Advice Re Recuperating Peke.

[esky]

Hi all,

Really need some DOL advice please.

My old peke boy George was in ICU for 5 days with what turned out to be dynamic airway collapse & secondary pneumonia.

He thankfully made it through & is now home & is on an extended course of clavulox & enroflaxin antibiotics as well as ongoing theophyline tablets to help his airways.

First problem: he is really starting to become upset when it's tablet time as I have to push them down by hand. He will not take them in food & has started to not want to eat in case they are in there. He takes a bit then rolls it around his mouth & spits it out again. He is really not trusting that there is no tablet in there. He will only eat his much loved liver treats without a fight. I have two more weeks of this at 5 tablets a day & don't know what to do?

Secondly: Is there any supplements that I can give him whilst he is still on his antibiotics & not eating much? I haven't been able to get much advice from his vets on this as I think they are just focusing on the medicines at the moment. Wasn't sure if I could give him some Protexin paste or if that would even help? I feel he needs some vitamins or something?

Finally: any advice on any foods that I should try to see if I can encourage his appetite back?

Thanks in advance for any hep.

[Crisovar]

Buy a pill popper and try that with a smear of Nutrigel on the tab.

Nutrigel is a high calorie supplement that stimulates the appetite.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Crisovar

[Alyosha]

Protexin would be fantastic, even Yakult helps pep some up while on ABs.

Will he take the tabs crushed and mixed into something mushy and tasty?

[persephone]

If tablets are coated (ie:smooth/shiny, and and usually curved surfaces) do not crush them..they are coated so they dissolve at a certain point along the digestive tract .. they may not work properly, or do damage to the stomach if crushed .

I second a pill popper ..it is much easier than fingers , and hopefully less distressing.

Failing that, ask your vet if a substitute medication can be given per injection .

Stressing an old dog with airway probs is not such a good plan . (stressing an owner isn't, either ;) )

Also - try giving him nutrigel , definitely!!

Will he drink? make beef soup , or (lactose free) milk shakes with egg yolk ..

try him on fish? sardines, or tuna maybe ?

try him also on fresh roo mince- it usually smells pretty enticing to dogs .

poor old fella.

[esky]

Unfortunately he won't take the tablets now in anything & because the tablets do have a taste/smell to them he won't go anywhere near the food if I do hide it

He really has started associating food (& my hands) with his tablets.

Is protexin ok to be taken with antibiotics? I have read conflicting info so not sure what to do. I have rung the specialist hospital up so many times I feel awful ringing them just to ask that.

[esky]

If tablets are coated (ie:smooth/shiny, and and usually curved surfaces) do not crush them..they are coated so they dissolve at a certain point along the digestive tract .. they may not work properly, or do damage to the stomach if crushed .

I second a pill popper ..it is much easier than fingers , and hopefully less distressing.

Failing that, ask your vet if a substitute medication can be given per injection .

Stressing an old dog with airway probs is not such a good plan . (stressing an owner isn't, either ;) )

Also - try giving him nutrigel , definitely!!

Will he drink? make beef soup , or (lactose free) milk shakes with egg yolk ..

try him on fish? sardines, or tuna maybe ?

try him also on fresh roo mince- it usually smells pretty enticing to dogs .

poor old fella.

I phoned the specialist this morning & they advised that there is no injectable equivalent to his antibiotics unfortunately Apparently, the combo he is having is the only & best solution for him.

I will definitely go buy some nutrigel - I had it many years ago for another ill baby & had forgotten about it!

I only rescued him 1 yr ago (he is now 13) so he is REALLY set in his ways about what foods he eats. He normally loves chicken but I made the mistake of hiding a tablet in there & he found it & now he won't touch chicken the last few days. He also normally loves chicken necks (I crush them & cut them up into little pieces) but he won't go there either. Other than that, he hates other raw meat.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Can you ask the vets if injectable antibiotics are an option for him? Hope he is feeling better soon - poor old fella. Oh just saw the answer :)

Edited January 13, 2012 by lavendergirl

[persephone]

Bother

I have no more suggestions, except , when you do poke 'em down, that they are well coated with nutrigel, or bacon , or butter .. just to provide something a bit pleasant ...

[~Anne~]

Thakfully with Pugs Ive never really had the issue.

Perhaps try to get the trust back by buying a bbq'd chook and offering him a tidbit every 30 minutes or so, minus any meds, until he trusts you. Then using a pill cutter, break it up into the smallest bits you can (perhaps quarters). Place alittle in each tidbit. Offer him one with tablet, a couple without.

[Alyosha]

Protexin is ok with the abs, some people think it's a waste as the abs may keep destroying the good bacteria, but it seems to work at maintaining some levels in the meantime, and boost them quicker when the meds are done.

[RuralPug]

Esky - I have had some fussy seniors through here (not normally Pugs though!) and usually eventually succeed. Things to try:

Offer him a drink of honey syrup (tablespoon of ordinary honey dissoved in a tablespoon of boiling water and allowed to cool), this will help to soothe his throat and will also add a little glucose into his system (not as much as the Nutrigel will though). Not all dogs like this though, so don't panic if he doesn't.

Make a large enough pile of treats to serve two or three of your dogs, plus a very small separate pile with his meds concealed.(use Anne's suggestions of only 1/2 or 1/4 tablet in each treat). Gather the two or three dogs and begin offering treats to them all - he will refuse at first, ok fine any treat he refuses offer to another dog - he will see them taking and enjoying them and so hopefully he will soon want in, although it may take a couple of sessions. As soon as he has accepted a couple of non-doctored treats, offer him one with the pill and then quickly offer him another so that he swallows the doctored one in a big hurry to get the next (undoctored) treat before one of the others does.

Once I have them quickly taking the treats so that the other dogs don't get them I usually give two undoctored then the pill one then another quick undoctored one. Do be careful that none of the others get the doctored one!!:laugh:

The best treats for the purpose are tiny somethings they can swallow right down without chewing.