Tully's not doing well

[Caro]

Maybe she's slightly better today, although hard to tell as she's asleep on the floor. Yesterday I got some Carafate into her, to line her stomach. It was something I had left over from Deska. I can't seem to get any vet to call me back. I tried the local vet too and they are booked until Wed and the receptionist said they'd ring back to let me know if they can just issue the usual nausea meds. Still waiting on that call.

If the Carafate is okay I've got enough to keep giving it to her. Just got to work out a better method. Deska was easy because I crushed it and mixed it with milk and he just drank it. Tully's a bugger with meds. My first 2 attempts were a disaster. I tried putting it in a syringe with tuna water, first time it ended up on the kitchen blind, second time it ended up on me. Third time I had some success, but most of the tablet residue was left in the syringe. Any ideas how to get it into her?

 

[Phoebe'smom]

When I have to give Phoebe pills, I briefly microwave a small bit of cheese just to soften it and then wrap it around the pill. I don't know if Tully can handle cheese, but Phoebe gulps it right down. I generally have three bits and the pill is in the middle one. She is greedy

 

[Elei]

I usually wrap the pill in something tasty. Cheese, peanut butter, a piece of chicken skin. Kip is easy. I can just mix the pill with his food and he doesn’t notice.

Jessie won’t eat pills no matter how I disguise it. So I have to put the pill on the back of her tongue, and then she swallows it. No fun

 

[Caro]

Unfortunately with IBD and now GBM she can't have anything with fat, or that's off diet. No chicken. I tried mixing in tuna because I figured it was so stinky it would hide the chalk, but she spit it all over the floor and pupzilla started licking it up.

The Carafate tablet is huge (almost and inch) and is just like chalk, so I crush it.

 

[Darren]

Harley hated some of his pills and no matter what I hid it in he would find it and spit it out. I had to crush them down to powder and then open his mouth and tip it to the back. The powder then stuck to his saliva at the back and he had no choice but to swallow. I then spoiled him with a few of his favorite treats so he learned it wasn't a totally bad experience.

 

[ghggp]

Since the pill is so big can you break it up into much smaller pieces and then give it to her throughout the day. Similar to what Darren suggested?

 

[Caro]

Harley hated some of his pills and no matter what I hid it in he would find it and spit it out. I had to crush them down to powder and then open his mouth and tip it to the back. The powder then stuck to his saliva at the back and he had no choice but to swallow. I then spoiled him with a few of his favorite treats so he learned it wasn't a totally bad experience.

I haven't tried that, given it to her dry. Will definitely give it a go - if I can prize her mouth open. Amazing the strength of her little jaw when she clamps it shut.

At least if she tried to spit it out I wouldn't end up covered in tuna water!

Unfortunately it all has to be given at once and only at certain times so it lines her stomach and doesn't interfere with the absorption of nutrients and meds.

 

[Piper's mom]

My last dog, a Cocker I'd just open her mouth...drop it at the back of her tongue...close her mouth and blow into her nose. Causes them to swallow. She was easy...tried that with Piper and no way! Like you said, he'd clamp his jaws shut and refused lol. Do you think if you crushed it and let it sit in water for a few minutes (to dissolve) and then used the syringe and just shoot it between her back teeth? She'd have no choice but to swallow. Sounds like your options are limited so maybe just try to get it down her throats as fast as possible?

 

[trini]

Caro, I am so sorry Tully is struggling. You must be exhausted both emotionally and physically...it is so stressful to have a beloved little soul not doing well. Sending many hugs and good wishes to Tully and to you.

Trini

 

[Caro]

Do you think if you crushed it and let it sit in water for a few minutes (to dissolve) and then used the syringe and just shoot it between her back teeth? She'd have no choice but to swallow. Sounds like your options are limited so maybe just try to get it down her throats as fast as possible?

Ha ha - that's how it ended up on the curtains and my top. Combination of my poor syringe technique and Tully moving her head at the last minute. Little bugger.