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Administering Remedies to Your = Companion

OK, you've done the research and found the right remedy or = combination=20 of remedies for your dog or cat's condition. Great! You order the = herbs or=20 remedies and anxiously await the delivery of the package. The box = arrives;=20 you open it up and call Fido or Fluffy to come get a "treat." = (Hopefully=20 you remembered to order some REALLY delicious treats when you = ordered that=20 remedy). Good start =E2=80=93 giving your companion a treat with = remedy bottle in=20 hand may help her associate the remedy bottle with yummy treats. = Now=20 what?

Well, if you are about to administer a remedy to a dog = =E2=80=93 breathe a sigh=20 of relief and be thankful he's not a cat. If it's a tablet or = capsule all=20 you need is a little meat, cheese or peanut butter and down the = hatch it=20 will go. Almost like Mary Poppins style magic =E2=80=93 "Just a = spoon full or=20 sugar..."

Not so easy with a cat. Every cat owner has received at least = one=20 humorous email about "pilling a cat" that describes a hilarious = scene=20 involving multiple injuries and bandages applied to the cat owner, = pills=20 flying through the air =E2=80=93 frequently to be inadvertently = swallowed by said=20 cat owner, and visions of retrieving angry felines from draperies = and=20 chandeliers. The reason we laugh so hard at these jokes is that = they are=20 not that far from the truth! Getting medication or remedies into a = cat can=20 be an excruciating endeavor.

Here are a few hints to help you administer remedies to your = companion.=20 We'll start with how to work with liquids and later address = "pilling a=20 pet".

Liquid remedies such as herbs, homeopathics or flower essences = may=20 contain a small amount of alcohol as a preservative. If the = alcohol smell=20 and taste is too strong for your companion, measure the dosage = into a=20 small vial or shot glass and let it sit out for 15-20 minutes to = let the=20 alcohol evaporate. Alternatively, drop the dosage into a small = amount of=20 heated water to speed the evaporation of the alcohol. The = additional water=20 will not affect the potency of the remedy. It is best to use a dosing=20 syringe or extra dropper to administer the diluted remedy so = you do=20 not contaminate the remedy bottle with bacteria from the animal's=20 mouth.

Most herbal tinctures can be added to the food-this will work = well for=20 dogs. Cats, of course, may reject their food if you add anything = new. If=20 you have a fussy feline we suggest mixing the remedy with a bit of = really=20 yummy canned food or a treat. Canned=20 tripe works well as it has a strong smell and most animals = love the=20 taste, re-hydrated freeze-dried=20 chicken treats and tuna juice also do the trick.

Most homeopathic remedies are best given at least 20 minutes = before or=20 after a meal. Ideally there should be no food residue in the = mouth. Drop=20 the liquid directly into the animal's mouth or on the gums (after=20 evaporating the alcohol). If this proves impossible for your = companion,=20 then mix the remedy with a small amount of food or a treat.

Tablets and capsules present a bit more of a challenge. Some = guardians=20 have perfected the practice of opening their companion's mouth and = popping=20 the pill far enough back that the animal is forced to swallow it. = This is=20 fine if it works for you, but it is very important that you follow = administration of the pill with enough liquid or food to wash the = pill=20 down the animal's throat. We don't swallow vitamins or pills = without water=20 or food and we should not expect an animal to do so either. The = lining of=20 the esophagus is delicate and easily irritated by pills or = capsules that=20 pass too slowly or get stuck. Painful ulcers can develop when some = herbs=20 or medications remain in the esophagus too long. Most dogs and = cats will=20 not voluntarily drink water if a pill is stuck in their throat-so=20 encourage them with broth, tuna juice or diluted canned food or = baby food.=20 Coating the tablet or capsule with butter prior to administering = it will=20 help it go down more smoothly as well.

Do not tip your companion's head up and try to force them to = swallow=20 the pill this way; it is much more difficult to swallow with the = head=20 tilted up. After dropping the pill in, let your dog or cat's head = return=20 to a normal position and gently hold their mouth closed. Tickling = the=20 throat or blowing into the nose softly may encourage them to = swallow.

