Sylvester's dancing around when he is supposed to get his eye drop, ugh....

[les26]

He was behaving pretty good for the longest time when it came time to give him his steroid drop in his eye but lately he "dances around" a lot, going up and down the house, Deb following him trying to finally convince him to go to his "spot" for his drop, I feel bad for her as it is taking longer and longer to do. His eye looks fine, looks great actually, but his opthamologist said he'll probably have to be on the steroid drops the rest of his life to keep the Uveitis at bay, so he was getting it every other night. But I was concerned that maybe he was trying to tell us something, but he doesn't pull back or wince in pain when she gives it to him, he doesn't paw at his eye so maybe he is just sick of it, we all are. But I contacted his doctor and she asked if he was squinting but I told her he is not and looks great, so she said "he's just being a cat I guess", and said she will try some cat "psychology" on him, said to stop the drops for a week, give him a break, and maybe he'll forget about it, but I doubt it. I also suggested maybe we give him the drop every third night instead of every other night, she said we could try that too, but said to stop it for a week then resume it, so we'll see where this leads. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't hurting him or hurting to give it to him so much if he doesn't need it, but we'll see what happens. But he gets away from it for a week!

If only he could talk!!

 

[Furballsmom]

Would warming the liquid a little help?

 

[les26]

Would warming the liquid a little help?

I don't know, that's a good question! It is room temperature, don't know if it would be good to microwave the little plastic bottle it comes in?

 

[Furballsmom]

I think just put the bottle in a bowl of warm to hot-ish water for a bit. Room temp liquid can still feel pretty cold on the eye.

 

[iPappy]

I don't know, that's a good question! It is room temperature, don't know if it would be good to microwave the little plastic bottle it comes in?

You could try putting it into a bowl of hot water and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes.
If he has a favorite treat or toy, I'd reserve that for after getting the drops and lavish them on him once the drops are given.

 

[les26]

You could try putting it into a bowl of hot water and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes.
If he has a favorite treat or toy, I'd reserve that for after getting the drops and lavish them on him once the drops are given.

He does get treats after it always!

Thanks, you both might be onto something here, I'll have to email his opthomalogist and run it by her!

 

[iPappy]

Another thought would be to come up with a word of warning as you squeeze the tube to prepare him for the drop hitting his eye. He might not like that element of surprise in not really knowing when that drop is going to fall.
I have a few dogs that are sensitive for nail trimming at work, and I will say "one two three" *clip* "one two three" *clip another nail* to help them know exactly when that sensation is going to hit. A few of my dogs that are familiar with this routine, I will feel their foot tense up to absorb that sensation as I say two or three because they know it's coming and can prepare for it. Just an idea.

 

[les26]

Another thought would be to come up with a word of warning as you squeeze the tube to prepare him for the drop hitting his eye. He might not like that element of surprise in not really knowing when that drop is going to fall.
I have a few dogs that are sensitive for nail trimming at work, and I will say "one two three" *clip* "one two three" *clip another nail* to help them know exactly when that sensation is going to hit. A few of my dogs that are familiar with this routine, I will feel their foot tense up to absorb that sensation as I say two or three because they know it's coming and can prepare for it. Just an idea.

This is great advice too, thanks a lot!

I emailed the vet, I'll see what she says about heating the bottle!

 

[les26]

Well the vet got back to me and in capital letters said DO NOT WARM the drops so that is out. They said I could talk to the pharmacist, maybe they could give me some helpful tips?!

 

[Alldara]

Like Ipappy, I also warn my cats before doing something. It's helpful.

Can you give a treat beforehand? If it's a tube or something, half before or half after?

Or for crunchy treats, one before and one after.

Make sure to make a big deal in a happy voice. I also talk at them about what's going to happen, routine wise. Okay, brush teeth, play, then hungry. The like. I feel like it reduces stress surrounding the events.

 

[CatladyJan]

les26 This beautiful girl in my avatar has to get steroid and pressure eye drops twice a day. She does great. I go in an just talk to her and tell her it's time to do her eye drops. I get her to lay down on her bed and I sit behind her, tilt her head towards me at the right angle and then have her close her eyes. I open just a small pocket of the outer part of the eye and put the drops in and close it. You have to develop a routine and find a special place to do this. I either give her treats, brush her or play either before and or after.

 

[Hellenww]

But I was concerned that maybe he was trying to tell us something, but he doesn't pull back or wince in pain when she gives it to him, he doesn't paw at his eye so maybe he is just sick of it, we all are.

So, he's not uncomfortable when getting the drops only playing "get away" before hand. You could try a play session before his drops and a treat after.

