June Buggie has hyperthyroidism.
Hey! You do you think you’re talking about?
He’s always been an aggressive cat, but lately even he’s been even more so. He meowed alot. He would eat his food, then go after mine.
Yet despite his eating like a mad cat, he lost weight.
I was going to take him to the vet this week anyway, but Sunday he suddenly stopped eating. He turned away Fancy Feast, his favorite, and every treat in the house.
June Buggie, aka “the evil one,” in his element.
So Monday I called our local vet and dropped him off for an exam.
Dr. Gillespie prescribed methimazole tablets twice per day. This may prove difficult because Buggie turned his nose up at the pill in a Greenies Pill Pocket and he adamantly refuses to take a pill without putting up a fight. But we have managed so far, and will keep trying. The vets office said there are other options for the meds, and I’m going to call today and give those a shot.
Rumpy has been worried, but last night seemed more at ease.
Oh Buggie. I never thought you could be more a pain in the ass than you already were. How wrong I was.
Oh dearest June Buggie, be good boy and take your pills. I wish and hope June Buggie to get well soon, dear Jen and dear Rumpy, Love you, nia
Posted by niasunset | January 6, 2016, 6:31 AMHe takes them, but I don’t want to stress him out in the process. Thanks Nia!!!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 6:43 AMPoor baby..i use a particularly stinky anchovy paste spread for human sandwiches .That was the only thing i could get my Merlin to take his meds in when he was diagnosed with FIV..of course you love em more when they are pains in the ass..they remind us of us ..take those pills sweetie xxx
Posted by Fozziemum | January 6, 2016, 6:40 AMAnchovy paste. I’ll try that. The vet did say it was OK to mix these pills if it helps him take it.
And of course his personality is what makes me love him!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 6:42 AMPoor Puss! Hope he takes his pills OK. We give Maggie hers either in cheese or wrapped up in a piece of ham. Still a bit of a game though.
Posted by pensitivity101 | January 6, 2016, 7:23 AMHe doesn’t like cheese much but he loves coffee creamer, so I might crush and add to a bit.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 5:01 PMGet well JB boy!!
Posted by willowdot21 | January 6, 2016, 7:36 AMMEOW! Thank you!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 5:01 PM🙂
Posted by willowdot21 | January 6, 2016, 5:15 PMPoor Jen and June - you have found a new level of torment for each other 😉
Hopefully something like the anchovy paste will make the medicine go down. We’re counting on many more years of June Buggie life.
God help us all if our resident evil cat ever needs to take pills; please share if you find a good method for getting them in with a minimum of fuss.
Posted by savedbydogs | January 6, 2016, 7:39 AMDissolving in a small bit of tuna is working so far. The vet said that was OK…. thank Dog!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 5:00 PMMy condolences. Sounds like my old cat Jake. In addition to anchovy paste (which I never tried) I would recommend stocking up on band aids and Neosporin (that’s for you). Gotta love him.
Posted by Kate Crimmins | January 6, 2016, 8:04 AMGood idea. It is weird explaining to people why my arms are all scratched up when he gets a hold of me.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 4:59 PMOh no….my dearest June Buggie…..why you have to be suffering from that disease…..it’s so unfair…because you are such a lovely cat….the reason I now have four cats is because you taught me how cute animal cat is….I hope you get well soon and take pills your doctor priscribed….Oh June Buggie….I’m very very worried of you…. I’m praying your hyperthyroidism has gone…..
Posted by eripanwkevin | January 6, 2016, 8:05 AMI don’t think he will recover, but the condition is managed with medication, so as long as I can get him to take meds he should be good.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 4:59 PMOh, I feel for all of you! I’ve had hyperthyroidism,and before it was first diagnosed, I was felt like I was going absolutely crazy, what with the hunger and the weight loss and the heart palpitations and the massive anxiety. Poor June Buggie. And poor everyone else around that sick cat!!!! I hope the pill thing gets easier.
Posted by nissetje | January 6, 2016, 8:28 AMThank you. He is showing some signs the meds are working, though it’s only been 3 days so I don’t expect to see much yet.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 4:58 PMOh no, it’s such an awful experience from our babies don’t want to eat, for whatever reason. Hope the alternate way to get the meds in him works. We’ll be thinking of ya’ll today and sending healing vibes.
Posted by The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap | January 6, 2016, 8:29 AMSo far he’s taken his meds, and I’m not too much the worse for wear.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 9:26 AMI’m relieved to hear this. Phew!
