Unfortunately, the kittens all have a mild case of ringworm, which I noticed on one ear this past Sunday. The vet said it’s likely that since they’re all from the same litter that they contracted it from their mother, but that the only bad thing about it is that it’s just an irritation and won’t cause any permanent harm. We’ll be keeping the remaining foster in the “kitten room,” as we call, it for a while longer and for now all four of them are on a liquid oral medication to take care of the infection.

We each got a small, skinny syringe to use for dosing, and contrary to what you might think, it’s actually pretty easy to give liquid medication to a cat. The easiest way I’ve found over the years, with my own cats, is:

1. Hold the cat up firmly by the scruff with their back legs resting on your lap.
2. Insert the syringe into the cat’s mouth, resting along the cheek and toward the throat.
3. Gently (and not too quickly), press the plunger of the syringe to release the medication. The cat will start licking as the medication goes down its throat.

That’s it! They won’t be too happy about it at first, but this is the quickest and non-messiest way we’ve found when it comes to giving liquid medication. Pills, on the other hand…

Post from: Blisstree

How to Give a Cat Liquid Oral Medication

We decided to stop using medication to treat my son’s ADHD symptoms. We are using methods of diet, behavior modification and mineral supplements to keep him focused and calm. So far, it is working well. It isn’t easy, by any means, but it does yield results that are similar to the use of medication. The only thing I regret, is that we did not gradually wean him off. He experienced side effects that were similar to a methamphetamine addict’s withdraw. It scared the hell out of me and he suffered for a few weeks. I was livid that our pediatrician did not tell me that I had to gradually wean.

If you are considering weaning your own child off of any medication, it is vital that you consult with your Take it from me, we learned the hard way.

Post from: Blisstree

Summer Break From Medications

By the time my son entered Kindergarten, I knew that something was not right. The only time that I was not frustrated by his constantly changing moods and angry outbursts, was when he was at school or asleep. He fought me all the way to the bus stop, even though he loved his class. His teacher would often call me to discuss the possibility of getting him assessed. My mom, who never had boys, often expressed her concern for his rage and destructive tendencies. Finally, in the first grade, the doctor would allow me to have him assessed. Unfortunately, the doctor did not take the time to run all of the necessary tests. Since I did not do enough research to know any better, I allowed him to be diagnosed ADHD, just based on observation. I could just kick myself now, as I look back on it. I should have demanded a brain scan, blood tests, allergy tests, psychological testing, mineral deficiency tests, etc… I just trusted the doctor to know what he was doing. Big mistake.

Daniel started taking Focalin XR, last year. It was effective in keeping him focused at school. It made little difference at home, however. He still struggled with impulsiveness, anger and keeping still long enough to do homework. After doing a lot of research and learning that being on medication could create a dependence that could lead to later illegal substance abuse, I got scared. We took Daniel off of the medication and are seeking alternative routes to treating his ADHD symptoms. I’ve found, during my numerous hours of research, that ADHD is not a certain condition. It us merely a label that doctors slap on any child or adult with like symptoms, in order to sell more drugs. There are many methods of treating ADHD symptoms, that do not require medication. I’m not saying that all children who suffer from the same symptoms as my son, do not qualify to be diagnosed ADHD. I’m only suggesting that more parents take proactive measures in finding out whether or not their child’s symptoms are related to allergies, mineral deficiencies, or other outside factors. It would save more kids from the danger of being misdiagnosed and put on a drug that can hurt them later on in life.

Post from: Blisstree

Jumping To ADHD Conclusions