Pancreatitis - issues taking pills

[Smudge9]

Hi, my cat Smudge is nearly 10 and at her last check up the vet noticed that she had lost more than 1/2 a kilo for no reason. They did blood tests which showed that her white cell count was high, and her thyroid was low. Because of this, and also other factors i cannot remember, they performed an ultrasound which showed that the lining of her stomach was very thick and inflamed. The vet was concerned that this could have a sinister cause (cancer) and advised biopsies which we agreed to have done. In the 2 weeks between first having the blood test and by the time she had the biopsies she lost another 250g in weight. The results of this showed that it was thankfully not cancer, but that there was bacteria present as well as inflammation. She had a 2 week course of a targetted antibiotics, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and omeprezol to try and settle whatever was causing the inflammation.

Almost immediately after stopping the medication she started having very liquidly poo, as well as being sick on occasion after eating. We took her back to the vets this week, where they weighed her and she had lost another 100g. When the vet palpated her stomach she flinched in the area the pancreas is located. The vet took blood to look at in general and to also test specifically for pancreatitis. The results definitively shows that she does have pancreatitis alongside the previously identified stomach lining inflammation. (Sorry this post is so long!)

As of today we are on a new course of mediation - steroids for the inflammation, antibiotics incase there is still a bacterial issue remaining, medication to reduce nausea, omeprazole, and also a pain killer. In all 7.5 tablets a day. The first time around Smudge would happily take these tablets either hidden in her food, or wrapped in a treat of 'easy pill'. Unfortunately I just tried both of those things and she either just spat the tablets out or ate around them. The only thing I managed to do was to hide the pills in small pieces of cheese (hiding in another room so she couldn't see what I was doing). My question is, am I going to do her any harm giving her cheese? I assume it's better than her not having the medication at all. I have read about methods of holding them and forcing the pill down their throat, but Smudge is a very nervous cat, with frequent bouts of cystitis, so I really don't want to stress her unnecessarily.

Thanks in advance.

[mr_frisky]

Hi, sorry to hear Smudge has been poorly.

One of my cats had pancreatitis during the summer. http://www.catchat.org/felineforum/view ... =13&t=5064
I crushed the pills up with a hammer (in a handkerchief to stop the bits going everywhere) and sprinkled them on her dinner and she didn't seem to notice. Mine have the odd bit of cheese and it doesn't do them any harm. I suppose it's like milk.

I don't know about stomach lining inflamation, but I think another poster had that this year.

Hope she's better soon.

[Smudge9]

Thank you Mr Frisky, I've just read your thread and am spotting a lot of similarities in what you described. I am glad you're cat is better now.

Here's Smudge - shaved ultrasound belly and all!

[Lilith]

Hi Smudge - aww what a sweet girl; she's very like my Mouse except for her white nose; Mousey has half a white Mouse-tache lol

I'm so sorry to hear about the pancreatitis and I've no experience of that myself so no advice to offer, but a method of administering pills that works for me is to get 2 teaspoons, put the pill in the bowl of one and lay the bowl of the second on top of the pill. Then hold the whole lot over a small feeding bowl and grip both spoons hard while rubbing them together, a bit like rubbing your finger and thumb together. This grinds up the pill and any stray bits fall into the feeding bowl; the powdered stuff in the spoon is easily scooped out, to be covered with a small spoonful of whatever the cat fancies (in this house it's a gourmet style pouch food or tuna in water.) Mix well, and unless it's a very bitter pill, the cat usually wolfs it.

Best wishes for a good outcome and response to the meds

[Smudge9]

Hi, and thank you for the tip, I did try that once during her last course of medication and she turned her nose up to the whole plate of wet food - I may give it another try though.

Smudge says 'hi' to Mouse from her place on the sofa sleeping on the remnants of a destroyed catnip mouse!

[alanc]

Hi Smudge
My Tilly had Pancreatitis nearly a year ago now (made a full recovery). I also had troubles getting pills down her and resorted to the grind it up technique. However, if Smudge will take the pills in cheese, there is nothing wrong with feeding her cheese. Cottage cheese is good as you can easily push the pill into it and the pill tends to stick to the cheese as the cheese disappears down the cat!

[Smudge9]

Thank you Alanc, I am happy to hear that your cat is all recovered now. Cottage cheese is a good idea, I hadn't thought of that, lower in fat than hard cheese too, which I think will be a little easier for her digestive system to handle. Thanks again.

[emmab]

We use something called observence which is a beefy pate that moulds to the tablet. Works 50% of the time.I know some tablets are notbsupposed to be squashed into a powder as they will react differently and may irritate the tummy etc but is always a problem for us too.

[Janey]

I’ve had to hide lots of tablets in the past and found the best to be thick-type cream cheese, like Primula, and Webbox sticks if they are squishy, sometimes they can be a bit hard. I also found that giving a tablet straight down the hatch works best if you do it when the cat’s least expecting it, e.g. when they are having a snooze. Sounds a bit mean but sometimes needs must, and they are usually half asleep and don’t realise, then give them some praise and maybe a treat, so they see it as not such a bad experience.
Best of luck and fusses to gorgeous Smudge, hopefully he’s much better soon.

