Guest curi0us Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hi, first post on here so I'm sorry if this has been posted before - I did a couple of searches but didn't see what I was looking for. I'm having a hard time getting my greyhound to eat his monthly Trifexis pill. He used to eat it if I just threw it in with his food, but he doesn't anymore. I have tried letting the pill sit out for a day (my friend said that it helps get the medicine-y smell off of it), and covering it in peanut butter but so far no luck. It looks like the Trifexis pills are too big for the pill pack things that I normally see at pet stores. Any tips/tricks you use to help get your greyhound to eat his/her medicine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddgirl Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I used to wrap it in a piece of cheese. Quote Batman (racing name CTW Battle Plan) adopted May 2011, passed away July 2017 Buffy (racing name CTW Bathsheba) adopted Oct 2012, passed away March 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hold American cheese slice in your hand until it softens then wrap pill. Hot dog piece (but make sure no part of the pill shows). Potted meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest curi0us Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Thank you!! Will get some American cheese slices this weekend and try that out. @muddgirl - My dog is also a CTW! His racing name was CTW Jarhead Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FordRacingRon Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Leia takes a few. I just coat it with peanut butter and if she won't eat it, I open her mouth and stick it on her tongue as far back as I can (PB makes it stick). 90% success rate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Even my dog that eats poop won't eat the "chewable" Trifexis pill! They smell nasty and I bet they don't taste much better. Far simpler to just pill them - open their mouths and pop it down their throat. Over in 3 seconds! Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Cat food has never failed here. Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) I'm with Greysmom--I don't bother with hiding the pill in food--I've never had good success with it. Instead, I just open their mouth and pop it in. If you get it far enough back, it will go down. My technique is to straddle the dog at her shoulders. Use my left hand at the corners of her mouth to open it--just like getting a horse to accept a bit. Use my right hand to place the pill as far back in mouth as I can. Close mouth and lightly hold it closed, rub her throat until she swallows. If she refuses to swallow, lightly rub and blow on the tip of her nose. To lick her nose, she has to swallow. Reward with a treat. Edited July 2, 2016 by Scouts_mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedHead Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I get the little packs of goat's cheese (my dogs go nuts for that). The texture is perfect for moulding little pill pockets. I just roll them into balls and hide the pill in the middle of one. I always feed a few without the pill first as dogs can sometimes sniff more or be more suspicious or hesitant with the first one. Once they start gobbling them down, I sneak in the pill one I also sometimes use canned sardines and just slide the pill into the middle of one. If all else fails, the shove down the throat technique mentioned above works. Hold their nose up, put the pill down as far as you can and close the mouth. Usually when they lick their lips you know they have swallowed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighsayer Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Marshmallows. A slice of bread. Cream cheese. Banana. Lunch meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I have pilled lots of dogs but just hate doing it. Change up what you use or they'll get wise to it. May not be as big an issue in once a month vs. every day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Cheese works the best but fresh bread isn't too far off! I've also been known to use hot dog (esp helpful for larger pills since you can just cut a long piece and then insert pill in middle) When all else fails, down the hatch it goes by hand and hold muzzle closed until you feel the swallow then give lots of priase and treats. Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I am telling you . Go to your local Delly and ask them for an inch of their Liverwurst . Scoop out a little bit and put the Pill inside and make a little Ball . worked with my Morty and now with Brady . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 It's probably at least 5 to 7 miles to the nearest deli here but I agree with liverwurst or braunswager. (sp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Greyhounds are the easiest dog in the world to pill. Thierry throat is as wide as their neck.if all else fails open the mouth wide,shove it down their traot. All the way back,you will be amazed at how far your fingers can go! I come from the days of daily heart worm meds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I come from the days of daily heart worm meds! Every time someone posts about Fitbits my mind auto corrects to Filaribits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I would pill Seamus by putting the pill in a blob of peanut butter or liverwurst and while he was laying down put the blob on his wrist. He would lap it right up. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) Can you break it in half? One of Zuri's supplements is HUGE and he wants nothing to do with it so I break it in half and then either put them in pill pockets (I break off what I need from a Greenies pill pocket to wrap it completely) or I put it in something delicious. PB is still working well for us, but goat yogurt has worked nicely when Skye gets picky. For pills that taste particularly offensive like Tramadol, I will often wrap in a pill pocket, then put the pill pocket in a little PB so it's doubly disguised. Edited July 2, 2016 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri_d Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 It's probably at least 5 to 7 miles to the nearest deli here but I agree with liverwurst or braunswager. (sp) Braunsweiger is our go to for 'biggest baddest pills"- we get it at the grocery. For other pills we use Velveeta successfully. We got so tired of the trifexis fight monthly we've been using revolution. Not a huge fan of the skid marks they have for a few days, but beats the fight to get all three to swallow the nasty trifexis! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sportingfields Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I'm a huge fan of hiding pills in liverwurst, never had a pup refuse. Mine used to love liverwurst so much that even the ones that didn't need a med were at my feet waiting for their portion Hate shoving pills down the throat but will do it if necessary. For once only a month pill, cut pill into 2-3 pieces, most HW are pretty big, then hide each piece in raw hamburg, making tiny meatballs. What you want is small enough so all they have to do is swallow. It's when they have to chew that you run into problems. Give a couple of tiny raw hamburg meatballs first, then give the ones that you've prepared ahead of time. With only one pill broken up, you'd not be giving more than 1/4 cup including the initial meatballs. In case you've a concern, raw hamburg is perfectly safe to give a Greyhound. It actually is better than cooked. I had a trainer tell me years ago that the way the fats break down in hamburg when cooking, that you can cause digestive upset and pancreatitis symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Our Lilly has to be pilled with some supplements everyday and I made a video of my technique. As you can see, the "pill" is about 1 1/4 inches diameter and Lilly takes it with no problems. We do it fast and simple, and Lilly never runs away from me, and will even come to me when she hears me getting her "pill" ready. Use your non-dominant hand to open the jaws then slide your fingers (on that hand) back along the roof of the mouth until you feel the beginning of the soft palate. If you place your fingers there it will automatically make them open their throat wider. Use your dominant hand/index finger to place the "pill" over the back of the throat, past where it bends to go down the trachea (but not too far or they will choke). Close the mouth and give a small puff of air across the nose which triggers the swallow reflex. https://youtu.be/lj2biSafDwc Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest curi0us Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Update: Coated the pill in peanut butter and wrapped it in a slice of cheese, and he ate everything in pretty much one bite! Like someone else mentioned - I'm sure if I keep using the same tactic he will see it coming, so I'll be referencing this thread from time to time I'm sure Really appreciate everyone's suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Braunsweiger is our go to for 'biggest baddest pills"- we get it at the grocery. Yeah, but unless you happen to personally like braunsweiger or liverwurst sandwiches (one of my friends does) it's hard to buy a whole roll once a month to give one pill. Update: Coated the pill in peanut butter and wrapped it in a slice of cheese, and he ate everything in pretty much one bite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Just found this. Home made pill pockets. http://muttnut.blogspot.ca/2012/11/how-to-make-homemade-pill-pockets-for.html?m=1 Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AtticusMom Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 greysmom, your video is awesome. i think our greys are quite good at being pilled manually, when necessary. Lilly is a great example! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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