Is There A Better Way .......

[Guest IrskasMom]

Morty has to take Steroid Pills and Antibiotic Capsules. The Pill is No Problem at all as I wrap it in Liverwurst and its gone. The Capsul he will spit out no matter in what it is wraped in. Got Pill Pockets same thing.Cut the Capsul in half and by that time half of the Powder (Medicin ) is splashed all over ( some lost)as it does Not pull apart. Just a major Headache. Does any of you have a better Solution.....please I count on you

Edited July 30, 2011 by IrskasMom

[DaisyDoodle]

Try covering it _completely_ with creme cheese. Antibiotics smell and taste awful. I also have some success with mashed sweet potato.

[lovemycoffee]

When all else fails, I open the dog's mouth and put the capsule as far back in the throat as I can, then hold the muzzle closed until he swallows. To get him to swallow you can either stroke his throat or blow in his nose.

[Batmom]

When all else fails, I open the dog's mouth and put the capsule as far back in the throat as I can, then hold the muzzle closed until he swallows. To get him to swallow you can either stroke his throat or blow in his nose.

 

This is what I do. You can hedge your bets by putting some peanutbutter or cream cheese on a spoon or your non-pilling hand. Shove pill down throat, withdraw pill hand, "Good boy!" and immediately offer peanutbutter to lick.

 

P.S. When you open dog's mouth, wrap the upper lips under the teeth so he won't bite down.

[Guest kydie]

i have greyt luck with the cream cheese wrap

[DofSweetPotatos]

potted meat.

 

 

[kudzu]

Just pill him. Open mouth, pop in pill & push as far down throat as possible in one quick move. My newest Grey initially hated this. However, I started giving him a treat immediately before & a couple immediately after. He now comes running for his pills.

[Guest HHHounds]

Marshmallows... Worked well with my old hound who was on many meds.

[DaisyDoodle]

potted meat.

 

 

 

Hmm, I've never tried that.

 

BTW, I've never heard anyone other than my MIL--who was born in central PA--call it "potted meat". Do you use devilled ham or Spam? Devilled ham is creamier--that would be my guess.

[Guest BrianRke]

When all else fails, I open the dog's mouth and put the capsule as far back in the throat as I can, then hold the muzzle closed until he swallows. To get him to swallow you can either stroke his throat or blow in his nose.

 

This is what I do. You can hedge your bets by putting some peanutbutter or cream cheese on a spoon or your non-pilling hand. Shove pill down throat, withdraw pill hand, "Good boy!" and immediately offer peanutbutter to lick.

 

P.S. When you open dog's mouth, wrap the upper lips under the teeth so he won't bite down.

This is great advice. I have done this and it works like a charm.

[BootsyCollins]

I"m with the "pillers" - open up, down the hatch, nice treat after.

 

 

[Guest IrskasMom]

Easy to say , my Son tried that (because HE is a Man ) and he threw it right up again .

Maybe if I try it with a little Treat (Liverwurst ) after maybe I will make it.

[kudzu]

Easy to say , my Son tried that (because HE is a Man ) and he threw it right up again .

Yeah, sometimes there's a fine line between pushing it back far enough so they have to swallow it & pushing it so far as to cause the gag reflex. It gets easier with time & can often be best for all in the long run.

[Guest Plygreygirl]

I also just open and push it to the back just about far enough and do it in one swift move. Only once did I get chomped on!!! It gets easier with practice!

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

Maggie won't take pills, at all, ever. I have to pill her for everything!! She is an obsessive chewer so no matter what I hide the pill in, she CHEWS it! I've gotten the down the throat thing to a science since she's thunder phobic and we've had quite the storm season...

Edited July 30, 2011 by d0ggiem0mma

[krissn333]

For my picky boy who chews everything, the pills just go down the hatch and he allows me to do it with no fuss.

 

Sutra was picky with pills and I couldn't PRY his mouth open to put them down the hatch. But, I discovered he would snarf down ANYTHING if I sprayed it with canned whipped cream

[Fostr_Mom]

With capsules I use string cheese. I give a tiny bite first, then the piece with the capsule in the middle and then another tiny bite of plain cheese. They love it so much they don't even chew, they just swallow it.

[BauersMom]

If none of these things work, you can see if it can be compounded as a liquid. I had one dog who was just a bear to pill and the whole thing would stress her out to the point of not eating - the vet was able to compound her meds as a liquid, which was MUCH easier. I don't know if ATBs can be done that way, but worth asking.