 

[les26]

les26 This beautiful girl in my avatar has to get steroid and pressure eye drops twice a day. She does great. I go in an just talk to her and tell her it's time to do her eye drops. I get her to lay down on her bed and I sit behind her, tilt her head towards me at the right angle and then have her close her eyes. I open just a small pocket of the outer part of the eye and put the drops in and close it. You have to develop a routine and find a special place to do this. I either give her treats, brush her or play either before and or after.

My wife Deb has worked in eye doctors offices for over 40 years so she has a routine with him and does great WHEN he cooperates! For the longest time she would tell him "Sylvester, can we put your drop in?" or "Sylvester, time for your drop" or something like that and he would jog into the living room and lay down along the wall, she would talk to him, tilt his head back and put the drop in and then pet him and talk some more and then he gets treats. But just lately, she would say this to him, he would jog into the room but then back out again, she would follow him and try to "corral" him, he would dance around more and more each time until he FINALLY decided he would let her put it in. This concerned me as I thought maybe he was trying to tell us something about the drops, maybe it was too much or whatever, that's why I contacted the vet and posted on here. He doesn't wince or pull his head back or paw at his eye after the drop, but lately he is just dancing around way too much and I feel badly for her. But we are giving him a break until Tuesday as the vet said, then will resume and see how it goes then.

 

[Alldara]

les26 Hmmm. Yes I would think he is trying to tell you something too. I didn't realize he was so cooperative before!

 

[CatladyJan]

My wife Deb has worked in eye doctors offices for over 40 years so she has a routine with him and does great WHEN he cooperates! For the longest time she would tell him "Sylvester, can we put your drop in?" or "Sylvester, time for your drop" or something like that and he would jog into the living room and lay down along the wall, she would talk to him, tilt his head back and put the drop in and then pet him and talk some more and then he gets treats. But just lately, she would say this to him, he would jog into the room but then back out again, she would follow him and try to "corral" him, he would dance around more and more each time until he FINALLY decided he would let her put it in. This concerned me as I thought maybe he was trying to tell us something about the drops, maybe it was too much or whatever, that's why I contacted the vet and posted on here. He doesn't wince or pull his head back or paw at his eye after the drop, but lately he is just dancing around way too much and I feel badly for her. But we are giving him a break until Tuesday as the vet said, then will resume and see how it goes then.

. Is Sylvester FeLv or FIV positive? Has he been check for glaucoma? Uveitis can cause glaucoma which is what happened to my foster cat. She started avoiding me right before the pressure and pain from the glaucoma was evident.

 

[iPappy]

Does Sylvester act stressed when you go to actually put the drops in? I've had cats casually stroll away (I call this "sashaying") when they know something they don't love is coming, and are trying to avoid it without being difficult just because they don't love it, but aren't actually afraid.
CatladyJan mentioned glaucoma, definitely something to be looked into.

 

[les26]

. Is Sylvester FeLv or FIV positive? Has he been check for glaucoma? Uveitis can cause glaucoma which is what happened to my foster cat. She started avoiding me right before the pressure and pain from the glaucoma was evident.

No he doesn't have any of that, but he does have an "immature cataract" but he was just checked by his opthomolgist on December 10th and everything was fine. She said "this is the best his eye has looked since I started seeing him" back in May of last year.

 

[les26]

Does Sylvester act stressed when you go to actually put the drops in? I've had cats casually stroll away (I call this "sashaying") when they know something they don't love is coming, and are trying to avoid it without being difficult just because they don't love it, but aren't actually afraid.
CatladyJan mentioned glaucoma, definitely something to be looked into.

No, when she has him and he finally settles down so she can put the drop in he doesn't struggle at all, just sits there and lets her do it.

 

[les26]

I talked to the pharmacist today about it and she said when you heat Prednisolone drops it changes the composition of the it so she said not to do it too. She also said to try not to put it in the inside corner of the eye as it will run out, try for the middle.

So we'll see how it goes on the 17th, oh boy!!!

 

[iPappy]

I talked to the pharmacist today about it and she said when you heat Prednisolone drops it changes the composition of the it so she said not to do it too. She also said to try not to put it in the inside corner of the eye as it will run out, try for the middle.

So we'll see how it goes on the 17th, oh boy!!!

Good point about the pred drops. We kept a tiny dog with a heart problem and she got picky with her food, so we heated it up and made sure we crushed the pills into the food AFTER it was warmed, because we weren't sure if heating the meds up would change anything about them. Always better to be safe than sorry.
for the 17th!