A comparative study evaluating the esophageal transit time of eight healthy cats when pilled with the FlavoRx pill glide versus pill delivery treats

Retention of tablets or capsules in the feline esophagus can be associated with esophagitis and esophageal stricture formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the esophageal passage of tablets and capsules when administered with either a one-step pill gun with flavored liquid (FlavoRx pill glide) or a pill delivery treat (Pill Pockets). Four different medication administrations were evaluated on different days in eight normal cats: tablets with FlavoRx pill glide (T-FG), tablets with pill delivery treats (T-PP), capsules with FlavoRx pill glide (C-FG) and capsules with pill delivery treats (C-PP). The estimated average transit time was 36 s for T-FG, 60 s for T-PP, 16 s for C-FG, and 24 s for C-PP. The results of this study suggest that either pill delivery method is acceptable for successful passage of tablets or capsules into the stomach of cats using a single replicate.