Disguising pills for a cat w. kidney disease

njg55

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One of my cats was diagnosed with kidney disease last fall and more recently prescribed Cerenia. I don't give it to her every day, mainly when she seems be vomiting more than usual, which seems to some degree to vary based on what variety of food she's had. For a while I was able to successfully sneak it to her by crushing the very tiny amount of the dose and mixing it in a serving on Inaba Churu puree. She lapped it up as usual, since she's always loved this treat.. However, the last few times I did this she didn't eat all of it, leaving it for another cat who doesn't have kidney disease and apparently isn't averse to the bad taste or smell that Cerenia is supposed to have. I know there are other treats/strategies to use to give a cat a pill (pill pockets, cheese, etc.), but what's safe for a cat with kidney disease who is on a special diet? If she's on this pill indefinitely, and if I have to start giving it to her more often, it would seem important to use a treat that's OK given her medical condition. I may have to go the "pill popper" route if I can't get her to consume the crushed pill or whole tiny tablet concealed in food, but I'd like to leave that as a last resort.
 

FeebysOwner

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I don't think that baby food meats (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut) would be a problem with her kidney disease. And, for whatever reason, most cats seem to love it. I have given meds to Feeby this way, that when given via oral syringe made her foam at the mouth. So, it might be one option to try. I also have used Inaba Churu, but for some reason it lost favor with Feeby as well. She still likes other lickable treats, such as Tiki Cat Stix, Vitakraft, and Applaws. So there are some others you could try.

Another thing to consider is getting the meds compounded so that they have a flavoring that overpowers the taste of many meds.
 

daftcat75

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For something you have to give regularly, it makes sense to compound it to something appealing (flavored oil or treat) or easy (transdermal.) Your vet will have to call or fax in the prescription. But you can talk with customer support or a pharmacist about choosing a formulation. If you get a flavored liquid, get it concentrated so you can give less total volume. For some reason, liquid meds always come in a large dose like 1 mL. That’s a lot of liquid to hide or disguise.
Maropitant Transdermal Gel
 
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