Giving meds to a cat who’s not eating

[Johna]

Hi everyone.
I have a very long thread going about my Toby and his battle with Ataxia but have a very specific question I hope might be answered!

I’ve been in knots all day not knowing what to do

Toby has a serious ear infection and just started meds. 2 pills everyday. 1 antibiotic (marboquin) and 1 steroid (prednisolone)

The problem is that he is very sick right now and not eating. And giving the meds on an empty stomach will make him sicker! So I’m scared to give him the meds today

We’ve been struggling with the ataxia, pain of infection, nausea and him not eating well as a result for months. (long story but we only just discovered the ear infection and the vet now believes Toby’s initial diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis was wrong and he never got the correct treatments all these months) So he’s lost weight and isn’t strong. I’m so worried about making him sicker and triggering an emergency

So far he’s had 2 days on the antibiotic and 1 day on the steroid. He barfed the last 2 nights. I started him on sub q fluids today. He has been doing well this week and eating well but after 2 days of meds he is very unwell. If I try to syringe feed him when he’s like this he barfs. So I likely won’t be able to get any food into him

So what do I do about his medicine!! Both require food in the stomach. Both will probably make him sicker until they start working. Hopefully they start working

if I can only give 1 pill tonight which should it be? The steroid or antibiotic?

Which might work to help his ear or pain quicker? Which will be less upsetting on an empty stomach?

Or do I stop the meds until I can get him eating again?

I don’t know what to do! He’s lying here next to me miserable and unable to walk from the balance issues

I apologize if my message is all over the place. I am not thinking straight and very stressed

 

[Norachan]

J Johna I strongly recommend that you contact your vet and explain the problems you are having getting the meds into Toby. There is no point giving antibiotics if you are unable to give them as prescribed. They need to be given regularly and you need to complete the whole course for them to be effective.

Steroids usually increase a cat`s appetite, so they would be the better option. However, Prednisone can cause nausea, which might make him worse.

Call your vet and ask what you should do. There might be an injectable antibiotic that can be used in this case, or something that can be given to increase appetite without causing nausea.

 

[Johna]

Thank you for the reply. I plan on calling or visiting the vet on Monday but of course the meds were started and problems began on the weekend

It has been a very long 6 months and the stress and upset of it all has triggered my anxiety disorder. I’ve been trying to hold eit together but the episode with the Baytril drops a few days ago? I can no longer think straight

I just don’t know if we are supposed to power through despite the meds making him sick to his stomach and miserable or if it’s not advisable to continue them. It hurts my heart to see him so unwell and uncomfortable

Are pain meds often given for severe ear infections? Based on the horrible reaction to the Baytril hitting his ear he must be in a lot of pain

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You didn't mention any pain meds in the two pills. The antibiotic obviously is NOT a pain medication, and the steroid is an anti-inflammatory, not a pain med. If he is really in pain, then he could get an actual pain medication, possibly, and those are not typically in pill form, but rather a tiny liquid that comes in prefilled syringes (without needles) that you dispense into their cheek pouches. OR, there is a long lasting pain killer that lasts for around four days the Vet can administer.

As far as him vomiting when you force feed him, could that actually be regurgitation if you are feeding him too fast? It's possible. But it's also possible that the antibiotic is making him sick. Many of them do. And certainly that will cause a loss of appetite. He may need an anti nausea medication as well, poor little guy. Definitely discuss all options with your Vet. But for tonight, if he's only had one steroid so far, I think it's ok to skip that one and give him the antibiotic. Typically you need to slowly stop steroids, but I think in this case he hasn't been on them long enough to need to do that, and the antibiotic seems to be needed more. (that's just my opinion)

 

[Johna]

You didn't mention any pain meds in the two pills. The antibiotic obviously is NOT a pain medication, and the steroid is an anti-inflammatory, not a pain med. If he is really in pain, then he could get an actual pain medication, possibly, and those are not typically in pill form, but rather a tiny liquid that comes in prefilled syringes (without needles) that you dispense into their cheek pouches. OR, there is a long lasting pain killer that lasts for around four days the Vet can administer.

As far as him vomiting when you force feed him, could that actually be regurgitation if you are feeding him too fast? It's possible. But it's also possible that the antibiotic is making him sick. Many of them do. And certainly that will cause a loss of appetite. He may need an anti nausea medication as well, poor little guy. Definitely discuss all options with your Vet. But for tonight, if he's only had one steroid so far, I think it's ok to skip that one and give him the antibiotic. Typically you need to slowly stop steroids, but I think in this case he hasn't been on them long enough to need to do that, and the antibiotic seems to be needed more. (that's just my opinion)

I believe the nausea is from a combination of “sea sickness” from the ear and balance problems plus all the antibiotics he has gotten. He did 2 months worth of high dose Clindamycin in the Spring and summer and started another round in Sept. This was to treat the Toxoplasmosis they *thought* he had. He was getting a HUGE dose, maybe 5ml a day? I don’t think his gut has recuperated from it. So more antibiotics into an already sensitive stomach turned him green.

