Is dry pilling a cat dangerous? This article says so. What do y'all think?

[moosmom]

I have to pill two cats twice a day, everyday. Two of the medications are supplements. Because Bartie is so fragile (16 years+ and counting!!) I dilute them in water. So much easier than jamming a pill down his throat. Not only that, but it prevents him from getting a pill caught in his throat and hurting him.

This vet makes sense to me!!! I wouldn't take a pill without water, why would my cat???

[phesina]

Donna, how do you dilute them in water, let them soak in some for a bit? If so, does some of the pill dissolve away?

[pomtzu]

I never really thought about this, but it makes sense when you think about it. Both of The Fuzzbuttz get meds twice each day, and there's no way I can get a pill into them by dry piling. Sparky gets his hidden in Velveeta cheese balls, and Myndi's get crushed and added to her food. She got wise to me hiding hers in cheese, so I tried dissolving in a bit of water, but she manages to let that dribble out of her mouth too, no matter how long I hold her mouth closed. She's too darn smart for her own good!

[moosmom]

Pat,

I pulverize the pill into a powder. I take a syringe full (about .20 ml) of water and add it to a crushed up pill. Slides down the throat much easier. When you syringe it into the cat, blow in the cats nose and rub his throat. He'll automatically swallow. Works like a charm!!!

[catmandu]

I always try to have a pill in gel fom, as it is easier to give to My Cats who will sit still for pills.

[phesina]

Thanks, Donna, for the helpful-sounding pilling information. I give Sydney liquid Metronidazole (for diarrhea) twice a day and Amlodipine (for blood pressure) once a day. I found early on that he has a good tendency to dribble a lot out even if I shoot the syringe down at the back of his throat and then rub his throat.

He also gets a semi-soft sort of paste called Pro-Pectalin, a probiotic for the diarrhea three times a day. I found that if I rub a blob of the Pro-Pectalin on the roof of his mouth right after he gets the syringe-full, he swallows that down and there's nowhere near the dribbling. But still some comes out sometimes.

The next time (he gets his Amlodipine dose soon) I'll try the blowing on his nose and rubbing his throat and see if that works better.

Thanks!

from me and Sydney

[Pinot's Mom]

I never thought about it, either, but it does make sense. I think back on how sick poor little Pinot was when she came to us, and the thought of making her take those pills dry when she already felt so bad... I wish I had seen this then! I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future, though.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have to pill Storm 4 times a day. Luckily he loves pill pockets so I wrap them in some of it and he eats it like it's a treat. Before pill pockets came along, I would try the pill dispensor method to help save my hands. After I placed the pill in their throat, I would have a syringe full of water to help to wash it down. This also makes sure that they swallow it and then you don't end up finding the pill later on the floor.