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Cat medication help? Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
Hey, /an/

My cat was recently attacked by some wild critter, and wounded on his chest area. I took him to the vet and they took care of him, although he's not a happy camper (not allowed outside until the staples come out, for one thing).

The problem I'm having is that I have to give him an oral antibiotic twice a day. I'm used to giving cats pills - I'm a pro at that, it's no problem... But this is liquid, and he wants nothing to do with it.

For some reason, the makers of this stuff thought the best flavor to use would be bubble gum, at least that's what it smells like. I don't have a clue why they didn't just make it liver flavored or something else that the cat would like... but he has no interest in bubble gum.

He fights me every step of the way, and the only way I manage to get this stuff into him is to hold him down, grab him by the scruff of his neck, hold his head sideways, and push the syringe into his mouth behind his back teeth and push it in there. I tried going fairly quickly at first, but he began to choke on it, so I decided slow and steady was the way to go... But with every small push of the plunger, he whips around and I have to reinsert it. Plus, he shakes his head, and I think only about 70% of the antibiotic is getting into him, the rest is covering the wall and my shirt.

Can anyone offer some advice on how to make this a more pleasant experience for both of us? And someone explain why this crap is bubble gum flavored. It makes no sense to me.
>> Anonymous
It will never be easy giving animals medication. It's the law.

I've got a cat and we go through this crap as well so you're not alone. It's best if there are two of you but if you're by yourself wrap the cat up in a town making sure her fromt legs are unable to move, then press it between your legs. Grab the head from behind and prise the mouth open, put in the dropper and squirt away. Of course it's going to get out as best it can so keep firm and as soon as it's all in, put the dropper on the floor and rub the throat gently, enticing it to swallow. when you're sure it's all in let it go and be prepared to be shunned for the next 3 hours.

It helps if you don't feed them beforehand, and if you give them lots of fuss after - if they'll let you.
>> Anonymous
i'm not very knowledgeable about this, but the last time my kitten had a liquid medicine, i was told to put it in her food. perhaps it was specific to that medicine though.

i drop things into my cat's mouth when she yawns. she and i find great amusement in it.
>> Anonymous
Holy shit fool. Put it in a tasty treat.
>> Anonymous
When I worked as a Vet Tech I found out really fast that with liquid oral medications things get messy, really fast.

Since you're familiar with giving him pills I'm sure you're aware how to hold his mouth open by bracing your thumb and middle finger in the two sides of his mouth (behind the teeth). You can actually do this while holding the medication in the same hand and using your other arm to brace him against yourself.

If he's still too hard to control, you can always take a blanket and wrap it around his body leaving his head in the open, this helps with the claws and reduces the amount of leverage available to squirm.

It's not as evil as it sounds. >.<
>> Anonymous
Oh and I bet you're giving him Amoxicillin which is probably the worst tasting stuff out there (penicillin bleh).

Making it Bubble gum flavor is just code for its real flavor, vomit.
>> Anonymous
don't put it in it's food you might completly waste it if the cat is not a completly domesticated species.
for example, russian forrest cats can usually tell, short hair black/white's (usually) can't.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
>>42570

If I mix it in a tasty treat, and if he doesn't EAT the tasty treat (because now the chicken liver is bubblegum flavored), then I've just lost a dose of his medicine. I can put a pill in peanut butter or cheese for a dog, but this pungent bubblegum stuff is beyond that, it will flavor anything I add it to.

>>42560

Wow, wrap him in an entire town? hehehe... Ok, I'll wrap him in a towel. Actually I was doing this before anyway, but he's just very squirmy.

>>42578

Yeah, I can force his mouth open. I just wish I had pills :( I can get him to swallow a pill in five seconds, but this stuff takes about 2 minutes to give him every time.

I think I'm going to enlist help (his next dose is due in about a half hour).

Thanks, /an/.
>> Anonymous
I had a very sick cat when I was younger, and got pretty good at prying his mouth open, and tossing the pill to the back of his throat. After holding his mouth closed for a sec, he usually swallowed it, though it was by no means guaranteed. It took practice to get right, but it was a lot faster than trying to sneak it in his food, since he could always tell.
>> Anonymous
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Depending on the dosage, if you can find "Pill Pockets" you may be able to put the liquid inside of it just like you would a pill, then close up the end and feed him that.
>> Anonymous
my cat got attacked by an owl, she got a badass wound on her side but she killed the owl and ate it. i found its head
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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>>42691

The way he eats, the liquid would just spray out of the pill pocket before he eats it. Also, it's a pretty large dosage, so it would take quite a few pill pockets.

the pill pockets are a great idea, but I've always found that chunky peanut butter works fine for getting dogs to take pills, and I've never had a problem giving a cat pills. The key is to get the pill as far back in the cat's mouth as possible, then hold his mouth shut while rubbing his neck a bit. When he licks his nose, he has swallowed the pill. The challenge is getting the pill in his mouth in the first place.

>>42712
We're not sure what did this to my cat, our theory is a raccoon. We don't know how the raccoon fared, but I'd like to believe it wound up in the backyard, where Thor the pit bull lives (picture related).
>> Anonymous
>>42716
Yeah but pill pockets are a lot less messy. I only used them a couple times before we put my dog on a special diet for her cancer, but they were much quicker, easier and cleaner than cheese or peanut butter. Especially since she became very picky with taking her pills and it often took 3 tries hiding them in cheese for her to not spit it out and eat the cheese.