[Smudge9]

Hi all

Thanks for your replies. I have tried crushing the tablets up last time and she wouldn't touch it, so I don't think I want to try that again as I don't want to put her off her food. I spoke to the vets this morning and said how cheese was the only thing I could sneak the tablets in that she would eat - they said it is too high in fat and would tax the pancreas and to try something else, meat or fish ideally). I can't get to a supermarket today so I am limited to what we have at home, or what I can get from our local shop. So the options are:

Tuna in spring water (made into a little ball with the tablet inside? Crushed up in the water?
Chicken breast either raw or cooked (she has occasionally had cooked chicken in the past but has never had it raw)
A bratwurst type thing called 'mortadella' I have just got from the local shop (I thought this looked good at first glance, but on getting it home and reading the ingredients i am now not so sure :/ - spices inc garlic and onion - although listed low down so I would assume in a small amount)

I guess it's just trial and error, but i'd appreciate any thoughts as I don't want to waste too many pills as it will then mean she doesn't get the full course of them. I am going back to the vets tomorrow to pick up some special food for her so if i'm still having problems I'll also discuss it with them.

Generally she seems ok today, ate breakfast and has been sleeping all morning on the sofa, maybe a bit more lethargic than normal, but i guess that might just be the result of the medication, and also went for me when I stroked her stomach (which she never normally does)

Thanks, Lucy

[Janey]

What about a little bit of corned beef? I’m sure I’ve used that the odd time as it can be squished round food. Also prawns, one of mine could take a tablet in a king prawn cut in half.

[Smudge9]

Thanks Janey, that's a good idea, i've just been out to get a tin of it, so fingers crossed.

Smudge has not done a poo today which I am a little concerned about as she normally goes every morning, wee'ing just fine (sorry, tmi). Maybe it is just her body getting used to all the different medications?

[Janey]

Yep change more than likely. Fingers crossed with the tablets xx

[Smudge9]

So, they both LOVED corned beef, but the second a pill was hidden inside, nope, Smudge put it in her mouth and spat the whole thing out, tried in a bit of Webbox stick, same, finally gave in and used cheese and she ate it, 1/2 of 1 antibiotic instead of the 1 1/2 she was supposed to have not good. And running out of ideas.

[alanc]

I sympathize with your predicament. If it is the fat content your vet is concerned about, cottage cheese has a lot less fat than normal cheese ( see the fat content of cheese chart here: http://www.lnds.nhs.uk/Library/Fatconte ... lNov11.pdf ). May be as well to ask your vet whether it is better Smudge gets the pill or some fat! One other possibility for conning her into taking the pill is scrambled egg, but after that, I am out of ideas.

[Smudge9]

Thank you! It's v frustrating as I feel like I am somehow 'failing' her. She does like scrambled eggs so I'll give that a try. And I am going to the vets again tomorrow so I'll have a chat with them too. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many pills! 7.5 a day, and of those some need to be halved as they are too big to hide in anything - so 10.5 'bits' to sneak past her every day

[Janey]

There are low fat cheeses, and cream cheases, some are half fat and not much different to some meats or oily fish, so maybe your vet would say that’s ok?

[Smudge9]

Smudge took her tablets this morning, some in corned beef and a couple still in cheese. I'm going to try for all corned beef tonight and see how we get on. and I'm off to the vets soon to pick up her food so i'll have a chat with them too. TMI time - she finally went to the loo, shrivelled up little black raisin pooh!

[Lilith]

Oh well, better out than in ... as the actress said to the bishop ...

(Sorry - I have a silly sense of humour )

She'll probably feel a lot better for that though, and glad she's behaving herself with her meds, all the best with her

[Smudge9]

Thank you

We've just got back from the vets and cheese/corned beef are a big no no as the fat will 'feed the pancreatitis' so now we've got chicken/chicken livers and egg (just egg white) to try.

[Kay]

most cats love liver, so the chicken livers, poached gently so they stay soft and squidgy, could well be a winner

[Smudge9]

So...that was an adventure. Poached chicken livers and also poached some chicken breast.

Chopped up a little bit of chicken and they both wolfed it down. Chopped up a little bit of liver and they both turned their noses up!

Anyway, managed to get her to take all her pills tonight (minus 1 painkiller) in blended up warm chicken breast. We'll see if that works again in the morning

[Janey]

That’s good news and good luck for tomorrow

[Smudge9]

So, after scratches/hiding/spitting tablets out and general distress i've called the vets and they are able to give the antibiotics and steroids as injections. I've booked her in, but am now scaring myself after reading hoŕror stories about the risks of steroid injections. Does any one have any experience/thoughts on it? I asked about steroid cream but they said it won't get into her system through a cream and is purely topical. My gut is telling me to go with an antibiotic injection but to persevere woth steroids as pills as it is only 1 a day for another 4 days

[Smudge9]

Change of plan again, BF spoke to our vet yesterday (as it was the receptionist that suggested injections) - she wasn't happy to do a steroid injection because of the possible side effects, and it wouldn't have just been one antibiotic injection - we would have to have taken Smudge in several times. So no we've got a syringe thing with a rubber end that you can put the pills in to give that way, worked yesterday evening so fingers crossed Smudge will just let us do that from now on.

[Mayday21]

Hi Smudge good on you for knowing how to use the pill popper! I've tried but obviously my mechanical stills are lacking. Keep us posted. Vivian