How to split a tiny pill safely?

Guineapun

Post   » Mon Apr 06, 2020 10:58 pm


Hi folks. My girl Belle has symptoms of an URI, but I couldn't get to our usual vet because I've put my car in storage, as I'm temporarily out of work (as are so many of us with this pandemic).

The local vet I found to see us on short notice was adequate, but he gave me Baytril pills for Belle instead of liquid. I'm supposed to give her a half pill every 12 hours, but the pills are absolutely tiny! They are maybe a third the size of my pinky fingernail.

I tried crushing one in a baggie, with the intent to mix half of it with some CC to syringe her, but I'm afraid I may have lost a good portion of the pill in the crushing process, and it seems very inexact. With such a small pill, losing even a crumb is probably significant.

Does anyone have thoughts or suggestions on how to deal with this?

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:23 pm


I haven't run into that with Baytril before. Usually the tablets are quite large. Do you know what milligram these are?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 7:40 am


When I have had to divide a pill into several doses I have carefully crushed them using the back of a spoon in a small white plate. If you are afraid of the pill flying off, you could put the pill on the plate and everything in a bag to contain all pieces. Then you could use a razor blade to carefully divide into two.

I do agree it is hard and annoying to do this. I have a pill cutter (human) which automatically centers the pill in a "V" and you press the lid with a blade that cuts it in half. I don't know if this would work for you.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:51 am


I had to do this for one of my pig's meds. I crushed with a mortar and pestle, carefully poured it into the container it would be mixed with water, then measure the water, pour some of it into the mortar to collect any of the crumbs left behind before pouring it into the container as well. I'm fairly confident I got it all.

I've crushed in paper, since paper is easy to crease and use as a funnel to our it into whatever it will go into, as well as it's easy to brush crumbs off of it.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 9:22 am


You can buy a pill splitter at any pharmacy.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 10:58 am


Pill cutters do not always work well, especially cheap ones, as they can splinter the pill.

Guineapun

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 1:58 pm


It's a 15 mg pill. So she's getting 7.5 mg every 12 hours.

I did think of picking up a pill splitter, but I suspect this pill might be too small for it to be useful.

I think I'll try a combo of crushing it on a plate in paper, and try the water trick if that doesn't work. Thanks for the suggestions!

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 7:31 pm


Sounds good. Good luck!

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 7:58 pm


I've never had any problem with a pill splitter with any size pill. Mine has a V-shaped place to hold the pill, so it stays in place just fine. The blade is very sharp, and it easily halves the pill.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:19 pm


Well, good for you. I've had smaller pills pulverized in those damned things.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Apr 07, 2020 9:07 pm


The size doesn't really matter. It's what the pill is made of. Some split easily, some disintegrate into powder.

Guineapun

Post   » Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:31 pm


Update: Well I can tell by her poops that she's getting a full dose of antibiotics... And barely eating, of course. I've been handfeeding critical care but it makes her poop so mushy, I worry that she's not getting enough fiber. I wonder if it's ok to (carefully) forcefeed pellets? If I pop a pellet behind her front teeth, she'll eat it.

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