She had like 6 pills, a liquid medication and a combination of fish oils to take daily for the last 6 weeks and at first she was no problem at all, but she kept getting pickier and pickier. We had to do things like grind up the pills and mix them in with (lots) of yogurt or cottage cheese and even then she would only eat it if I literally spoon fed it to her. The liquid and fish oils I just put on her food and then spoon fed her that, though.

Did you ask the vet if it was available in a capsule or anything? Perhaps you could buy empty capsules and put the liquid inside of them? I don't know.
>> tigerfeather
>>42727
The biggest problem I find with pill pockets and cats is that cats don't eat treats like dogs do....they tend to be more dainty and like to chomp their treats into pieces before consuming. =(

Good luck with the liquid stuff....I know how that goes.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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So the latest update.

During his latest medicine-giving session (during which he was wrapped in an old shirt of mine and held firmly by a friend while I administered the medicine), he managed to pull a few staples out, just enough so that the wound opened up again and started oozing.

He's not in any immediate danger, and he's taking it like a trooper... But I'm gonna have to take him back to the vet tomorrow and have him re-stapled.

I hope there's another option, one that isn't so easy for him to snag with a claw and rip out. My housemate suggested I super-glue the wound shut (since it was developed for that purpose), but I'm leery of doing anything like that without consulting my vet. He'll be okay until tomorrow morning, when we will call the vet as soon as they open.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
Oh, and on the medicine topic - it occured to me that he tried strawberry ice cream once, and liked it... so I tried mixing a small amount of his medicine with a small amount of ice cream (I know the cow's milk isn't good for him, but a little diarrhea would be worth him not being in agony when I give him his medicine)... He licked up a bit of it, but then stopped... I suspect the flavor of the medicine was too strong. So that didn't work.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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He's doing his best to sleep through it, although periodically he does wake up and lick the wound... :(
>> Anonymous
Poor guy :(
Hope he's OK.
>> Anonymous
he sat on it :(
>> tigerfeather
>>42751
Yes, it WAS developed for that purpose, but NOW a lot of superglues are made with caustic ingredients. I got a full on chemical burn from one about three weeks ago, complete with a blister and everything. So I don't recommend it. Also, if it was the best way for the wound to heal, then wouldn't your vet have done it in the first place? They do have glues in-office.

Ask about dissolving stitches. Not every vet has then, but they're nice.
>> Anonymous
When you go back for the staples, ask your vet to give you a pill form of his antibiotic.
>> Anonymous
That's definetly Amoxicillin. If you've had the stuff straight with no added flavorings, you'll know why they flavor it.

My cat had to take the same stuff when he had nine teeth removed - I suggest mixing the medicine with a soft canned cat-food. Something strong-tasting, like Friskies Ocean Whitefish.

I dunno why, but my cat liked the shit.
>> Anonymous
have you tried mixing it in with his food. Try a mixture of freshly cooked meat smelly cat food and then mush it all together with the anti-biotic. Works for our pets.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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So I brought him to the vet this morning early. He was definitely not feeling well, and his whole tummy was covered in dried blood. the vet kept him while I went to go to work. I actually wound up calling in sick, I was too worried about him all night to get much sleep.

My mom picked him up from the vet, and he's at her house now, but I'm told that he was given two sets of stitches - one set of internal, dissolving stitches, and one set of external ones... I'll be amazed if he pulls those out.

They put him under for the stitching, so he's going to be very groggy unhappy kitty for the rest of the night... Poor guy.

No new picture of him (since he's still at Mom's house), so here are some of his baby pictures.

>>42804

That was my concern exactly.

>>42805

Doh! Already been, didn't think of it.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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Ok, he's home, and starving to death. But doctor's orders, nothing to eat or drink until 8, and even then, just a little bit. He's scavenging the floor looking for tidbits, and complaining that there are none.

Purple stitches.
>> Anonymous
i've never had trouble getting them to eat stuff i put in tuna. really cheap rank-smelling canned tuna.
>> Cheesius !hyCMx6v.V6
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Final update on the medicine issue, I suppose.

Last dose of medicine was delivered last night. The last few doses were really easy - he finally just resigned himself to them. The swelling is going down on his stitches, it's no longer hot to the touch which is another good thing, and he's full of energy and wants to go OUTSIDE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Not 'til the stitches come out, tho.

Here's a picture of him getting one of his hairball-control treats.
>> Anonymous
lern 2 scruff, noob
>> Voleta
Wow, you are a wonderful person to put so much effort into your pets health, and raptor jesus would forgive you if you kicked a puppy (gently). Thank you, the world needs more people who *care*.


The only advice I can reccomend has already been given. Maybe putting it on a paper towel and getting him to lick it off? One of my cats hated the dropper, but a paper towel dipped in water, then in her meds, she loved. She'd nurse on it like crazy.

Find a treat that he reallly likes and coat the treat in the medacine, maybe?

Otherwise.. You'll just have to pin him and force it =/ As I'm sure the vet told you, when force-feeding liquids, make sure no liquid comes in or out of their nose.. other than that, not much you have to worry about. Cats are/were made to eat all sorts of weird things, and have fairly durable mouths/food delivery systems.

Good luck!