Giving medications to cats can be daunting, but there are alternatives to\u00a0 make the process easier. Many people have success hiding medications in their\u00a0 cat’s favorite treat or in commercially available treats designed with a pouch\u00a0 for hiding pills.<\/p>\n
Another option is to have medications compounded into a form and flavor that\u00a0 works for your pet. This involves dissolving or suspending medications into a\u00a0 palatable liquid base that can be given directly into the mouth or hidden in the\u00a0 food.<\/p>\n
Cats are sensitive to bitter tastes or strange smells in their food and may\u00a0 not get the full dose if this approach is used, but specially trained\u00a0 pharmacists at compounding pharmacies can add sweeteners, or use a different\u00a0 form of the base medication to offset bitterness or acidity. They also have a\u00a0 large range of flavoring agents, from meat to fruit flavors, in order to appeal\u00a0 to many different species of pets.<\/p>\n
Some medications can be made into a chewable, flavored treat. Compounding\u00a0 pharmacies are available throughout the Bay Area. Ask your veterinarian if this\u00a0 is an option the next time a medication is prescribed.<\/p>\n
Compounding pharmacies can also put some medications in gels or patches where\u00a0 the drug is absorbed through the skin or ear flap. While this route is not\u00a0 available for all medications and the dose actually absorbed can vary depending\u00a0 on ambient temperature or blood flow to the skin, it’s a nice option and avoids\u00a0 the owner dealing with sharp teeth.<\/p>\n
Finally, some owners find it easier to give injections, especially if they’ve\u00a0 had prior experience. Your veterinarian can show how it is done if they feel\u00a0 that’s an appropriate option.<\/p>\n
Kirsten Williams, DVM, Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Clinic,\u00a0 Oakland<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Giving medications to cats can be daunting, but there are alternatives to\u00a0 make the process easier. Many people have success hiding medications in their\u00a0 cat’s favorite treat or in commercially available treats designed with a pouch\u00a0 for hiding pills. Another option is to have medications compounded into a form and flavor that\u00a0 works for your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cats"],"yoast_head":"\n