so I could even pick her up! I gave her the dose easily. This will keep her from having another in 7 hours. My vet prefers I give her a dose in the am before work but that won't be possible.

She gets the pheno meatballs tomorrow night. I hope she eats it. I'm out of options.

 

[margd]

Do you think the phenobarbital helped keep the seizure down to 20 seconds? That's some progress at any rate.

I'm glad you got the kepra into her.  I hope you can get some rest tonight, knowing she's protected.

that the meatballs work. 

 

[Caspers Human]

...I had Keppra on hand so while she was awake afterwards, she was needy so I could even pick her up! I gave her the dose easily....

Hmmm...  The gears are turning...

If she has a seizure and it's easy to give her the medicine, that could be something we can use.

I believe that cats understand that their humans are trying to help them.  If she takes her medicine, no matter how icky it is, and that makes her feel better, I feel certain that the cat can make the association.

So, my question is how can we help the cat make the association with "Medicine = Better"?

You said she gets needy right after a seizure.  How can you take advantage of that needy feeling to apply some Operant Conditioning to the situation?

Don't know for sure.  Only thinking aloud, here.

What do you think?

 

[sweetdz99]

The keppa flavor definitely is a hindrance. My 20 yr old feeble blind girl becomes the hulk when its medicine time. Does Pandora like sour cream? I used to trick my kitty with non medicated sour cream then the mixed one. But this was a bitter pill. Maybe you could mix the keppra in something over night? Like broth or sour cream. I'm not sure what that would do to it's effectiveness tho. My kitty gets the meds every 12 hours. It is working for now.

 

[shurples]

 
Hmmm...  The gears are turning...

If she has a seizure and it's easy to give her the medicine, that could be something we can use.

I believe that cats understand that their humans are trying to help them.  If she takes her medicine, no matter how icky it is, and that makes her feel better, I feel certain that the cat can make the association.

So, my question is how can we help the cat make the association with "Medicine = Better"?

You said she gets needy right after a seizure.  How can you take advantage of that needy feeling to apply some Operant Conditioning to the situation?

Don't know for sure.  Only thinking aloud, here.

What do you think?

hmmmm

Well I did fight with her a bit to give her the medicine but she was weak from the seizure so I could actually hold  her scruff better than usual.  She growled and whined "no no no no no" as I gave her the syringe lol

I have to think about it- but I travel for work so my husband has to be able to do it too and he's way too nice about it. I'm like " you have to SCRUFF her. Don't be a pansy about it."  Nope he won't do it.  So when he works late 2 days per week, how can I expect an outside person to do it for us?

The "meatballs" are our best bet right now- anyone can give it to her. As long as she eats it.  We'll see tonight.

She did not have a seizure during the night or this morning. The Keppra is great. I had no problem applying the transdermal this morning either - I'm still using it until she's transitioned to the "ball."  Last night hubby told me he had a hard time putting the cream on the inner part of her ear- he said it took him a while and he didn't get to rub it in. I wonder if that's why she had a seizure. 

 

[Caspers Human]

I have to think about it- but I travel for work so my husband has to be able to do it too and he's way too nice about it. I'm like " you have to SCRUFF her. Don't be a pansy about it."  Nope he won't do it.

Humor... Tell him to quit acting like such a girl!

You just put on a heavy coat and a pair of work gloves. You grab the cat in a wrestling hold and you shove the medicine down the cat's gullet.
He's a big, strong man. He should be able to do this.
Isn't this one of those "husband jobs," anyway? You know... Taking out the garbage. Unclogging the toilet. Killing spiders. Giving medicine to the cat????

Tell him to step up to the bar or else he should turn in his Man Card!

Okay... I'm done joking...

Giving medicine to an obstinate cat is hard enough, let alone three times per day. You just have to joke around like that in order to let off some steam.
It's a dirty job but it has to be done.

I really hope those meatballs work.

Praying for you!

 

[shurples]

Lmao!!!!!!!

Here's her meatballs. Wish me luck in a half hour

20160311_182741.jpg

• shurples
• Mar 11, 2016

 

[shurples]

Who wants the good news?

Who wants the FANTABULOUS news?

Gather round and twirl

THE MEDICINE MEATBALL WORKED!!!!!

 

[sweetdz99]

Wonderful!!!!!!

 

[margd]

Hurray!!!!!  Happy Dance!!!!

 

[shurples]

Pandora just had a seizure but she was on a comfy futon and no pee. So she didn't fall or bang into anything. This doesn't upset me so much. Especially since we knew she'd have seizures for a while until the pheno stabilizes.

It must have been small or she was downstairs a while because I'm not able to give her Keppra. If she has another I'll give her the other med as the vet said to

 

[zed xyzed]

Pandora just had a seizure but she was on a comfy futon and no pee. So she didn't fall or bang into anything. This doesn't upset me so much. Especially since we knew she'd have seizures for a while until the pheno stabilizes.

It must have been small or she was downstairs a while because I'm not able to give her Keppra. If she has another I'll give her the other med as the vet said to

poor girl i hope the meatballs help

 

[margd]

Pandora just had a seizure but she was on a comfy futon and no pee. So she didn't fall or bang into anything. This doesn't upset me so much. Especially since we knew she'd have seizures for a while until the pheno stabilizes.

It must have been small or she was downstairs a while because I'm not able to give her Keppra. If she has another I'll give her the other med as the vet said to

I hope the phenobarbital stabilizes soon.  And I'm very glad to hear this is expected and not so worrisome.  

 

[Caspers Human]

Yeah, it's going to take a bit of time for the meds to take effect and stabilize but I'm happy that you've got her stable for the time being. 

