Kai is about 7 years old, rescued from a hoarder situation, and although we've had her five years now, she's still skittish. I can't pick her up for more than a second or two, and my girlfriend can't get within five feet of her. She was apparently pretty badly abused in her previous life.

The Vet says she is developing arthritis and prescribed Dasuquin, two capsules sprinkled on her food each day. Naturally, she resists this, and tonight was an unsuccessful battle over several hours. She only eats dry food, won't eat it with the Dasuquin, and won't eat any canned treats we've tried. This has been going on for a month, now.

Ironically, despite her skittishness, she's quite easy to pill. I guess after all these years she trusts me that much.

Any suggestions of other medications I could try giving her orally (after checking with my Vet, of course)?

Why not pack the powder in a capsule if that’s easy?

quote:

Any suggestions of other medications I could try giving her orally

According to the manufacturer's website, Capsules may be “pilled” if more convenient.
https://www.dasuquin.com/en/da...e-capsules-for-cats/

So, give it as a pill, orally.

Thanks for the rapid responses.

The powder is already in capsules, the Vet wants me to spill it out onto the food. I know it says to just pill her if more convenient, but the Vet insists on mixing the powder with the food. If nobody comes up with a better solution, I'll switch to pilling her and hope the Vet's OK with that. Apparently the meds are more effective when sprinkled on food.

https://www.amazon.com/Churu-C...ouches/dp/B07D338L38

girlfriends cats go craz for this stuff.
it’s like crack to them.

I’m pretty sure the vet would prefer pilling to nothing at all. Cats can be notoriously difficult about meds. They may have thought you were going to have an easier time with the food, or perhaps absorption is better with food. Either way, solvable. Give a treat after pilling, or have them switch you to another med. Give them a call and find out.

Yeah, I was hoping to find alternatives to pilling, since I have a great deal of respect for my Vet (unlike many others I've used over the years), but since nobody has a better idea I'm just going to call him and say that pilling is the only option.

Thanks for the input, guys.

medication for arthritis for a seven yo cat seems odd to me. She is just entering into the prime of her life unless her breed is different from most. I would question the need for medication myself.

Try these, luckily I can easily pill mine. They both had health problems as kittens, so it happened a good bit at a young age.

If possible, roll her up in a Purrito, a towel, Using a syringe, grind and/or mix the powder into a watery slurry with water. Pack the syringe, tilt kitty back and let it fly down the throat under moderate pressure. just enough water, no need to drown her.

Not too much water, just enough to make it flow.

A proper sized eye dropper can work in a pinch but the vet should have syringes, needleless of course.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
medication for arthritis for a seven yo cat seems odd to me...

Of 135-150 cats recovered from this hoarder, nearly all had major health issues. The two we took both suffered from mange and constant diarrhea for over a year before our Vet was able to find the right combination of diet and meds. In addition, all the Siamese got "special attention" from one of the family members, probably the wife. Most of them lived outside all their lives, including during Northern Illinois winters. I suspect that's the cause of the arthritis.

Glad you have them and are providing a loving home. We have given temp. antibiotics via a syringe. Works good. Not sure I would want to do it everyday unless no other option was available. Do talk with your vet some more.

Skins and Chuck, thanks, but as I said, pilling Kai is not a problem. She trusts me enough that I can easily get her to take pills, and even trim her claws.

I’ve been giving my cat arthritis medicine the past 15 months. Her whole life she’s been horrible at the vet and horrible to give medications.

The vet prescribed her transdermal gabapentin and it is applied inside the ear. I thought the vet was nuts but then remembered how much Splash likes canned cat food (once a week treat) so I thought I’d make it an every day food and apply the transdermal while she is distracted. Works like a champ. Nothing can slow down her eating canned cat food and even the people who feed her when I’m out of town can apply the transdermal while she eats canned cat food.

Not only is the gabapentin easy to apply, it has no visible side effects. She is as excited at morning feeding as she was 10 or 15 years ago, she’s affectionate, and playful for her age (18.5). The previous med was a syringe I shot into her mouth (not fun catching her or trying to get it in her mouth) and she had no enthusiasm for life.

Only downside is that it has to be made at a compounding pharmacy and it costs $42 for 60 days.

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:
Skins and Chuck, thanks, but as I said, pilling Kai is not a problem. She trusts me enough that I can easily get her to take pills, and even trim her claws.

I suggested those because it's a treat plus pill. Some food at least with medicine. Personally I've never used them but my vet suggested them.

If it was me, if manufacturer says pilling OK, then I'd pill and immediately feed her. Kind of a compromise on administering with feed.

Dasaquin is for the most part a GAG supplement ( glucosamine/chondroitin) so a reasonable alternative is Adaquan. This is an injectable the vet can give and save you some pain. Also consider adding good omega 3 fatty acids, specifically a high quality DHA/EPA like Nordic Naturals or Wellactin , or whatever your vet likes to help manage OA in a cat. I normally shoot for around 1000 mg of combined DHA and EPA per day per cat as a goal.

Check with your vet, but what works for our dogs, is putting a pill in a small amount of peanut butter.

quote:

Originally posted by dgrdvm:
...Adaquan...

I'll ask the Vet about this one. According to on-line sources it can be a subcutaneous injection, which I have done frequently in the past, but it's not yet approved for cats. Vets are apparently using it on cats, but we'll see what my guy says. Turns out he's out of town today.

As good as Kai is at taking pills, I'd much rather do shots a couple times a month, and not have the regimen of twice-daily pills.

I've found that the only way is to mix it with with wet food.

quote:

Ironically, despite her skittishness, she's quite easy to pill.

Wait until after Kai eats, grab Kai by the name of the neck, and insert the pill.