I have pergolide capsules coming, and I'm a bit concerned about how I'm going to get them into Bella. She's very, very difficult about pills. However, she loves syringes w/ liquid. The first pergolide I got for her was in powder form, so I was mixing it with some water and syringe feeding her that way. Very easy.

She's really good at sniffing out pills in her feed, and she's also been known to eat around treats with pills hidden inside. I know the capsules are the best in terms of stability, but I really don't know how to get them into her. The only "treats" I ever give her are ODTBC, since I know the sugar/starch is safe for her.

She was diagnosed IR back in 2011, but had a normal ACTH at that time. The vet put her on 1mg pergolide anyway, but after a year there was no change in her weight even though she was on a low ESC+starch diet w/ balanced minerals. So I discontinued that.

She had her first bout of laminitis in April 2014 after getting chilled and colicing. She had her second bout of laminitis this past September, when her ACTH came back extremely high. This time, there's been a dramatic improvement in her weight with 1mg of pergolide twice a day.

My question is, since the IR came first with her, I need to be extremely careful about what treats I use to hide the pergolide capsules in, right? Through trial and error, I've found that she can't tolerate grain or beet pulp. The only supplement carrier that she'll eat is ODTBC. She refuses any wet feed.

What can I try to hide the pergolide capsule in? The vet told me to use a carrot or some molasses, but I'm afraid of triggering another laminitis episode. 

Would the capsule dissolve in water? Then I could syringe feed it. I found that if I use 10cc of water, she doesn't waste any. This would be preferable, since I think it'll be the easiest way to go long term.

I don't have current insulin and glucose levels on her, because the vet refused to draw them. I have a new vet coming in ~3 weeks, and hopefully I'll be able to get ACTH, insulin and glucose on her. 

Normally what happens with her is that I might be able to find a way to hide a capsule/tablet medication in a treat for a while. Eventually, she figures it out and winds up spitting the pill out after she eats around it. 

Erin

ME

2014

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