Tips On Getting Pancreatitis Pup To Swallow Pills

[Guest argolola]

Hi all. Lola is looking a bit more perky this evening, but we are having a heck of a time getting her to swallow her pills. She is not allowed to eat just yet, and some of her water is coming back up. Any tips to help the pills go down? She is queen of the fakers (holding it in her mouth but not really swallowing.) Thank you.

[Guest Energy11]

You can mash them up and put them in something she likes a lot, ... cheese, yogurt, etc. BUT, just small amounts. Usually crushing up the pills or emptying out the capsules and hiding the meds work! Glad she is feeling better!

[Guest Energy11]

You can mash them up and put them in something she likes a lot, ... cheese, yogurt, etc. BUT, just small amounts. Usually crushing up the pills or emptying out the capsules and hiding the meds work! Glad she is feeling better!

[Guest mcsheltie]

I just open their mouths and poke them down their throat.

[Guest argolola]

I just open their mouths and poke them down their throat.

 

Have been trying this for 30 minutes and my legs are shaky and back hurting from squatting and pleading. I really thought it would work.

[greysmom]

If you can't put it in food then you'll have to force it down her throat. A tricky prospect for our long-muzzled dogs.

 

I think it's easier to stand behind them, but you need to be able to comfortably grab their lower jaw without getting their teeth in the way. I put a thumb in her mouth and hold down her tongue - this keeps the tongue out of the way and also keeps her mouth open. Shove the pill as far down her throat as you can. She will KNOT like this and will struggle and gag and be generally pathetic. Close her mouth and hold it closed. Stroke her throat gently and blow up into her nostrils to make her swallow. This could take a minute or two, and she still might gag it back out if it didn't get down. Just be calm and patient and repeat as necessary.

 

But a small amount of food works a lot better. Maybe try wrapping the pill in a small ball of her I/D food. Just enough the hide the pill not a huge glob.

 

Good luck!

chris

[AliWest]

Poke it down the throat, close the mouth and blow a very hard burst of air into the nose ( without spitting ). The burst of air will cause her to gulp and swallow.

 

Works for my vet............

[Batmom]

I grab the *upper* jaw and wrap their upper lips under their teeth so they don't bite down, pull up to open mouth, shove pill waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down throat, get my fingers out of the way, close mouth, hold it closed for a sec, then release and "Good dog!"

[Guest PhillyPups]

I open their mouth, shove it down their throat, hold mouth closed with one hand, stroke the throat and blow on their nose, I can feel when they swallow and no pleading necessary.

[ahicks51]

We feed raw, so it's an easy trick for us- a chunk of beef heart, with a slit in it to accommodate the pill- a fairly long, thin piece can be used, with the slit running the length. A hot dog would work in a similar fashion.

[Guest houndhome]

I know she is not allowed to eat yet, but can you hide the pill by giving it a tasty smell? If you have any cats, and you have the soft food treats (Tender Moments, or similar), you can try rolling the pill and the palm of your hand in with the treats so that it smells like them and give just the new tasty smelling pill to her? I suspect any tasty smelling meat might be the same? We give Tigger his pills with just one or two of the Tender Moments, and he gobbles them all down in one gulp. Good luck!

[krissn333]

Sutra was very difficult with pills with me at first. When they have pancreatitis, my vet said that their jaws and mouth tissues hurt, so that makes it even harder to do anything with their mouths. Sutra would take his pills in chicken flavored pill pockets, velveeta cheese cubes (these were a hit), and fruit rollups (I bought the fruit by the foot kind).

 

It's so important that they get their meds so they can get better, and it's very frustrating. I can't tell you how many nights I would just cry trying to get Sutra to take pills.

 

Has she lost a bunch of weight? Believe me, I've been to the brink and back with Sutra when he had pancreatitis. Feel free to PM me any time you want. We had to get creative with meals just to get him to eat and take his meds. I have all kinds of ideas!

 

Keeping you guys in my thoughts and hoping that she'll take her pills soon!

 

 

[brandimom]

I do the Greenies Pill Pocket beef flavor. Cut the pill pocket in half, insert pill, press together and give it to the pup. Hope this helps.

[Guest SoulsMom]

I open their mouth, shove it down their throat, hold mouth closed with one hand, stroke the throat and blow on their nose, I can feel when they swallow and no pleading necessary.

Ditto here! Or I believe they make something called a 'pill-gun' that you can get at Petco.