I syringe feed with a 1ml dropper and go very slowly so he gets a taste at a time. Sometimes just putting it to his lips and him getting the smell of food will make him projectile vomit so I have to be very careful since he can’t afford the dehydration or loss of whatever food he’s eaten. When he vomits it seems to be from illness and not a regurgitation. It’s usually a surprising amount of liquid that comes up! Like I don’t even know whwre

I don’t know the usual protocol for bad ear infections and if they’re usually treated with pain meds. I didn’t realize how much pain he is in til he reacted so violently to the ear drop! I’m thinking that might be contributing to his poor diet and him stopping dry food. It might just be too painful for him to chew so he is just licking food

I’ve used Bupe (the opioid like liquid medication) before on my cats and it helped immensely. I think some form of pain med might do Toby good

Since he had thrown up after getting his meds both days I’m not sure what if anything really got into his system!

Last night I did the steroid and crossed my fingers. I woke to him after gotten to his litter box to pee and poop and he was much more stable on his feet. He also started eating some!

I will call the vet first thing in the morning

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I would talk to the Vet about Bupe AND an anti-nausea med to try to get him over this hump. Also, are you giving him a good probiotic to help get his gut flora back in balance. Of course, you have to give it a few hours before or after the antibiotic, but it's definitely worth it.

 

[Johna]

I give him Proviable DC. I believe he’s been on it about 10 days to 2 weeks now. We did Fortiflora in the past. I think this one has been more helpful?

If there is a better probiotic you can suggest I’m all ears!

 

[Norachan]

I hope he`s feeling a bit better today Johna. What did the vet say about trying different meds?

 

[Johna]

I hope he`s feeling a bit better today Johna. What did the vet say about trying different meds?

I called and spoke to a tech who was going to pass my questions to the vet. I have not heard back yet

 

[Meowmee]

I called and spoke to a tech who was going to pass my questions to the vet. I have not heard back yet

It's also possible you can give the antibiotic injected daily at home which would probably make it easier on him with the nausea etc.. I was thinking about that for Quinn I think because he was so hard to pill for clindamycin. The dvm was going to research it and ask the office manager if I can get a vial etc. But I got him to eat it in his food in the end. And I gave them zofran for a while too. Quinn hated the Zofran though and eventually he didn't need it. He wouldn't eat it in food etc. so I had to chase him and rub on his face in a licky treat. Cinn also hated it. But Zena is easy to pill and ate them in pill pockets for dogs

My guys after a few days, 2 weeks or so for Zena did not need the anti nausea meds anymore, but they did not have ear infections etc.

Ask your dvm about maybe injecting it.

If you have missed days of the antibiotic, more than a day, usually you start from day 0 again. I hope the steroid will calm things down a bit and maybe an anti-nausea drug and or a pk will help him get through the antibiotic. How long does he need to take it for?

 

[Johna]

Thanks for the info about injectables. I don’t realize that is an option for some meds and I’ll ask about if given the chance. It seems very hard to get my vets attention for more than a few minutes at a time. Even during appts I only get 5 mins maybe 10.

I’ve read ear infections can sometimes take months to treat so I suspect he’d need a few rounds of antibiotics. He was prescribed 10 days worth I think and it might have refills. I’ll have to check

He had only gotten 2 doses of antibiotic and barfed not long after each so I don’t think he ever got a dose into his system

I imagine he would have to start again from scratch

Right now I’m more concerned about him getting a few days of relief and a few good meals in him. Recover from any dehydration, maybe starting gaining a bit of weight or at least get the nutrition he needs and build up his gut bacteria. I was really worried that he was getting too weak to deal with more stress or illness

I asked the vet if it was wise to hold off on the antibiotics a few days. Hopefully I hear back from him tomorrow!

They messed up Toby’s meds and didn’t fill his steroids correctly and shorted us a few pills. So I have to stop there tomorrow to get them. I’ll ask for more info when I go if I haven’t heard back by then!

 

[silent meowlook]

See if you can give him Cerenia 2 hours prior to his medications. Cerenia also comes in injectable so you could give in with the subcutaneous fluids. It does sting, so you would have to give it in the port of the iv line while giving the fluids. Or you can give the pill.