He Refuses To Take Dexamethasone - What Can I Do???

Hi everyone! Maxwell is 6 years old and has always refused to take oral medication. So it's been injections when needed (allergy, antiobiotics). He needs to start taking liquid dexamethasone now, orally, and as expected, he's refusing. The vet swore up and down that it's flavorless and unscented, but I guess that Maxwell's nose is more sensitive than hers. I've hidden in in the stinkiest food I know (Hartz Delectables pureed tuna). I've hidden it in Meow Mix seafood cups. No joy - he refuses to touch it. Sprinkling it on dry treats hasn't worked either. He must take it. What do I do??? Please help.

Ask the vet to have the medicine compounded into another form such as a pill. A local compounding pharmacy can do this with a prescription or ask the vet to contact Wedgewood Pharmacy. On the Wedgewood Pharmacy veterinary web site, regular dexamethasone (not part of a combo) is available as a flavored chewable treat, capsules (can use Pill Pockets with or pull it apart and sprinkle / mix with food), oral powder packets (looks like you just sprinkle / mix with food), and an oral paste Dexamethasone Medication & Information for Animals, Wedgewood Pet RX, Wedgewood Pet RX Compounding can be pricey.

He won't take pills either... I don't know what to do.

I'll look into the chew treat, although their lowest dosage is still twice as much as his prescribed dose. Thank you.

They might be able to do a special dosage for you. It won't hurt to ask.

You may want to look into wrapping your car in a burrito and scruffing them to squirt the medicine into his cheek. It’s not fun for either of you but he has to take his medicine, right? I have always had a super hard medicating my cat. We compound all her medicines to flavors she likes and it makes it easier (doesn’t make the problem go away) to give her the medicine.

I honestly don't know a cat who doesn't refuse liquid or pills, if they can't be hidden if food. But if the only option is force feeding medication, I find a pill is usually much easier. Just **straddle your cat, lift his head up, take your thumb and index finger to open his mouth and quickly push the pill just to where his tongue humps at the back, close his mouth, and stroke his neck/throat downwards and continue until he licks his lips, that means he swallowed. When you're done, give him a treat. For one, it shows your not "mean" (lol) and it double ensures that he swallowed it.

**straddle...I find it easiest to sort of sit on his bum (your actually sitting on your own feet/heels) this stops him from backing up on you, with one leg on either side of him. Then bend forward a bit and reach around, and sort of press his head to your chest when you open his mouth (that helps make sure he doesn't throw his head around when putting the pill in his mouth.
I was also given the advice of wrapping him in a towel so he can't get away, but by the time I've ever successfully wrangled mine in the towel I would have already given him the pill the way I described above.

He doesn't like it, but it's quick (when you get the hang of it) and you'll feel better knowing that he got his meds.

I have to give my guy up to 2 capsules, three times a day and that is the best way I found I was able to give them to him. There is no way I could hide all his meds in food (he takes 7 different medications up to 3 times a day)
I also do my own compounding, by grinding up his dosages and putting them in one or two capsules, instead of having to fight him with all 7 doses separately, in one sitting.

I hate to say it, but if you can't hide it in food, you gotta put it in his mouth yourself. Hopefully the "treat form" of his meds works for you but if not, you're kinda out of luck. I promise he won't hate you forever when you give him his pill, he might run away when he sees you coming with it though

Thank you all for your suggestions! I appreciate the time and thought you put into helping Maxwell (and me)!

we either take the liquid or else we powder any pill and mix it with just enough liquid, put it in a syringe - the kind with no needle, then hold HK firmly so he can't bite us and squirt it in his mouth, being careful not to dump it down his throat and choke him. he's not thrilled with this, but it does get his medications down him.

also ask the vet or compounding pharmacy if there are medications available for maxwell that are transdermal. this means you clean his ear flap, then rub it gently inside the ear flap and he absorbs it through his skin. HK HATED prednisolone, just hated it, and his life and ours are better now we can just rub it into his hear.

What about putting the dexamethasone liquid on his paw (back of the hand)? He's one of those fastidious self-cleaners, so he'll lick it off. What do you think?

marf said:

He won't take pills either... I don't know what to do.

I'll look into the chew treat, although their lowest dosage is still twice as much as his prescribed dose. Thank you.

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You could cut it in half!