A small sigh of relief!  Yes?

 

[shurples]

Have I said I LOVE MEATBALLS?!

20160312_063228.jpg

• shurples
• Mar 12, 2016

In the morning I serve dry (budgetary reasons) except for my 21 year old tabby who always gets Stella and a Chewys freeze dried raw for his KD.

I found a grain gluten free dry she likes because I read that feeding grain free might help too, and put a teaspoon of moist in there with her morning meatball. She ate all of her medicine!

 

[Jansloth]

Hi all. I realize this is an older thread and the original poster may not see it, but it’s worth a try.

My cat was diagnosed with ideopathic epilepsy today, and they gave me a liquid medicine (liver flavor). He won’t touch it - I mixed it in with puréed tuna and tuna juice. After a few licks he said NO WAY.

I’m willing to try pills (I can use pill pockets for other medicines but I don’t think they taste bad like pheno), but the pills are larger and yucky so it may even stop him from taking pill pockets at all. Can ask about the ear ointment, though I know dosage is a concern.

THE POINT: I was wondering, what is up with the meatballs? Did they keep working? How did you acquire them?

Thanks.

 

[kpc1024]

Hi. I'm new here so this unfortunately is my first post. I have an urgent situation....

My cat s semi feral. She was part of a colony I cared for and she and her brother have been indoor kitties for a year now. Well over time Pandora, the kitty, started having seizures. Until this weekend, they were once a month. This weekend it was every 7-10 hours after not having any for six weeks.

I took her to the er because my vet was closed yesterday. They ran blood tests and nothing was found. I can't do an mri now. They prescribed keplar (I think that's what it's called), so I told them she's feral and can't be handled to administer meds. It has to go in food.

They sent me home with this liquid and said I can add it to her food.

It's grape! She refused all food. I tried scruffing her but failed. She's creams and scratches and climbs walls. Today I took her to my vet twice to administer meds...I throw a robe on her and put her in the carrier covered.

Because the meds given yesterday need to be given three times per day, I can't give it to her. I'm at work. So my vet called in phenobarbital in chicken flavor.

My cat is refusing any food with it in there. Even her favorite. I tested the theory and gave her plain food and she gobbled. Switched it with the medicine food and she walked away and hid under the couch.

I called my vet. He said due to her size these are the only two medicines she can have. If I can't give her medicine, then she will be left to seize. She will die eventually.

I will call the pharmacy tomorrow to see if they can make another flavor. I also need to know if pheno always smells smoky and metallic....if yes, I'm in trouble.

This is why I'm posting. Does anyone have advice to mask the flavor? She's allergic to fish.

Thanks. She's only a year and a half.

If she comes out from under the couch I'll try to nab her with my robe and scoop her up for the carrier. My husband can help hold her down. i can't do this everyday. We have schedules that don't have us here at the same time regularly.

Please help....what hides the flavor?

Thank you
Sherry

 

[kpc1024]

Hi. I'm new here so this unfortunately is my first post. I have an urgent situation....

My cat s semi feral. She was part of a colony I cared for and she and her brother have been indoor kitties for a year now. Well over time Pandora, the kitty, started having seizures. Until this weekend, they were once a month. This weekend it was every 7-10 hours after not having any for six weeks.

I took her to the er because my vet was closed yesterday. They ran blood tests and nothing was found. I can't do an mri now. They prescribed keplar (I think that's what it's called), so I told them she's feral and can't be handled to administer meds. It has to go in food.

They sent me home with this liquid and said I can add it to her food.

It's grape! She refused all food. I tried scruffing her but failed. She's creams and scratches and climbs walls. Today I took her to my vet twice to administer meds...I throw a robe on her and put her in the carrier covered.

Because the meds given yesterday need to be given three times per day, I can't give it to her. I'm at work. So my vet called in phenobarbital in chicken flavor.

My cat is refusing any food with it in there. Even her favorite. I tested the theory and gave her plain food and she gobbled. Switched it with the medicine food and she walked away and hid under the couch.

I called my vet. He said due to her size these are the only two medicines she can have. If I can't give her medicine, then she will be left to seize. She will die eventually.

I will call the pharmacy tomorrow to see if they can make another flavor. I also need to know if pheno always smells smoky and metallic....if yes, I'm in trouble.

This is why I'm posting. Does anyone have advice to mask the flavor? She's allergic to fish.

Thanks. She's only a year and a half.

If she comes out from under the couch I'll try to nab her with my robe and scoop her up for the carrier. My husband can help hold her down. i can't do this everyday. We have schedules that don't have us here at the same time regularly.

Please help....what hides the flavor?

Thank you
Sherry

I know you have gotten a lot of responses and I didn't read them all, sorry if I am repeating information you have already gotten. I went through this with my cat, who I recently lost. We had a hard time finding the right meds to control his seizures and it was horrible to watch him seize. It is tough to get used to. A tip...Bring him to the bathtub if he urinates when he seizes. Save some clean up.
I had to give Herman 3 pills per day, 3 x's per day. I pilled him, nothing in his food. I put in toward the back of his mouth and he swallowed it. I think the piils are way cheaper too. There are also pill inserters, If the meds cost a lot Costco pharmacy sells medication sooo much cheaper than right aid or any other neighborhood place and they deliver. Except the pheno or other controlled substances can only be filled a your local pharmacy with a script in hand. What finally controlled my cats seizures was: Valium, Keepra and Zonisamide. It took a lot of experimenting and time. That is the short version. If you need more info let me know. It was soooo horrible to watch my perfect cat have his first seizure. I was in tears and so scared. Let me know if you need anything.