Cerenia question

Lisak1976

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My vet gave me cerenia pills for my cat. Extremely hard time getting her to take a pill. Even just trying to get her to open her mouth. I’ve tried using my two fingers on each side of her mouth and using my other hand to open her lower jaw. Even if I get the pill in she spits it out with her tongue. At this point it’s a mission impossible. She’s also been on cisapride for motility issues which unfortunately doesn’t seem to be working. She was regurgitating her dry food and we were hoping that med would help her eat it again. After we started it she then couldn’t chew her dry food anymore never mind regurgitating so now the vet just gave me Gabapentin thinking it’s her teeth and or gums and Fortiflora for diarrhea that’s started. It’s been a nightmare for poor Layla who is only 8!
Anyway, back to Cerenia, she won’t take the pill. I only have to give her half the pill. Has anyone ever put half a pill in a liquid syringe with water until it dissolved and given it to their cat that way?
Lisa
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! Check with your vet, I believe this can be made into a liquid form of the medication, --but you don't want to do it yourself. There's a pill popper - we had a certain amount of luck with that, or pill pockets as well.

By the way, why is the vet having difficulty determining if she has dental issues? Is she able to eat canned food?
 
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Lisak1976

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Hi! Check with your vet, I believe this can be made into a liquid form of the medication, --but you don't want to do it yourself. There's a pill popper - we had a certain amount of luck with that, or pill pockets as well.

By the way, why is the vet having difficulty determining if she has dental issues?
Hi, Saturday night can’t get a hold of my vet until Monday. I did mention the issue I had with the two doses last month I tried to give her and she did not mention liquid form to me wish I knew I would have asked. Right now my cat can not swallow anything but pate so the pill pockets won’t work. Can’t get her to eat dry food or her treats, she has a motility issue. The chewing issue just happened and my vet was unable to get me in yesterday so she was unable to exam my cat in person. Was able to pick up some meds today for my cat. She last saw her in February for her annual wellness check and everything was ok then.
 
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Lisak1976

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Pill poppers are wonderful things. I'd be sunk without mine, although it still involves wrapping Hekitty in a purrito to use it!
Thanks for the advice!! I’ll have to keep trying to work on getting her to open her mouth. She’s stubborn. So much easier with a liquid!
 

Mamanyt1953

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Oh, I know. I know. I have a very stubborn girl, as well, and one who does not tolerate being "trifled" with by the peons. LOL, I have her vet clip her claws now, after the third trip to the ER for stitches. She wasn't trying to hurt me, just very determined to get away!
 

neely

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I’ll have to keep trying to work on getting her to open her mouth. She’s stubborn. So much easier with a liquid!
I share your pain, this was one of the meds recommended for our cat due to pancreatitis. I asked our vet the same question but unfortunately it does not come in a liquid form that you can syringe. Here is an article that might be helpful:
Maropitant Citrate
 

Furballsmom

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There's an injectable form of Cerenia, as mentioned in that article.

This is from LTS3 LTS3 from another thread where the cat had a feeding tube - ;
Cerenia is for dogs but can be used off label for cats per the vet's recommended dosage. Most cats take the pill whole in a Pill Pocket or something. For your cat's tube, ask the vet about having the Cerenia compounded into a liquid form. Wedgewood Pharmacy has an oral suspension option and a capsule option (pull open capsule, mix the medication with some water water, syringe mixture into tube should work): Cerenia Medication & Information for Animals

and from a different thread;
Use one of these other TCS tips:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – Cat Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.
 