Posted by The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap | January 6, 2016, 10:32 AMPlease June Buggie, get well…. There is nothing more fun than being healthy and playful. Rumpy and the gang are waiting for you to go back yay yay yay play! Love you, June and Jen….
Posted by rike jokanan | January 6, 2016, 9:13 AMThank you!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 9:25 AMget better june we love that last pic
Posted by retro rover | January 6, 2016, 9:18 AMMeow!!!!! -JB
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 9:25 AMAh boy! I know how hard it can be to get cats to take meds!!!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Posted by Jenna,Mark “HuskyCrazed” Drady | January 6, 2016, 9:22 AMIt’s certainly a challenge!!! Thanks!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 9:24 AMBuggie, so sorry you are sick. Hope you gets to feeling better soon. Grandma says you can be as ornery as you want.
Posted by Grandma | January 6, 2016, 11:52 AMMeow!!!!!!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 1:39 PMSorry to hear about your baby! Get well soon JB! ❤
Posted by Stacey Ann | January 6, 2016, 12:48 PMMeow! I like being ornery but I don’t like feeling bad.
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 4:57 PMI’m not sure if you know Sammy at onespoiledcat, but he takes thyroid medicine, and his mom experimented a LOT with ways to get those medicines in. Good luck, JB. I hope your medicine turns out delicious soon.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Posted by Genevieve Petrillo | January 6, 2016, 1:35 PMMeow! I took it this morning in tuna!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 1:39 PMOur cat Sam has this too, and the first month of giving her pills was a nightmare. I thought we would have to switch to something else too. Finally things settled down and she takes her pills (almost) all of the time, with 1/2 of a Greenies pill pocket.
Her appetite was bad for the first month, and I think it was from the stress of forcing her to take those darn pills…thank goodness she got used to it. The good news is that she is doing great now, so the pills really do their job.
Posted by Jan K | January 6, 2016, 3:55 PMI’m glad to hear that. Thanks Jan!
Posted by rumpydog | January 6, 2016, 4:56 PMSending purrs for sweet June Buggie!
Posted by Andrea Kenner | January 6, 2016, 5:40 PMI can’t imagine giving a cat a pill. If the doctor said there are other options for the meds it’s hard to imagine they’d be easier than a pill or it seems he would have mentioned them.
Posted by The Good Greatsby | January 6, 2016, 6:23 PMHope that you find a solution to the pill problem.
Posted by corkscot | January 6, 2016, 6:30 PMWe’re sorry June Buggie has hyper-T. We hope the medication helps get him back on track and feeling better. There are compounding pharmacies that can make the medication into flavored treats or liquids. Maybe you could try that with him.
Posted by The Island Cats | January 6, 2016, 8:39 PMAh, darn. We’re sorry to hear this, June Buggie. Please try to take your meds, okay? There is a pill paste that smells like BACON (I think Drs. Foster and Smith sells it) that you might want to try. Or, as our pals the Island Cats suggested, compounding might be an option. Purrs and prayers to you, friends!
Posted by meowmeowmans | January 6, 2016, 10:32 PMHope he is better soon. Love that picture of you and June Buggy. You appear to be the best of friends.
Posted by Anand | January 7, 2016, 2:52 AMWe are….. most of the time!
Posted by rumpydog | January 7, 2016, 4:25 AMAw…get better, June Buggie-take those meds. What a sweet nose-to-nose photo. 🙂
Posted by Tails Around the Ranch | January 7, 2016, 9:54 AMAre you seeing an improvement yet?
Posted by Isobel | January 7, 2016, 2:33 PMYes, slowly.
Posted by rumpydog | January 8, 2016, 4:11 AMOh, the fun begins. We’ve used peanut butter, but then RC got wise and licked off the peanut butter and left the pill. Vet may need to monitor levels of thyroid to get dosage right. Once it’s right, the cats is a whole new cat. Take the darn pills, June-Buggie!
Posted by philosophermouseofthehedge | January 7, 2016, 6:17 PMI hope there is a method of getting the meds down him that’s more agreeable to you both. It isn’t much fun getting tablets into a cat that’s fighting!
Posted by Clowie | January 8, 2016, 9:49 AMPoor June Buggie. And sorry for his caregiver too.
I see someone recommended anchovy paste. I think of it as the liverwurst equivalent for cats. Hope it (or something else) makes pill time much easier.
Posted by somethingwagging | January 10, 2016, 10:17 AMUgh! Poor wee man. I just love his stare. He’s judging me, I know it.
Posted by heretherebespiders | January 11, 2016, 2:30 PM