Need Help With Pilling

[NeylasMom]

I am so incredibly frustrated. I have 2 dogs staying with me that I board regularly when their owners travel. The female, Kat has arthritis and is really struggling with my stairs and even short walks around the blocks. I finally decided to just give her an extra dose of pain meds before bed to see if we can get her feeling better (she's on Tramadol and Rimadyl), but now I can't even get the pills in her. She usually gets her pills wrapped in lunch meat, but she's been refusing that (she's also been refusing food of all sorts off and on) so I switched to pilling her, but now she's on to me and she will NOT swallow while the pill is in there. I just spent about 15 minutes trying to get one pill down and finally gave up. I made multiple attempts and at one point when I thought she had swallowed and let go, she actually waited before she started trying to spit the pill out so I wouldn't see her doing it.

 

She typically does not have issues eating when she comes here so I'm guessing her discomfort is at least a part of her inappetance, but she's also on a Rx diet (Hill's J/D) which she seems totally disinterested in so she's also been eating some of her brother's kibble (also Rx, Hill's K/D kidney diet, which doesn't say much for her kibble if she finds his tastier) and when she refuses even that, I've managed to get her to eat small amounts of warmed up canned food so she at least has something in her stomach for hte meds, but I can't hide the pills in anything when she's like this. I also started pepcid before meals with her dinner tonight in case the meds are upsetting her stomach.

 

I'm hoping someone has some magic trick for pilling her. Please don't offer suggestions for things to hide food in. I've tried a ton of stuff - she knows what I'm up to, is convinced I'm trying to poison her, and will not take it. Help!

 

P.S. In case you can't tell, this is killing me. She was my foster a long time ago, and is the sweetest dog you will ever encounter. I hate seeing her in pain, and I absolutely hate pilling her as it makes both of us very unhappy, but I can't very well not give the meds when she's already struggling as it is.

Edited May 10, 2012 by NeylasMom

[Guest tricolorhounds]

What if you put a thin layer of cream cheese, butter or tomotoes on the pill before putting it down her throat. Might help it slide down a little easier.

 

... oops, that was the crab cake thread

Edited May 10, 2012 by tricolorhounds

[Remolacha]

I've never used one of those pill guns, but I have heard from others that they work when all the "hiding" fails.

[JJNg]

How far back on her tongue are you putting the pill? You can literally put it as far down her throat as you can reach. It also helps to have a syringe of water ready. After you get the pill into her mouth, hold her mouth closed, tip her nose up a little, and immediately dribble some of the water into the front of her mouth to encourage her to swallow. Let go of her mouth after you give her the water, and she will probably swallow.

 

I also like the idea of coating the pill with something something slippery before pilling. You can also make a little 'meatball' with just enough canned food or cheese to cover the tablet, and pill her with that. She might be less likely to spit it out if it tastes good.

[jamngrey]

Ya sounds like you arnt putting it back far enough. I usually hold their chin up rubbing spun on neck tell they swallow. Good luck

[3greytjoys]

How far back on her tongue are you putting the pill? You can literally put it as far down her throat as you can reach. It also helps to have a syringe of water ready. After you get the pill into her mouth, hold her mouth closed, tip her nose up a little, and immediately dribble some of the water into the front of her mouth to encourage her to swallow. Let go of her mouth after you give her the water, and she will probably swallow.

 

I also like the idea of coating the pill with something something slippery before pilling. You can also make a little 'meatball' with just enough canned food or cheese to cover the tablet, and pill her with that. She might be less likely to spit it out if it tastes good.

 

Excellent tips!

 

Future idea (also mentioned by Remolacha): I've used these pill guns for decades and love them for dogs and cats. (I'm currently giving 12 pills/capsules to different dogs each day, including dog yucky tasting Tramadol tablets. The pill gun works like a charm.)

http://www.entirelypets.com/pillgun.html

Combining the pill gun with jjng's excellent suggestion of adding a little water to the front of the mouth should make it even easier.

 

Following up with a yummy treat often helps, along with a happy "good dog" voice so dog associates it with a happy event.

 

The other device I use a lot for our animals is a pill cutter (available at most drug stores for a few dollars) .

Edited May 10, 2012 by 3greytjoys

[maryz]

If she likes and can handle peanut butter, that works every time for my girl.

[PatricksMom]

Hold her mouth shut while gently rubbing her throat--that's my mom's trick. Cream cheese is working here, but I'm guessing you tried that. Also, Tramadol can taste really disgusting (or so my vet says and I've seen the results) if you're splitting the pill or if it partially disolved. Try to get you hands on some empty cosequine gel caps and put it in that (or maybe a compounding pharmacy would have gel caps for sale).

[Batmom]

Shove it waaaaaaaaaaay down and then, before you let go, either squirt in some water or put a blob of peanutbutter on the roof of her mouth.

[Feisty49]

If she likes and can handle peanut butter, that works every time for my girl.

 

 

This. My girl can take PB with no problem and she loves it, so I put a pill in a good size dollop, put it on a plate and walk away. She scarfs it down with no problem.