amandag1

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My vet gave me cerenia pills for my cat. Extremely hard time getting her to take a pill. Even just trying to get her to open her mouth. I’ve tried using my two fingers on each side of her mouth and using my other hand to open her lower jaw. Even if I get the pill in she spits it out with her tongue. At this point it’s a mission impossible. She’s also been on cisapride for motility issues which unfortunately doesn’t seem to be working. She was regurgitating her dry food and we were hoping that med would help her eat it again. After we started it she then couldn’t chew her dry food anymore never mind regurgitating so now the vet just gave me Gabapentin thinking it’s her teeth and or gums and Fortiflora for diarrhea that’s started. It’s been a nightmare for poor Layla who is only 8!
Anyway, back to Cerenia, she won’t take the pill. I only have to give her half the pill. Has anyone ever put half a pill in a liquid syringe with water until it dissolved and given it to their cat that way?
Lisa
Try a pill syringe- you can find it on amazon
You can aim further back so your kitty cant spit it out
 

LTS3

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Pill Pockets work great if your vet sells them or if you can find them at a pet store (that is hopefully not closed during this time:crossfingers:). I'm not sure if Target, etc sells Pill Pockets. Probably best to check the store web site and see if the product is available in store.

Also try the tips Furballsmom posted.
 

fionasmom

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My vet gave Chelsea shots of Cerenia, so that is possible if you need to go that route. She is older and ill, but can still fight like crazy so I have had trouble with her pills for lymphoma. I use a pill popper and it has been amazingly effective; probably her only hope in this situation. As for dissolving the pill, I agree that you should not do that unless you talk to the vet. There are a few made to dissolve in a syringe meds like carafate but not everything will nicely dissolve and be assimilated the right way.
 
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Lisak1976

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My vet gave Chelsea shots of Cerenia, so that is possible if you need to go that route. She is older and ill, but can still fight like crazy so I have had trouble with her pills for lymphoma. I use a pill popper and it has been amazingly effective; probably her only hope in this situation. As for dissolving the pill, I agree that you should not do that unless you talk to the vet. There are a few made to dissolve in a syringe meds like carafate but not everything will nicely dissolve and be assimilated the right way.
Thank you! I will talk to my vet again on Monday. I do know the cerenia dissolves quickly, my vet told me to try putting it on top of her pate and of course Layla quickly spit it out (because of the bitter taste) so by the time I got it and tried to get that half of the pill in her mouth myself it was starting to dissolve and breakdown. She is stubborn unless it’s liquid and I have a syringe to administer medication.
 
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Lisak1976

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There's an injectable form of Cerenia, as mentioned in that article.

This is from LTS3 LTS3 from another thread where the cat had a feeding tube - ;
Cerenia is for dogs but can be used off label for cats per the vet's recommended dosage. Most cats take the pill whole in a Pill Pocket or something. For your cat's tube, ask the vet about having the Cerenia compounded into a liquid form. Wedgewood Pharmacy has an oral suspension option and a capsule option (pull open capsule, mix the medication with some water water, syringe mixture into tube should work): Cerenia Medication & Information for Animals

and from a different thread;
Use one of these other TCS tips:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – Cat Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.
Thank you!! Some interesting articles/info you sent me. With Layla having a motility issue it’s been such a challenge with getting her to just eat. Right now she can only eat pate. She has trouble swallowing anything else. I did pick up a compounded medication for the motility issue so will talk to my vet about compounding the cerenia as well. Thanks again!
 

Cat Grrl

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Hi: I got a tip on this site to hide the pill in liverwurst. Maybe your kitty can eat this, since it is a pate-consistency. My girl (luckily) eats pill pockets with 1/4 tab of Cerenia every 3 days. Sometimes I have to put the pill in liverwurst, or cheese, when she if “off” the pill pockets.
 

kittenmittens84

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You could try getting something like one of those broth toppers or a lickable treat like churu, getting a pill popper and loading the pill into the end, dunking it into the treat, and popping it in her mouth really quick
 
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Lisak1976

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How are things going for you and Layla?
I spoke to her vet and she told me it was ok to dissolve her cerenia in a liquid dropper and and to give it to her that way. Since it is such a bitter tasting med she won’t take it in her wet or any type of food. Been having some issues with her motility problem and she’s still on cicsapride for that. Layla loved her treats and can no longer eat them, just her pate. Hurts my heart that she’s going through this but doing what I can for her! Thank you for asking!!
 
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