Oh, Krista, baby!
The crumb of mirtazapine I used to give her was a lot easier. This pill is just big enough that she can immediately start pushing it back out her mouth with her tongue even as I try to hold her mouth shut and encourage her to swallow. The hard part wasn't getting the pill in her mouth, or even to the back of her mouth since she's toothless. It was that final inch, getting her to swallow. I wonder if a little squirt of water to go with it might help her out. Let's watch some youtubes today and try the shooter tonight.Ugh, pilling is the worst. Glad you have the shooter to help, and also hope that maybe Krista puts up less of a fight about it tomorrow.
I have plenty of syringes from when she had a feeding tube.From everything I read when I was pilling Frida, following up with liquid makes it easier and less likely for the pill to stall on its way to her stomach. Assuming you don't end up with said liquid all over her front and none in her mouth like I did when I tried it.
Couldn't see the video. Can you reload? Awww, That's too bad. Good about her weight, though?An interesting point on her weight.
The Dr insists that last week she recorded Krista's weight as 6 lbs 10 oz. But they record it as decimal. So 6.10 became 6.1 making it seem like she was 6 lbs 1 oz. If last week was supposed to be 6.10, then yesterday's weight recorded at 6.6 represents more weight lost. But it also agrees with the 6.6 reading that I took on Monday. So she's not yet in danger of breaking 6 lbs but I also thought we were making progress from 6.1 to 6.6.
She had a voluminous poop Twinkie (similiar in size and shape ) with the cream filling on the outside. Huge. But slid right out. I thought she was done. She enjoyed her lunch meal even showing up on the counter to oversee its prep.
And then she stalked her box. That always makes me nervous when she sits in front of the litter box. Weighing the pros and cons of pooping. Fortunately the pros won out. The box and its enclosure did not. Blowout against the back wall. I sort of expected this because sedation drugs will do that to her. I'll make sure she gets a Proviable in her next meal. Replace whatever colonies she unceremoniously expelled.
I see no other unsettled behavior so I presume we're done for this poop shift. No poop barfs.
Video? That was a screenshot from my webcam program.Couldn't see the video. Can you reload? Awww, That's too bad. Good about her weight, though?
Oh, okay, I see her now! And yes, it is, but hoping for more weight!!!Video? That was a screenshot from my webcam program.
Her weight is a mixed bag. Good that she didn’t dip as low as 6 lbs 1 oz. Not to good that she dropped from 6 lbs 10 oz.
#4 sounds promising. Or #3 -- have you thought of coating with butter or margarine? Most cats like these and will lick them. Also, perhaps peanut butter or other nut butter? I know, Krista is NOT a dog. But just trying to think of some possibly cat-friendly substances. There's also the squatty jars of Gerber meat-only baby food, but I think you said she doesn't like them. There used to be little tins of meat for people made by Underwood, but IDK if that's still available or if it has spices cats shouldn't have.There are two pet food stores I primarily go to because of their combined ability to keep Rawz in stock. Sometimes one is out and I go to the other. Or sometimes Krista has a flavor or batch preference that only one of them can satisfy. One of the managers at one of the stores was the one who recommended the cat-only practice and the particular doctor that Krista is now seeing. By funny coincidence, I ran into an employee from the other store yesterday at the vet's office. Apparently, this is the place that those who feed my cat take their own. I just came back from the first one's store and had a good conversation about how to pred Krista.
A few of the ideas we came up with:
1. Powder it up, mix it something sticky, and push it in her toothless mouth.
Pro: compliance is nearly guaranteed.
Con: probably the most miserable of the options because she will taste the pill and continue to taste it for a long time after.
2. Leave it intact or maybe half it and push it in her mouth.
Pro: compliance easier, but not nearly guaranteed.
Con: still an ability for her to taste it or spit it out.
3. Pill it whole or halved, coated in something smooth like food or yogurt.
Pro: Compliance easier to monitor.
Con: Potential wrestling matches. She is toothless but not clawless. Whatever it's coated in can make things "exciting" on the back end.
4. Pill shooter, followed with a squirt of water.
Pro: Accuracy and with practice, I just might be able to teach her, "pill means treat food"
Con: Potential wrestling matches
There's a pred pill from last night that didn't make it in her. I taste her liquid medicines. I tasted her liquid pred so she never had to. Awful stuff! I'll bite into last night's soggy rejected carpet pred and see what I'm putting her through before I try one of the methods where she might taste it.
Laxatone sounds like it would take her poops in the opposite direction of where we're trying to go. And yes, chicken is a no-go with her. It's a shame because I'd like to give her the medi-melts from Diamondback Pharmacy. But those use a chicken flavoring too.I grease the pill with a little laxatone, but it is chicken based so may not work for you.