[robinw]

At Iker's shelter, they put pills in blob of cat food, then threw the pill-filled blob on the floor. No dog could resist dropped food, and it worked every time.

Edited May 10, 2012 by robinw

[Laur]

Chef boy ardee ravioli.

Take one raviloi, make a small slit , slide in pill, ravioli almost seals itself, serve.

Works best and looks more delicious if served on a 'only for humans'looking dinner plate.

[Feisty49]

Chef boy ardee ravioli.

Take one raviloi, make a small slit , slide in pill, ravioli almost seals itself, serve.

Works best and looks more delicious if served on a 'only for humans'looking dinner plate.

 

This is a great idea and I so agree about the people plate, which is what I use when hiding pills in peanut butter.

[Guest BrianRke]

I have crushed pills and put them in baby food applesauce. That has worked for me in the past.

[cleptogrey]

Shove it waaaaaaaaaaay down and then, before you let go, either squirt in some water or put a blob of peanutbutter on the roof of her mouth.

 

if your fingers and hands aren't getting gross then your hand isn't in far enough. the peanut butter should work, schmear a long line of it on the roof of her mouth and watch her tounge go wild! it's fun

[Guest MyCody]

Peanut butter always works here, but that ravioli idea is greyt too!!!

[MaryJane]

I usually use peanut butter - coat the pill with it and give it to her. Immediately after, put a bit of peanut butter on your finger and scape it on the roof of her mouth in back of her front teeth. With mine that gets the swallowing action going big time.

 

You can also use butter but, that has just so much fat that I usually only use it as a last resort.

 

Good luck.

[BauersMom]

I had a similar problem with my 13 year old. I would have to wrestle her to be able to pill her, and even then, with all the squirming, I couldn't get the pill in far enough so that she couldn't yack it up. Fighting with my geriatric dog just wasn't what I wanted to do anymore so for everyone's sake we had the meds compounded as liquid suspension, and then it was much easier to shoot it in her mouth. Not an option for all meds, but thankfully was for what she was on. This won't help you now but may be worth the owners looking in to if she continues to refuse the pills...

Edited May 10, 2012 by BauersMom

[NeylasMom]

At Iker's shelter, they put pills in blob of cat food, then threw the pill-filled blob on the floor. No dog could resist dropped food, and it worked every time.

Sadly this one can, and will.

 

I've pretty much been doing everything you guys suggested. I cram the pill way down, she uses her tongue to move it before I can even get her mouth closed. I stick smelly delicious things on her nose or mouth to get her to lick, nothing. I stroke her throat constantly, nothing. I'm hiding the Tramadol in a pill pocket before trying to pill her, doesn't matter. I've used a syringe with water, she'd rather choke than swallow it. This dog is STUBBORN.

 

I did switch from coating the pills in oil to butter this morning and that seemed to help, seems to retain its slipperyness longer. She also wasn't totally refusing food though, I was able to get her to actually take the Rimadyl in lunchmeat so we'll see what happens if she pulls out all of hte stops again tonight.

 

Bauersmom, that's the way I feel. If it were my dog, I wouldn't be doing this, but I don't have the suspension option like you said and I just can't not give them to her when she's already struggling. Her owners claim she always takes them no problem for them. I think the stairs/walks here must just really be too much for her, so she's uncomfortable, so she's not wanting to eat and it's a vicious cycle. So we'll keep doing it. She seemed more comfortable today on our walk and she actually ate about a cup of kibble with some warmed up canned food mixed in, I hope it stays that way.

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions. If we start to have trouble again, sounds like I'll be getting a pill popper.

Edited May 10, 2012 by NeylasMom

[ZoomDoggy]

Believe me, I understand your pain. It can be so frustrating. Once they catch on to "hiding" pills in various foods, nothing works. I've been through the gamut of delicacies also, and Alimony is the queen of suspicion.

 

So the method I described for you yesterday is all that works when Ali is in one of her non-eating moods. The thing is, you really do have to push the pills SO far back down in her throat, it feels like you're pushing it down into her lungs. I assure you, that's not the case. And keep that snout pointed upward (to let gravity assist) while gently rubbing the throat also helps.

 

And yes Tramadol is one of the worst-tasting pills you can give a dog. So I try to ensure that I not let it touch her tongue, pushing it far past her tastebuds so she won't have to taste it much if at all. Greasing the pill with a little butter might help make it harder to hack up too. But could also just make it harder for you to grip the pill in the first place.

 

Good luck. *sigh*

[3DogNite]

i use raw hamburger to get 15+ supplements into Lazer daily!

 

don't know what i'd do if he wouldn't take the meat-balls stuffed with supplements

[NeylasMom]

Believe me, I understand your pain. It can be so frustrating. Once they catch on to "hiding" pills in various foods, nothing works. I've been through the gamut of delicacies also, and Alimony is the queen of suspicion.

 

I know you do. Believe me, after hearing your stories and dealing with Kat, I am incredibly grateful that all of my dogs were/are completely willing to just take a pill in a little PB or raw meatball.

 

I do think Kat wants to join Ali in her plot to expose these dirty humans who are trying to poison them all.

[Guest Greytluv]

I use a piller and love it. Good luck.