Elderly cat has hyperthyroidism - help and support please on pill giving!

skintchick

The vet just phoned. Good news: liver and kidneys are fine, urine is normal indicating no diabetes although blood result for that not yet back. Bad news: she has hyperthyroidism.

So it's tablets daily for the rest of her life - does anyone have any tips on getting tablets down a very stubborn cat?

taxi97w

Well the first thing I would do is wrap her in a swaddle type thing so she can't scratch or get away.

Tuck her under your non prodominent arm (left arm if you are right handed)

Prise her mouth open with your thumb and middle finger in the corners using your left hand, and with the tablet in your right hand-shoot the tablet to the back of her mouth real quick.

Close the jaws and massage under the chin as this stimulates swallowing.

Good luck.
Hopefully she will tire of the fighting after a while and give in to you, then it shouldn't be such a drama.

greenmoneysaver_2

Wow!

Unusual symptons for over-active thyroid! But of the lot probably the best result.

Tips for getting tablets down - there are loads, and its trial and error

• if you can "pill-pop", i.e open her mouth and put it in, ensure her nose faces the ceiling as you do this, as her jaw muscles and tongue won't be able to eject it so easily, and gravity takes it to the back of the mouth
• if trying to pill-pop then a syringe of water to put about 1-2mls in her mouht after will make her swallow (others may suggest blowing up her nose, rubbing her neck, or putting butter on her nose to do this too)
• treats to try and hide food in - pate, dairylea cheese, and anything she likes! - there are pill pocket treats from the vets, but as she's a bit picky she may not like
• its worth trying to give her a tablet at a time shes hungry *likely to be all the time for her* - but if she has finished food when you get home form work, give the tablet and then feed her
• surgery is an option if this is a real struggle - usually a month or so of tablets and then the procedure, but speak to the vet, its all too long to post here!

Let us know how you get on!

sandy2_2

skintchick wrote: »

The vet just phoned. Good news: liver and kidneys are fine, urine is normal indicating no diabetes although blood result for that not yet back. Bad news: she has hyperthyroidism.

So it's tablets daily for the rest of her life - does anyone have any tips on getting tablets down a very stubborn cat?

Good news, buy yourself some gauntletts

taxi97w

Also coating the tablet in butter makes it tastier and easier to go down, but can be a bit slippery.

Ghost

I use the "coat tablet in butter" trick too. It can be slippery but it definitely helps to go down. Another method - I sometimes smear a tiny bit of marmite on the tablet.

skintchick

I've also read suggestions of crushing the tablet, mixing it withbutter, and smeaing it on their legs so they wash it down!

Hopefully, as said, she will get fed up of fighting and learn to let me do it.

greenmoneysaver_2

It depends on the medication, but thyroid meds don't work as effectively(if at all) if crushed before giving, so not really an option here.

Like the Marmite, its probably a bit like Dairylea, in that it is almost impossible to lick the stuff off without the tablet going down at some point!

I would also ask the nurses in practce to demo how they do it... we are usually pretty good!

cat_saving_expert

One of my cats has to have a pill everyday for his kidneys, he loves cheese - so we hide the pill in 2 bits of cheese and he always eats it - no problem at all, in fact if he hears cheese coming out of the fridge he runs to the kitchen and meows for it.
So if you can find something like this pill giving time is easy. Doesn't work with every cat though I still have to pill 2 of my cats the hard way!

skintchick

Well, I just tried three times and the pill is still not in the cat. She puts her tongue on the roof of her mouth so I can;t drop it down her throat, and I don;t know what to do.

She is now hiding under the table.

Going to try it in tuna - the only treat she likes - but what if she doesn;t eat it? How am I going to make her better if I can;t get tablets into her? Feel like crying.