Administering Medication To Mini-Tigers - Help Needed!

[wolf63]

Yesterday I took ‘young’ Francis to the vet so that he could get his teeth cleaned and any extractions that were needed. They removed four of his back teeth and gave me syringes of painkiller to squirt into his mouth. The vet told me that he would probably not be hungry last night and be quiet today.

As soon as we got home he headed for his food bowl and inhaled his food, then he inhaled his sister’s food (after persuading her to give it up) and then he came and demanded more. He is behaving like a manic kitten – the teeth must have been really bothering him.

BUT – my first attempt to squirt the painkiller into his mouth resulted in the stuff hitting him and not his mouth. His teeth and claws hit my right hand.

Has anyone found an easier method of giving the medication?

His steroid tablets (for his asthma) is getting crushed and served up in either Dreamies or Webbox Lick-e-lick (I think that is what it is called).

I don’t think he is in pain but who knows with cats. There has to be an easier way to administer the painkiller without blood being spilt (mine).

[albaqwerty]

if you don't have a suit of armour or gauntlets handy, maybe wrap him in a sturdy towel, this will no doubt involve quite a bit or wriggling from you both, take aim and squirt?

I don't envy you.

[wolf63]

He is usually an easy going cat (unlike his sister) and I had a piece of ham on my desk to divert his attention. I found opening his mouth whilst holding the syringe almost impossible. I will keep trying to administer it. I would worry more if it was an antibiotic.

I am getting Merlin's teeth done next. She is vicious at the best of times ...

[steg]

Could you not mix it with his food?

[Barmaid]

As Alba says, sturdy towel. Wrap him in it and place him (under the towel) between your knees on the floor. Hold him very firmly - he will calm straight away and you might be able to do it.

I can manage to do this with ASBO who is a hissing, spitting, growling, nasty thing when I want to give him pills or remove ticks.

[Old_Geezer]

As a matter of interest is it supposed to be swallowed or coat the gums where the teeth used to be ?

[Garaman]

Pick him up by scruff of neck and squirt a dose in his mouth while he is hanging; that is the best way we found.

[wolf63]

Steg - there are two food bowls for them. They start off eating out of their own bowl then cross over and eat out of the other's food bowl. I have tried using this method to get him to take his steroids and it didn't work.

Barmaid - I tried using a towel for the second dose. I think that I got some in his mouth but I am not sure. It's such a tiny little amount. Imagine 'having' to do this every day. I think that, in future, he will run away any time that he sees me with a towel.

O-G - the stuff is supposed to go to the back of his throat, but as you know there are teeth in the way. He seems so much more lively than before his op and is eating like a horse so there is no indication that he is actually in a lot of pain. But I will continue in my attempts - 8 syringes to go.

Garaman - did you know that many vets surgeries are now pledging to go 'scruff free'. Having said that I did try scruffing him once (to give him his asthma inhaler) and nearly killed myself. I have bad shoulders and he is a fat cat. I can't see what all the fuss is about, they can be dangerous little critters in such situations.

Making the whole situation worse is the £400 bill and the fact that his evil and violent sister is next. Maybe they will agree to keep her in for a week or so after the op.

[anneasquith]

Hope you have pet insurance Susan ?( Wolfe))

[wolf63]

no insurance. I stopped it last year when the premiums hit £600 per year. :-(

[anneasquith]

Well your hard earned cash going to your best friends :-)

[Garaman]

Picking a cat up by the scruff to make sure they get a full dose of the medicine they need might be considered being cruel to be kind - though ours have never been disturbed by it in the slightest. Allowing a cat to get fat on the other hand might be considered being kind to be cruel.

[wolf63]

Garaman, He is a little over five kilos, he is on Prednisolone for his asthma and has increased his appetite quite a bit. He is currently ignoring me.

[johnny.5]

dip the tip of the syringe into Bovril or something similar then whilst he is liking it off squirt it in

[wolf63]

johnny.5 - it might be worth a try. I have Marmite so I will test it on him. Failing that some Chicken. I am glad that it is only for a few days. I don't want to scare him - his sister bullies him as it is. Poor wee lad.

[Old_Geezer]

I'd take the view that if he doesn't appear to be fazed by it all, he's probably not suffering, so let him be.