[GeorgeofNE]

George takes lots of pills, every day. I'm not about to mess around with trying to trick him into eating them. I just put 'em in. I find it very helpful to tilt the head up and gently hold the muzzle with one hand, and stroke the throat with the other once you've put them in. Once you feel them swallow, the pills are down. I follow with his breakfast or dinner.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Sam takes five pills at breakfast, six at dinner. Jacey takes one fewer at each meal. Two of their pills are viewed as treats: a fiber tablet and a fish oil capsule. The other pills are all dry, different sizes and shapes, and I just don't want the hassle of pilling the dogs if I can avoid it.

 

I use thin sliced turkey (deli-style). I can put each dog's pills in a slice, then roll and fold the slice around the pills. Usually, each dog happily gulps down the loaded meat. If a pill comes back out of someone's mouth, I'll pill the dog. Neither dog likes being pilled, so they tend not to examine their lunchmeat treat too closely.

[DaisyDoodle]

I just finished giving Daisy a month's worth of antibiotics. I'm here to tell you that it isn't as easy as many of you are making it out to be. Antibiotics smell and taste GROSS! I got away with sticking the pill directly down her throat for a week or two (after cream cheese and peanut butter were rejected as "poison"--I assume because she began to associate them with the AB or because she could still smell the AB through the disguise). Then she learned how to gack it up. After a couple of times down and back up again, the capsule breaks up and there's no giving that smelly, yucky powder to the dog. There was no "making her swallow". I think I would have suffocated her before she would have swallowed.

 

Anyone have any strategies specifically for antibiotics? I really feel for anyone having to give them.

 

 

 

[KF_in_Georgia]

Anyone have any strategies specifically for antibiotics? I really feel for anyone having to give them.

 

I used the deli-style turkey when I had to give powdered Tylan to Sam. I usually used two slices, though, to make it less likely that the lunchmeat would "crack" when I rolled it and let the powder out.

[silverfish]

I just finished giving Daisy a month's worth of antibiotics. I'm here to tell you that it isn't as easy as many of you are making it out to be. Antibiotics smell and taste GROSS! I got away with sticking the pill directly down her throat for a week or two (after cream cheese and peanut butter were rejected as "poison"--I assume because she began to associate them with the AB or because she could still smell the AB through the disguise). Then she learned how to gack it up. After a couple of times down and back up again, the capsule breaks up and there's no giving that smelly, yucky powder to the dog. There was no "making her swallow". I think I would have suffocated her before she would have swallowed.

 

Anyone have any strategies specifically for antibiotics? I really feel for anyone having to give them.

 

I have never, ever had trouble giving pills or capsules to dogs (or cats) .... until Ranger!! He's one of the 'if you stuff it down my throat I WILL gack it up' brigade.

 

Things I've tried, some of which worked several times until he got wise, some of which worked only once:

 

Grated cheese made into balls around the pill

Meat paste (potted meat) or liver paté, wrapped around the pill

Ham, ditto, worked once.

Peanut butter, worked once.

Prosciutto crudo (worked for almost a week! It really wraps and sticks well, but it's expensive )

Opening capsule or grinding pill and mixing with sardine oil, worked (almost!) once

Dairylea sliced (processed) cheese, worked once

Cheese or meat paste sandwich - just make as usual, cut off crusts, hide pill inside, give empty bit first

Chunks of pilchard (open and put pill inside, close and hide in dinner)

Butter wrapped around pill, either chilled and hidden in dinner, or just pushed down throat

Tinned food of the expensive 'small dog' or even 'cat' variety, paté style, mould around pill and hide in dinner

 

Vivitreats - ssshhhh! Still working! Mould around pill, hide in dinner

 

I've taken him along to the vet when going for something else, too, and asked them to do it. He's always better behaved there, and they syringe water down afterwards and he doesn't gack it up, little devil. They'll do it at my vet free of charge.

 

Out vet nurses also recommend keeping pills and capsules in the fridge because it makes them taste and smell less strong.

[DaisyDoodle]

Silverfish--thanks for all the excellent suggestions. Prosciutto? Wow, I thought my dogs were spoiled.

I just realized that I feel limited because Daisy has food allergies but we don't know for sure everything she's allergic to. I avoid most meats and grains for that reason.

[3greytjoys]

A pill gun is the best $2. ever spent. I use this type with great success for difficult cats and hounds: http://www.entirelypets.com/pillgun.html