Most dogs will readily swallow tablets or pills in a treat if = you break=20 the pieces small enough for them to swallow easily-which is a lot = less=20 stressful than prying the mouth open and administering the pill = dry.=20 Surround the pill with cheese, peanut butter, or a bit of canned=20 food-whatever your dog or cat really loves. If you have a = companion with a=20 dexterous tongue who tends to find the tablet or capsule inside = the treat,=20 it helps to give a couple treats without the pill first so they = are not=20 suspicious, and then follow with the hidden pill. Don't make the = treat so=20 large that they have to chew or maneuver it around in their = mouth-you want=20 them to just taste and swallow. Pill=20 Pocket treats can make the whole job much easier as they are = tasty=20 treats designed to hide a pill in. Alternatively, you can crush = tablets=20 and open capsules to mix with food with a tablet=20 splitter/crusher.

Which brings us back to the tricky issue of pilling a cat. The = first=20 step is to retrieve the first aid kit from under the bathroom = sink. (OK,=20 hopefully not). The calmer you are about this procedure the less = anxious=20 your cat will be, and the more likely you will be able to repeat = this a=20 second time (hopefully as many times as need be). Begin with a = picture in=20 your mind of the entire procedure going quickly and smoothly. Got = that=20 vividly imagined in your mind? Good, now=E2=80=A6=20

Get the tablet or capsule out and handy FIRST (this is much = harder=20 once you have a writhing feline under your arm). Coat the tablet = or=20 capsule with butter. Also have a dropper or syringe=20 with =C2=BD tsp or so of liquid nearby.=20
Many cat guardians find it easiest to wrap the cat in a = towel to=20 avoid those troublesome claws.=20
Kneel on the floor and put the cat between your knees (head = facing=20 forward of course). You can close your feet around the back of = the cat=20 to prevent her from escaping through the rear. Some people = prefer to=20 hold the cat on a table or counter and tuck the cat's rear into = the=20 crook of their elbow. Whatever position you choose the cat = should be=20 positioned in front of you with their head facing away - so that = she=20 cannot back away. It is important to approach the cat from the = side or=20 rear with the pill =E2=80=93 do not approach from the front or = she will be more=20 anxious and more likely to escape.=20
With your hand over the cat's head, tilt her nose to the = ceiling and=20 pry her mouth open =E2=80=93 inserting the thumb in one corner = of the mouth and=20 a finger in the opposite corner.=20
With the other hand - grasp the pill between your thumb and = index=20 finger, use a free finger to push down in the center of the = lower jaw=20 between the two canine teeth (long teeth), just inside the cat's = mouth=20 to open the mouth wide enough for you to insert the pill.=20
Try to place the pill back far enough on the tongue (beyond = the=20 "hump") but do not put your fingers so far back as to cause the = cat to=20 gag. Then let the head return to normal position.=20
Smear a little butter on your cat's nose, lips or paw to = encourage=20 them to lick and swallow, or blow on their nose.=20
Now slowly squirt the dropper or syringe=20 of water or other liquid into your cat's mouth to help move the = pill=20 down the esophagus.=20
Pet and praise profusely (provided your cat has not yet = escaped),=20 and give her a yummy treat (which will further help to wash the = pill=20 down). Freeze-dried chicken treats are a favorite = and can be=20 crumbled and mixed with water for a paste consistency if need=20 be.

Warning =E2=80=93 as long as your cat's head is elevated = =E2=80=93 nose pointing up =E2=80=93=20 he cannot bite you. Do not try to pill a cat with his head in a = normal=20 position or you may be bitten.

Drooling or foaming at the mouth is not unusual for a stressed = animal,=20 particularly after administering a remedy. It is a good idea to = check your=20 dog or cat's mouth to make sure the pill is gone before releasing = her.=20 Some cats are quite clever and will "pretend" to have swallowed = the=20 capsule only to walk away and deposit it behind your sofa. Most = dogs are,=20 thankfully, a bit less sneaky and will just drop the pill at your = feet so=20 you can retrieve it and try again.

After you reward Fluffy or Fido for taking their remedy, don't = forget=20 to reward yourself for being so clever. A bit of chocolate or a = glass of=20 wine=E2=80=A6 whatever defuses the stress =E2=80=93 just so you = don't hide under the bed=20 when it's time to administer the next dose.

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