|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 18, 2017 15:46:43 GMT
we have one dog who is extra-crafty at finding pills... she's been on an anti-fungal for the last couple months, 2x per day, and it must taste just awful. Even though she INHALES her food, that pill will still be left in the bowl. So the ONLY way I can get her to take them is just to pry her mouth open and drop it / force it into the back of her throat and hold her mouth closed till she swallows. She's pretty used to it, now. eta2: she only gets half a pill at a time, so I'm sure if she tasted it at all, it would taste awful, because it's cut in half. It's just easier to bypass her tongue / tasting mechanism by dropping it into the very back of her throat.
And yes, it's probably normal- for dog owners, anyway, lol- for you to feel like you don't want him to "be mad at you" for doing it-- but he'll get used to it, if you have to do it that way. I hope you get a routine worked out for him and you, so that he can start to feel better soon!
---and a bullet?!? wow! kind of makes you wonder (sort of) what he could tell you about his past, if he could only talk!
ETA: for the other dogs, I've done the 'wrap it in a bit of American cheese' trick, but it doesn't work for Bisbee... she would just work it around with her tongue till she got the cheese off the pill, and spit out the pill. I never heard about using cream cheese, though- we may have to try that one, sometime. And we have two other dogs who also feel like they should get a treat if I'm giving something to hide a pill! (okay, truthfully the dogs probably don't care- but I feel guilty if I don't!)
|
|
J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
|
Post by J u l e e on Sept 18, 2017 15:49:37 GMT
I have never been more grateful for my dog who eats everything and anything with zero fuss. I just throw pills in her bowl and she eats them with her food. On the odd day it gets left behind, I just throw it to her like a treat and down it goes.
Now, we have to tell her to "go potty" or she forgets or something. She'll stand outside forever and not go until I tell her too. So there's always a trade off.
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 18, 2017 15:58:54 GMT
just a note of caution- for us humans, sometimes pills need to be swallowed whole so that they don't start dissolving too early-- that way the medicine *works* where / when it's supposed to. So I would caution against crushing up a pill unless the vet says it's okay to do it.
(Also make sure you know what the pet's reaction might be, to the taste, if they accidentally chew up a pill- I thought my cat was having some sort of a seizure the first time I gave her Benadryl, because she started drooling and foaming at the mouth-- I called the emergency vet line, and they told me she was fine- it just tasted horrible, and all the drooling/foaming was her body's way of trying to *wash* the taste out of her mouth-- and here I thought I'd killed her, or something!)
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Sept 18, 2017 16:02:53 GMT
We've been giving our pup pills since she was six months old. She takes 5 in the morning and 6 at night. She is currently on chemo and I thought that might be a problem pill. Thankfully she eats most of them with her meal. The ones that don't get eaten with the meal get added to a hunk of peanut butter she eats off of my finger. She can't lick around it like she can if it is in her bowl. However the best way to get you dog to take a pill is to get another dog. . Nothing makes a dog gobble down a pill/treat like another dog sitting there waiting for what the first dog won't eat.
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Sept 18, 2017 16:04:03 GMT
just a note of caution- for us humans, sometimes pills need to be swallowed whole so that they don't start dissolving too early-- that way the medicine *works* where / when it's supposed to. So I would caution against crushing up a pill unless the vet says it's okay to do it. (Also make sure you know what the pet's reaction might be, to the taste, if they accidentally chew up a pill- I thought my cat was having some sort of a seizure the first time I gave her Benadryl, because she started drooling and foaming at the mouth-- I called the emergency vet line, and they told me she was fine- it just tasted horrible, and all the drooling/foaming was her body's way of trying to *wash* the taste out of her mouth-- and here I thought I'd killed her, or something!) Bet you slept with one eye open after that incident! Cats remember everything.
|
|
|
Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 18, 2017 16:13:47 GMT
When my pup had her first knee surgery we tried every single trick listed here and got nowhere. We have to force her to take pills. Only my DH can give her pills.
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 18, 2017 16:28:38 GMT
when I give Bisbee her pills, it's always right before their breakfast / dinner. That way, she 'gets' something good after the pills. (also, if she eats her dinner right away, I know she won't hack up the pill the minute I turn my back.)
|
|
River
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,516
Location: Alabama
Jun 26, 2014 15:26:04 GMT
|
Post by River on Sept 18, 2017 16:31:49 GMT
Marshmellows have been our best device to get a dog to swallow a pill. No other food have worked for us, although we haven't tried cream cheese. I have no idea why marshmellows are the trick for us, but it's worked every since the vet recommended it.
