topic Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter? in Wellness

Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

kittymomNC — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:05:29 GMT

My Baby Cat has had kidney disease for three years and has been doing well, but now she has high blood pressure. She has been put on a "people" blood pressure med that is a very small pill and seems to be rather soft. It has to be cut in quarters, but it's so small that the pill cutters I have don't seem to work. Someone on another forum recommended one, and I'm trying to contact her to verify which one. But I thought someone here might have a recommendation.

I have one that is plastic and the two little pieces that form the "V" are like rubber. I'd had it for a while and thought maybe the blade might be dull, so I bought a new one like it, and it just shreds the pill. Even though I make sure the pill is right in the center and get down and look to see where the blade is coming down (it looks like it's right in the center), it still seems to cut sideways-one piece is bigger than the other and there are some crumbs. I took the new one back, because the old one seemed to work better. But the pills are so small that they just don't seem to work.

If anyone knows of a specific one that I could try, I'll appreciate any help I can get. TIA!

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

goodstuff — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:15:11 GMT

Have you talked with your pharmacist? Especially since this is a "people" medication, he may be able to tell you if it's available in a smaller dosage or in liquid form so you wouldn't have to cut pills -- and he can probably give advice on how to cut pills if need be and recommend a pill cutter. You could also talk with your vet's office. I'm sure they have to adjust dosages for animals quite frequently.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

BigBro6 — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:16:02 GMT

I bought my at Walmart for me. But, now I use it for my doggie. Get one with a blade the is attached to the plastic case. Also, the pill cutter should close when cutting pill. I just looked on Amazon and the had the same one I use. Apex Ultra Pill Splitter is the brand name.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

RedHeadedWench — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:17:25 GMT

I just bought one last week in Target. I don't remember the brand, but it's in a case, and catches the cut pill. I store the half of the pill in there until I need it.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

RainyDayGal — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:19:17 GMT

I have one I use for my dog's pills. It's blue, hard plastic and on the bottom says IE I think. It is kind of difficult on the small pills but it works. I either got it at Safeway or Walgreens.

Ask your vet if you can get the meds in liquid form, or see if they can cut the pills for you. My vet does that with one of her pills that needs to be quarter and it's a small pill to begin with. I never asked them to, they've just always done it.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

dooBdoo — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:21:44 GMT

Hi, kittymomNC! I'm so sorry about your Baby Cat. Sending hugs to you and to little kitty.

My pharmacist gave me the tablet cutter I use, and I've had the same one for at least 10 years. It's the same type they used, and it's still as sharp as new. I can't find the exact same one online in a quick search (on the bottom it says "Quanterron, Inc., MPLS, MN." So it might be "pharmacy grade."

(The entire device, including the "V" shape, is a hard, dark blue plastic. Eta: similar to RedConvertibleGirl's image but not exactly the same.).

Even with a good device some tablets are prone to shattering or crumbling.

I'd ask the pharmacist for a recommendation, and perhaps you can purchase the same one they use. I wish you the very, very best.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

betteb — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:24:46 GMT

Hi kittymom What you are describing sounds like what I have. Are you wedging the pill as far into the V as you can? Then close and push down on that part of the crusher on a cunter with the heel of your hand?

Did that make an sense, LOL?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Apex-Ultra-Pill-Splitter/10322088

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

Feline Fine — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:32:46 GMT

The Apex cutters are great, but you can always carefully use a knife for the pills that are extra hard or 'rounded'.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

doxie1 — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:36:34 GMT

1. pillcutterdotcom

2.CVS deluxe pill splitter with magnifer and safety shield.

doxie

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

!FitChick! — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:36:48 GMT

If you ever need a pill crusher, my mom used her Pampered Chef garlic press to crush pills for the dog.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

kittymomNC — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:38:36 GMT

This is like the one I have, and the one I took back. The one I took back was actually recommended by the pharmacist and was like the one they use. For some reason, the blade seems to not stay straight when it comes down onto the pill. I've gotten down and watched until the top closes and I can't see it any more, and it looks like the blade goes just very slightly askew. I push the pill against the rubber V very tightly and it looks like the blade will be right in the center, but then that happens.

Betteb, it looks like the one you have is the same one BigBro6 recommended above. DooBdoo, it looks like the one RedConvertibleGirl posted is like one that I've seen on Amazon. Goodstuff, I think the dosage of this pill is the lowest that they have...I wish they had one lower so I could cut it in half. That wouldn't be so hard.

I think I'm just going to have to buy several different ones and try them, and if they don't work, I'll just have to take them back. Hopefully, I'll eventually find one that works.

Thanks so much for all your replies!

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

doxie1 — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:40:45 GMT

The CVS magnifing one may help. Also the pill cutter dot com site will show you examples of pills it will split. It is a really good one.

doxie

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

betteb — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:48:47 GMT

kittymom, the Apex splitter is lined with rubber or silicone or something that grips the pill to hold it in place. Maybe that is the difference?

