# Coughing on liquid meds



## katlover13

RayRay gets 1ml of Doxycycline two times a day. It's not too hard to give it to him when I wrap a towel around him, but it worries me that he often coughs a lot afterward. I am afraid that he might be aspirating some of the medication. Does anyone know a safe way to give liquid meds without drowning the cat?


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## Mom of 4

If your cat is having a coughing fit after having been given liquid medication, it is a problem. The most common issue would be aspiration of the liquid into the lungs, with a pneumonia a possible result.

I assume you are using an oral syringe. What size syringe are you using? A one cc syringe would let you give a very small part of a cc at a time. Let him lick his mouth and swallow a couple of times before proceding.


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## gunterkat

Also, humans who have trouble swallowing liquid meds have an easier time if the medication is given in a thicker base, like Enfamil. Maybe you could put the doxycycline in some liquid he'll willingly lick up?


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## doodlebug

Are you inserting the syringe in the corner of his mouth between his cheek and teeth? If not, give that a try...


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## katlover13

He squirms so much that I am not able to aim very well. Maybe if I could get him in some kind of head lock...
I have tried the 1ml size and the 10ml size to see if one worked better then the other. I only squirt half at a time. Probably I should squirt even less and prolong the agony but eliminate the problem.
Unfortunately Doxycycline is such a bitter med - even when compounded as chicken or beef flavor - that it doesn't get eaten by choice even when mixed with something yummy.

Poor Ray! I would be seriously upset if anyone tried to squirt meds down my throat!!!


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## Mom of 4

A 10 cc syringe is way too big to give 1 cc of medicine. I suggest that you practice with the syringe between medicine times. You will be amazed how much easier it gets.

No head lock! Getting a friend to help, hold RayRay in the towel perhaps, while you hold his head and give the medicine.


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## doodlebug

When I had to give Callie 2 doses a day of Flagyl, which is AWFUL tasting stuff...I tried using liquid and tablets and ended up having the local compounding pharmacy put it in capsules...no awful taste and they go down a lot easier. I used a pill shooter and it got to the point where I didn't even have to wrap her in a towel...she tolerated it and knew that she was going to get fed right afterwards.


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## Mitts & Tess

Ive tried two different ways of giving liquid meds.

place kitty in your lap. Im usually sitting indian style with a towel across my lap. Scruff the cat. This controls his body and head. When aiming the syringe into the mouth aim it between the cheek and teeth. If the meds are foul tasting I mix it with baby food ham or turkey and use a large syringe of it. I put small doses into its mouth to swallow.

Or the easiest if the cat is crazy about the baby food is just mix it in a dollup and let the kitty lap it up on it own. The baby food hides the taste of the meds.

If the cat goes postal when medicated. You will need two people to hold it. One to keep it still while you inject the meds.

Sorry this is happening. Its so stressful on everyone involved.


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## katlover13

It worked! Mixing the Doxy with Fancy Feast actually worked! I thought if I tried doing it the only thing to lose would be one dose of the Doxycycline and _*he actually ate it!*_ 
Has anyone tasted Doxycycline? In the fight to get it down various cats throats I have mistakenly gotten some in my mouth. It is bitter and horrible. I really can hardly believe he ate it! I'm so happy and Ray won't hate me for being the medicine giver any more!


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## Mitts & Tess

This is good news. Now lets hope he is on a fancy feast binge and wont turn his nose up at it!  

Ive never understood why companies dont make animal meds in palital flavors. They do for kids why not our animals. You have to pay big bucks to have Compounding Pharmacies make them a nice flavor . Why not do it when manufactured???


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