I'm sorry to hear your dog is sick, I hope he's feeling better soon!
|
|
|
Post by stampinbetsy on Sept 18, 2017 17:07:46 GMT
I feel for you - my old dog got super suspicious of anything special - lunch meat, sliced cheese, extra yummy treats. He would always go for a handful of shredded cheese, though. No idea why that was different.
|
|
AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,502
Aug 28, 2015 22:31:17 GMT
|
Post by AmandaA on Sept 18, 2017 17:41:31 GMT
We had a picky dog and a non picky dog. Our vet gave us an interesting suggestion. When the non-picky dog needed antibiotics she suggested marshmallows... and to throw an empty marshmallow to the picky dog at the same time. Her theory, from experience, was that you could get them used to the treat and then slip the pills in when/if necessary down the road. The non picky dog loved the marshmallows, so another vote for those since it is tougher to work the pill loose or have it fall out if you do have a talented pill avoider.
|
|
QueenoftheSloths
Drama Llama
Member Since January 2004, 2,698 forum posts PeaNut Number: 122614 PeaBoard Title: StuckOnPeas
Posts: 5,955
Jun 26, 2014 0:29:24 GMT
|
Post by QueenoftheSloths on Sept 18, 2017 21:54:15 GMT
Be happy he isn't a cat! I have to manually pill one of my cats 9 times a day. There's no hiding the pills in anything, each one has to go down the old fashioned way.
|
|
|
Post by Lexica on Sept 18, 2017 22:08:21 GMT
My dog took pill pockets for a while, then chewed one and tasted the pill. That was it for the pill pockets. Since he is such a gentle dog, I just pop them down his throat, but then always give him something yummy to eat afterwards to make sure it goes all the way to his stomach. I didn't want it dissolving in this throat region and causing burning of that delicate tissue. He doesn't seem to mind me doing this, and that way I'm positive the pill went down. Prior to that method, I had found one of his pills on the floor that I swore he swallowed when it was buried inside the pill pocket.
|
|
|
Post by kamper on Sept 18, 2017 22:22:11 GMT
Our dog, Lucy, has to take meds twice per day ... we wrap her pill in what you would call a slice of American cheese ... usually just half per dose Lucy isn't the sharpest tool in the shed so this might not work for you We call American cheese "dog cheese" in our house. We used pill pockets but, eventually our pup refused them. He never turned down American cheese though. The idea to toss it seems like a good idea too.
|
|
|
Post by worrywart on Sept 19, 2017 2:55:22 GMT
I put peanut butter on the end of a spoon and stick the pill under it. Hold spoon upside down and offer to dog. Dog licks all PB and pill off easily.
Better and less mess is Pill Pockets!!!! Love!! Amazon but watch for sales so they are cheaper.
|
|
|
Post by tinydogmafia on Sept 19, 2017 3:05:08 GMT
I have done some crazy things to get my dogs to take medication. One time I had to put peanut butter on a piece of ham lunch meat, and then covertly roll the damn pill up inside a peanut butter and ham burrito. OMG GAG ME. but it worked! I found that Freshpet helped almost anything go down. My dogs love Freshpet and I have put lots of stuff in with it with no problems. Things like flea meds and probiotics.
|
|
|
Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Sept 19, 2017 3:36:51 GMT
Thanks, everybody! You have some really great ideas! I went to Kroger on Saturday night and bought different cheese, hot dogs and squeeze cheese. You could just see the judgment from the cashier until I explained it was for the dog! Looks like I need to go back to the store for cream cheese. Your Kroger cashier was a pea? Was your GSD perhaps a police dog in a former life? That would reasonably account for the bullet... Regardless, I hope your puppy is feeling better soon!
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Sept 19, 2017 4:07:18 GMT
Be happy he isn't a cat! I have to manually pill one of my cats 9 times a day. There's no hiding the pills in anything, each one has to go down the old fashioned way. You win. (and by win I mean you lose... what a chore!)
|
|
snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,960
Location: Colorado
Apr 26, 2017 6:14:47 GMT
|
Post by snyder on Sept 19, 2017 6:17:09 GMT
The trick to using peanut butter is sticking it to the roof of their mouth. Get a nice glob, stick pill in making sure you have a decent amount of peanut butter on top, open dogs mouth and press against the roof of the mouth. They will start licking like crazy trying to get it off the roof of their mouth and will also be swallowing. By the time the get the peanut butter licked off, the pill will have been swallowed. Good Luck! Hope your doggie gets better.
|
|
|
Post by mama2three on Sept 19, 2017 11:37:24 GMT
We've had success with pill pockets and also roast beef and liver wurst from the deli. The deli clerks always look confused when I ask for one very thick slick of the rarest all natural roast beef they have -until I explain it's to get the dog to take his pills.
Worst case, find a compounding pharmacy and ask them if they can help. I've had medicine flavored liver or chicken flavor or made into a chewable meat flavored dose so the cat or dog would take it more readily. The pharmacist and vet would be able to tell you if the med needed to remain in pill form or if ok to mix into something chewable. Be careful mixing it yourself into food (other than sticking the pill into cheese or meat). If the dog won't eat the food, you now have the medicine spread out in a larger volume, which is more difficult to deal with.
