My cat broke his jaw. How do I feed him and give meds after surgery?

I can certainly understand your frustration. Cats are very smart at not taking their nedicaiton. I would talk to your vet about getting his medicaiton compounded into a flavor that he likes. There also may be an alternative medication in capsule form that won’t taste like anything that you can hide in a soft treat or a pill pocket. Most vets carry pill pockets or you can get these from your local pet store in many situations (call first). And finally there is a “pill gun” or “pet piller” that your vet should be able to sell you to make it easier to give Diggie his medicaiton. I surely hope this helps you in giving Digger his medicaiton. And remember that cats will often feed off of our energy, so try to keep a level head and be firm with him, then cuddle him and praise him every time he takes his medication well. I also find it helpful to use a large soft blanket to help hold my cats still when I want to give them their medication. This also prevents you from getting scratched. Best of luck to you and take care.

I'm sorry to hear Leo isn't doing well. If he's not eating or drinking to the point of dehydration, it would be best to bring him into your vet or an ER vet ASAP for care. They may need to give IV pain medications and fluids to get him feeling comfortable enough to be able to eat and drink again. Without knowing what medication you were given, it would be hard to tell how to administer it, but there are pill tools (available at most pet stores) that you can place the pill into that can then be inserted father into your cat's mouth without being bitten. However, since he hasn't eaten or drank in several days and is now dehydrated, seeking veterinary care first is best.

This is a common problem with cats and it's likely that most of them don't get their full dose due to spitting or accidental wastage. While it's best to make sure she gets the full dose, there will be some effect even if she gets a little. I usually don't prescribe antibiotics for extractions unless there appears to be a bad infection. I'm sure your vet prescribed them for good reason, but you can always call and ask how important they are and let them know that it's nearly impossible to give. They may advise you to stop the medication, or have an alternative solution to the problem. I hope that helps and Vivian gets better soon.

It's hard to know what's going on with him without seeing the xrays and knowing which pain medications your cat is on. Hopefully there is an opiate on-board like a long-acting buprenorphine injection to help appropriately with the pain. Usually with adequate pain medication cats will start eating after an injury if there is no other issue like kidney disease or a ruptured bladder (like from trauma). If he has not had bloodwork and a urine test done, I recommend these tests to make sure there isn't something else going on besides the fracture. Appetite stimulants like Mirtazapine may help him to start eating on his own, or you may have to force-feed him with a syringe and canned cat food. Hope that helps!

Oh my goodness! Poor guy! He does need nutrition. What was your vet's recommendation for feeding him? Its hard to assess the risk of infection without knowing what the area looks like more specifically. Definitely offer him water. Is he on antibiotics? If he is on antibiotics, offer him a liquid diet; you can soak cat food in water, mash it up with a fork and let him lap it up. Sometimes a temporary feeding tube is needed to help patient's recover from significant oral injury. Regarding the IV, My understanding from the information you gave is that he was on IV fluids during the surgery, but he went home after surgery. The IV fluids will help him maintain hydration for the time that he's getting them, but not much beyond that, so he does need to be offered water and if he's unable to drink it you need to take him to a vet and either discuss subcutaneous fluids (fluids you can give under the skin at home) https://icatcare.org/advice/cat-care/how-give-subcutaneous-fluids-your-cat or possibly a feeding tube, as subcutaneous fluids don't provide nutrition (calories, fat, carbohydrates), only hydration and electrolytes. IV fluids also do not provide nutrition. Thank you for asking PetCoach!

Hello. You will need to get just a little bit tough with Pookie. You need to scruff her & tilt her head back so that her nose is pointed straight up. This will actually relax her jaw a bit where you can introduce the syringe into the side of her mouth. Drip the Metacam in & then praise her well. This is sometimes the only way I can medicate my own cats. Hope this helps & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the antibiotic is causing some stomach upset, contact your veterinarian and request a different antibiotic. You can also ask for an injectable antibiotic, such as Convenia, which will bypass his gastrointestinal system. Subcutaneous fluids can be adminstered to maintain hydration. Warm his food slightly or mix in some plain baby food to stimulate his appetite. If he won't eat, you may need to syringe feed him. If there is an abscess from the bite wound, it needs to be lanced and drained. Pain medication may be needed. Do not medicate him with any over the counter medicines. Many can be toxic to cats.