Bagheera was rushed to the vets this morning has upper respiratory infection but i need some help?

Question

he has to have a tablet twice a day and he has only ever had one tablet and that was milbemax for worming how on earth to i get tablets in a 21 week old kitten. he has been given an injection of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and goes back on friday. he should be fine in a couple of weeks.

so many different techniques. i am going to try without wrapping him in a blanket first as he isn't one for being restained. he seems much brighter this evening but still coughs. we have taken the dry food away from the cats for the time being till he has recovered as this seems to make him cough more.
the vet was also talking about asthma and the fact this all came on after we got some ambipur plug ins(a type of airfreshener) and also had to change their litter from clay to paper based as the supermarket hadn't got our normal stuff. could any of this have caused this cough and congestion.

Answer 1

It shouldn't be too hard in such a young cat. Firstly, is the cat eating well? It's fine to crush up antibiotics and mix them in with something yummy like tuna, just make sure it all gets eaten.

If your cat is too savvy to take tablets in food (and many are), you'll have to stuff it down her throat. This is not difficult if you use the right method:

It's best to try minimal restraint for this at first - towel wrapping is for later on! Try just holding the cat's head by putting one hand over the top of her head so your fingers are under her chin, then pull the head all the way back. This will make her mouth open easier, just pull her mouth open by using your finger to pull down the front of her bottom jaw. Then, either drop the tablet in the back of the cat's throat and hold her mouth closed and stroke her throat til she swallows, or ram it direcly down her throat so she doesn't even have to swallow (you have to be bold!)

You might need someone else to just hold on to her front paws while you do thi, but generally cats will not wriggle too much when their heads are being held firmly.

If you really can't get the tablets down the cat, you need to tell the vet. Don't let the cat go longer than a day with getting her antibiotics. The vet can help, some have long acting antiobitic injections available, but these are not suitable for all conditions, so perservere with the tablets first.

Chalice

Answer 2

hate to tell you but your kit could have this problem off and on for some time. URI are caused by viruses. There is really no cure for a virus but the antibiotics are given to treat or prevent secondary bacterial infections. Some of the viruses that cause URIs are the feline herpes virus and the calicivirus. Some cats may become carriers of these viruses. They can exhibit symptoms and have flare ups OR they can exhibit NO symptoms and shed the virus for up to 3 years. To keep your kitten from relapsing you can give him L-Lysine in his canned food every day. L-Lysine is in the vitamin and supplements section at pharmacies and grocery stores. Try about 500 mg L-Lysine per day (the pills are big so you will have to grind it and put it in food. L-Lysine disrupts the herpes virus cycle so that the virus does not flare up and the cat's own immune system can kill it (the virus that is). Keep litter boxes, toys, food bowls clean and sanitized as the virus can be picked up again from any bodily fluids. Keep the kit as stress free as possible as a stressed kit will have a weaken immune system which will cause a relapse. I have 15 rescue cats and 2 of them are carriers, every once in a while they will have flare ups and they will spread it to the other cats even though they are vaccinated they can still pick up strains that are not covered in the vaccines. I always have L-Lysine on hand as well as terramycin eye ointment and amoxicillin. I buy the last two at a pet supply place without a prescription. It is the same stuff you get from the vet! I only dose my animals when they need it and give them the proper course of treatment (sometimes it is twice a day for 2 weeks). I have been doing it long enough that I know what I am doing and do not hesitate to call my vet if something is wrong or the meds are not working. If you are not sure then you will need to take the kit to the vet for treatment. So- keep your cat indoors, make sure it is vaccinated, keep everything clean, give the L-Lysine supplement, contact your vet for antibiotics and eye treatement when necessary, make sure kit is still eating, drinking, and voiding (all three are vitally important), keep the kit warm, run a vaporizor to keep steam in the air to help break up congestion, keep the kit's eyes and nose clean with a warm damp wash cloth, and call your vet if your kit does not improve. Viruses usually run their course in 10 to 14 days. A bout or two or even three is not unheard of but it should all pass soon and you should not have to worry about a relapse.

Answer 3

We always had problems giving our cats worm tablets.....you can get a device from the vet called a pill plunger....it looks very much like a syringe with a slot at the end for the pill......its just a case of popping the pill on the end of the plunger and pushing the trigger.....always give a syringe of water straight after.
They will only cost a couple of pounds to buy.
Or you can get some little treats called pill pockets.....you place the pill inside the treat.....but I'm not so sure these would work as cats can smell tablets and wont touch the treats.
Also ask your vet if the medication is available in liquid form and then can be given by syringe

Answer 4

Here in the UK you can buy a device from the vets which is a plunger which dispenses pills quite easily. You can also try wrapping him tightly in a towel or blanket and get somebody else to pop the tablet in his mouth. Good luck, I know how difficult it can be!

Answer 5

Okay - this is a battle I have frequently had with my cat. Hold him tight (but don't hurt him). Push the tablet in at the corner of his mouth, getting it inbetween his teeth so it is definitely in his mouth.
Next hold his jaw with his face pointing upwards, so that he can do the swallow motion, but not open it wide enough to push the pill out with his tongue and stroke his throat to encourage the swallowing reflex.
You may find you lose one or two pills that go soggy if your kitten is really stubborn.
Good luck!

Answer 6

Ask if this medication is available in liquid form or if it can be compounded into one or into a cream. If you have a pet pharmacy in your city they can compound medications into another form for you usually at the same price as it would normally cost to get.

Answer 7

Talk to your cat. Reassure him.

Next, let him sit naturally facing forward between your knees as you kneel on the floor (carpet preferably; he will want to hold on). Talk reassuringly as you ease his chin upwards and prise his jaws apart - fingers on his incisors (front nibbling teeth) because his canines are sharp!

Place, drop or flick the pill to the back of his throat, making sure it lands dead centre so that he can't wriggle it to the side & spit. Press his jaws softly shut and stroke his throat downwards to encourage him to swallow. When his Adam's apple moves, release him. Stroke him & tell him, "All done."

Answer 8

if u are in england u can get this thing from the vet-called a pill popper??? tis like a long plastic thing u put pill in or on it and push it?? like a syringe and that way u shoudldnt get too badly scracthed. good luck
hope he gets better soon

Answer 9

Smother it in butter so that it slides down easier. Try to place it as far back into the mouth as possible, but not so far as to cause it to choke.

Answer 10

You could try hiding it in his food. Stick it in a piece of meat and give him the meat.