Good luck
|
|
peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,620
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
|
Post by peabay on Sept 19, 2017 11:41:14 GMT
I have to cut up McFly's heartworm and flea and tick meds and slather them in cream cheese to get him to eat them. And he still sometimes spits out the little sliver of pill. It's crazy-making!
|
|
|
Post by baslp on Sept 19, 2017 11:44:37 GMT
Thank goodness our dogs like pill pockets. Their favorite flavor is hickory smoke.
|
|
maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,731
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
|
Post by maryannscraps on Sept 19, 2017 13:50:43 GMT
My dog won't take pills willingly with any food. I just open her mouth, place the pill as far back as I can, then hold her mouth closed for a few seconds. Then she gets one of her favorite treats in the world (dried sweet potato with dried chicken wrapped around it). She loves the treats so much that she comes running when I shake the pill bottle and sits there with her head up so I can open her mouth! Weirdo.
|
|
|
Post by LisaDV on Sept 19, 2017 15:09:19 GMT
@smartpants71, I totally empathize with pill taking problems! I have a beagle that will eat anything!! And I have a lab mutt that can find a pill no matter what we try to hide it in. She gets everything in shot form at the vet.
Hope your pup is on the mend soon!
eta** we've also lifted her head and stuck the pill as far back as we could and dh held her head for like 20 minutes. Most times she still worked it up and out before he let go. If it wasn't out, he'd let go as we're thinking "success" and she'd then drop the pill out of her mouth. WTH?! That's when I decided shots are the only way to go with her.
|
|
azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
Jun 25, 2014 22:49:18 GMT
|
Post by azredhead on Sept 19, 2017 18:39:08 GMT
Our old dog could find a pill in anything. Peanut butter, american cheese, hot dogs, bread, anything! She'd eat everything but the pill. The only thing that worked was Pill Pockets. I have no idea why she'd accept a pill in those but not the other things. Yup same here, When Duke had his lymes (he died in Feb) we were giving four different meds. We did that too Peanut butter, cheese etc. They were his favorite. We knew he was in bad shape when he stopped taking the peanut butter. It was their favorite little treat. We had tried pill pockets but they just spit them out or would eat everything else and spit out the pill. Oh yea hot dogs are great too but they eat the hot dog and spit out the pill. LOL the nice part with the cheese and peanut butter is it's sticky! lol! The kraft slices work best for us. We never gave him the full one just parts of it to wrap the meds in. He'd get the other part if he took it all the way. We joked about it with the vet. He said some dogs were great about others not so much.
|
|
onecolanut
Full Member
Posts: 118
Nov 22, 2015 19:35:03 GMT
|
Post by onecolanut on Sept 20, 2017 11:50:43 GMT
My DIL puts her dogs pills in cheese balls. Works like a charm.
|
|
|
Post by birdy on Sept 20, 2017 14:47:35 GMT
pill pocket work for our very picky dog
|
|
|
Post by cmpeter on Sept 21, 2017 2:05:51 GMT
Pull pockets or cheese (I used a third of a piece of string cheese and molded it around the pill).
|
|
|
Post by mcscrapper on Sept 21, 2017 6:51:06 GMT
One of my previous dogs wouldn't take a pill - EVER. I found this device that you could load the pill and shoot it down the throat. It worked most of the time but I would have to hold her mouth open, shoot the pill, close her mouth really quickly and tilt her head back and either stroke her throat to make her swallow or I would cup my hand around her nose and blow into it. Sounds awful but it worked.
|
|
|
Post by Susie_Homemaker on Sept 21, 2017 13:50:46 GMT
My terrier won't take a pill anymore. She gets one twice a day that luckily I can crush up into her canned food and she also occasionally needs an antibiotic. I tried opening her mouth and putting it in and she clamped her jaw shut so tight. I was holding her down, finally pried her mouth open,got the pill in the back of her throat, held her mouth shut and she would.not.swallow. I refuse to do that to her or to myself so now I get her antibiotics in liquid form. I use a syringe and shoot it right down her throat. No trauma for anyone!
Before all of that I could get a piece of "cheese" (a Kraft cheese square), put the pill in a small piece and then microwave it for just a few seconds so that it would start to be melty. It seemed to keep her from separating the pill from the cheese.
|
|
Grom Pea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,944
Jun 27, 2014 0:21:07 GMT
|
Post by Grom Pea on Sept 21, 2017 18:19:20 GMT
If pill pockets don't work you could get a pill shooter, you put the pill in, stick the end with the pill in the dogs mouth as far call as you can and push the plunger. I've really only had to use this for a cat as my dog would let me open her mouth and throw it down her throat. She had to take a very bitter medication called tramadol towards the end so I had to keep sticking it down her throat because she wouldn't eat it. Eta before tossing it down her throat I'd put Kraft single around it, so it was still very small but don't taste bitter and also didn't touch the pill, only the cheese so the cheese didn't smell or taste like pill.
|
|