Help with Charlie... update #16

[Scooter's Mom]

So... the vet.

Scooter is at 8.8 lbs! He's doing SO well. I'm a bad mommy and have never had his teeth cleaned. But they said I still don't need to - they're in terrific condition. He's going to be 12 in September, and he's doing awesome! He's such a good boy!

Now poor Charlie.
Charlie is only 7 lbs. He has a tiny bit of plaque on his teeth, they said nothing to worry about just yet. He does heve ulcers in the back of his mouth though. And, I made them do a urinalysis... it's got bacteria in it, as well as some crystals. So, he's been given Clavamox that I have to give him twice a day and take him back in to see the vet next Saturday.

Charlie HATES medicine. The next week or so will definately not be any fun trying to corner him to give him the medicine. Last time (when he had his surgery) we had to just chase him until he gave up, and sat in a corner. He is somewhat fractious - only wants to come to you if you're on the couch or the bed, or me in this chair. And he does NOT like you to walk towards him under any circumstances.

So, we'll see how it goes next week.

[kitimom]

A message for Charlie:
Dearest Charlie,
I am so sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well. I know that the medicine that Mom has to give you is yucky, but it will make you feel much better. Trust me on this. Mom is not trying to scare you or hurt you. She loves you very much and wants you to be 100% better.
Please be a good boy and let mom give you the medicine and try not to run and hide. All that stress isn't good for you!!
Love and Kisses,
Kitimom

[krazyaboutkatz]

I hope that Charlie gets better soon. Is the medicine in liquid or pill form? When Storm had a UTI he had pills so I used pill pockets to hide them and he loved them so there was no stress involved in giving him his pills.
I'm glad to hear that Scooter is healthy.

Since Charlie also has crystals, did the vet recommend a new diet for him?

[Scooter's Mom]

She said we'll run the test again next week. See where to go from there.
She does have a new diet we discussed but we agreed to see how he improves or doesn't on this antibiotic (Clavamox, liquid).

Hopefully he'll be much healthier soon.

[Catty1]

Do check the Pill Pockets - your vet might have them, or a good pet store.

Tastes better for Charlie - and less stress all around.

Maybe your vet would give you a sample pack to try, if she has them.

Good luck with dear Charlie!

[Catlady711]

Clavamox liquid is quite bitter tasting to animals, particularly cats who sometimes do the whole drooling all over the floor thing when they get it. Didn't your vet flavor it for you? At work we have a flavoring concoction that we can make meds just about any flavor from tuna and chicken to grape and root beer flavored. If your vet doesn't have this flavoring stuff, ask your local human pharmacists, it's the same stuff they use to flavor kids medicine, they might, for a small fee, flavor Charlie's Clavamox. It won't make it taste perfect but it will help make it more tolerable for Charlie.

Keep us posted.

[jennielynn1970]

So good to hear that Scooter is doing well! Poor Charlie, I hope he will be better soon!

[Medusa]

Good grief, I don't think a day goes by that I don't learn something from PT! What is a pill pocket? Is that the same thing as a pill popper used to give a cat a pill?

[jennielynn1970]

Good grief, I don't think a day goes by that I don't learn something from PT! What is a pill pocket? Is that the same thing as a pill popper used to give a cat a pill?

A pill pocket is a "treat like" thing that has a hole in the middle of it where you can place a pill and squeeze the end shut and hopefully your cat/dog will think it's just a treat and eat it! It worked with some of my guys who were hard to pill, and others just chewed all the treat part off of it and left the pill.
http://www.pillpockets.com/index_fs.htm

[Scooter's Mom]

Clavamox liquid is quite bitter tasting to animals, particularly cats who sometimes do the whole drooling all over the floor thing when they get it. Didn't your vet flavor it for you? At work we have a flavoring concoction that we can make meds just about any flavor from tuna and chicken to grape and root beer flavored. If your vet doesn't have this flavoring stuff, ask your local human pharmacists, it's the same stuff they use to flavor kids medicine, they might, for a small fee, flavor Charlie's Clavamox. It won't make it taste perfect but it will help make it more tolerable for Charlie.

Keep us posted.

We chose chicken flavor this time. Last time was tuna and he did not like it! lol... the hard part is cornering him, since he likes to be loved and touched only on HIS terms. I think it's because before he was a shelter kitty, he was an "I'm a kitty who was abandoned in the desert" kitty.