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

addiegal — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:49:27 GMT

I used a pair of tweezers and a single edge razor blade to cut pills for my cats. I had to give one of my cats amlodipine and the weakest strength for humans is too much for a cat. They were hard to cut without crumbles. I have had more trouble with another one, analapril. I am giving a cat benazepril currently and it requires such a small dose it is being compounded. Oh, and I keep empty gelatin capsules and when the medicine crumbled too much I divided into equal piles and put into capsules. I could sometimes just take the top portion of the capsule off and pour the crumbs into her mouth...not always easy with cats. She was very adept at pretending to have swallowed the pill, then going off out of sight and spitting it out! Found it more than once! I have a spliter like RedConvertaleGirl. Have used it for years.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

bluejeansluvr — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 01:50:10 GMT

Did you get the medication at a regular (people) pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens? The pharmacy will cut the pills for you if you ask them I think.

Any time my dog has to have medication the pharmacy at his vet's office cuts the pills in half and they give them to me that way in a bottle.

Also, do you have a compounding pharmacy near you? They may be able to either cut the tablets for you or have a pill cutter that is different from one you'd find at the local drugstore. For a while I was getting a pain relief cream prescription from a compounding pharmacy and they have a lot of things regular pharmacies don't have.

Other suggestion is, ask your vet if it's possible that she be prescribed a lower mg pill, that you don't have to cut in 4ths. For example if it's a 100 mg. tablet, ask if that same med comes in a 50 mg tablet you 'd only have to cut in half.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

addiegal — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 02:02:58 GMT

On 7/18/2014 imaclotheshog said:
Did you get the medication at a regular (people) pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens? The pharmacy will cut the pills for you if you ask them I think.

Any time my dog has to have medication the pharmacy at his vet's office cuts the pills in half and they give them to me that way in a bottle.

Also, do you have a compounding pharmacy near you? They may be able to either cut the tablets for you or have a pill cutter that is different from one you'd find at the local drugstore. For a while I was getting a pain relief cream prescription from a compounding pharmacy and they have a lot of things regular pharmacies don't have.

Other suggestion is, ask your vet if it's possible that she be prescribed a lower mg pill, that you don't have to cut in 4ths. For example if it's a 100 mg. tablet, ask if that same med comes in a 50 mg tablet you 'd only have to cut in half.

Most strengths for humans are way too much for a cat...I believe the amlodipine came in 10 mg. which was the weakest available, unless it is compounded. The vet cut some of it but later wrote a prescription I got at the pharmacy. I hope this is not too much for you and kitty! Mine did hate the taste of the amlodipine.

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

kittymomNC — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:11:35 GMT

On 7/18/2014 addiegal said:
On 7/18/2014 imaclotheshog said:
Did you get the medication at a regular (people) pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens? The pharmacy will cut the pills for you if you ask them I think.

Any time my dog has to have medication the pharmacy at his vet's office cuts the pills in half and they give them to me that way in a bottle.

Also, do you have a compounding pharmacy near you? They may be able to either cut the tablets for you or have a pill cutter that is different from one you'd find at the local drugstore. For a while I was getting a pain relief cream prescription from a compounding pharmacy and they have a lot of things regular pharmacies don't have.

Other suggestion is, ask your vet if it's possible that she be prescribed a lower mg pill, that you don't have to cut in 4ths. For example if it's a 100 mg. tablet, ask if that same med comes in a 50 mg tablet you 'd only have to cut in half.

Most strengths for humans are way too much for a cat...I believe the amlodipine came in 10 mg. which was the weakest available, unless it is compounded. The vet cut some of it but later wrote a prescription I got at the pharmacy. I hope this is not too much for you and kitty! Mine did hate the taste of the amlodipine.

addiegal, actually the amlodipine tablet is only 2.5mg - the very lowest they have-I get it at Costco. I talked to sammycat1 from the Schmoo thread, and she questioned why my vet does not seem concerned that her pressure was still somewhat high. I guess because she said it could still come down more the longer she's on the med. I'm going to get it checked again and see if she needs to go up on the dosage. Sammycat had a 5 mg pill that she said is not coated and cuts easily. With the 2.5, I cut it as best I can and estimate what equals a quarter next to a whole one. I chop it into tiny pieces, not really crushed, and put it in the special A/D food and give it to her with a syringe. She's really very, very good - all wrapped in a white towel up to her neck. She may be old and somewhat sick, but she's got a lot of spunk and can easily draw blood! Thanks for your suggestions!

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

kittymomNC — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:14:11 GMT

On 7/18/2014 betteb said:
kittymom, the Apex splitter is lined with rubber or silicone or something that grips the pill to hold it in place. Maybe that is the difference?

Sorry to say, both of the ones I tried had the rubber/silicone forming the "V" to hold the pill. It just seems that the blade does not come down exactly straight when I touches the pill...the one I took back did the same thing. Addiegal suggested tweezers and a single edge razor blade, and sammycat1 suggested a santoku knife. Gonna try both!

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

kittymomNC — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:16:54 GMT

Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my dilemma! I'm going to check out the suggested pill cutters, and also the alternate ways to cut these pills. There has to be a solution in here somewhere. Everyone has been so helpful and so kind...thanks again!

Re: Can anyone recommend a pill cutter?

TR_QVC_Addict — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 16:30:16 GMT

At my hospital, we use nail clippers to cut those small pills. Human toenail clippers work well. If the pill is too big for those, we then move on to the clippers for cats. The stainless is very hard and you get much better control of the cut. One of my kitty's takes 1/4 tab of a rather small pill, and nail clippers were the way to go. Best of luck! Oh, if all else fails, we have clients that request we split the pills for them. Depending on how many, we may not necessarily even charge for the service.