Best ways to give a dog a pill

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forkin14
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Best ways to give a dog a pill

Post by forkin14 »

Our vet gave us antibiotics for our dog who suffers from really bad allergies. Her belly has been covered with little crusty like sores. Giving her the pills twice a day is a difficult task. This is the only time she ever gives us the "snarl" face. She's never snapped at us but I'm sure she's thought about it! Right now we tell her to sit, and we open up her mouth and try to put the pill as far back in her mouth as possible, close her mouth, and lightly rub her throat to induce swallowing (instructions we found from a dog-related website). The problem is, sometimes she pretend like she has swallowed it, but it is still in her mouth and she will chew it, spit it out and that's the end of that pill. Our problem is that the pills have to be swallowed intact so we were upset to hear the easiest way is to hide it in food.

Does anyone have a better method or ways to ensure that she swallows each time??
maximoo
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Location: South Florida

Post by maximoo »

I've seen "pill pockets" (A treat with a hole in the middle for the pill) at the petstores not sure how effective or easy but worth taking a look at I guess
Leigha
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Post by Leigha »

Bru has to take two antihistamines in the afternoon. I take a little bit of peanut butter and wrap the pill in it like a "peanut butter ball." He practically swallows them whole.
Ocelot0411
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Post by Ocelot0411 »

Yep I do the same with a bit of cheese or sausage, or better still if I have it the big peice of fat off a steak. Shove the pill in the middle and 'gulp' its gone!
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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

Joe is terrible to give tablets to, it doesn't matter how far down his throat you put them he can get them up. :roll: I use thin slices of cooked meat and roll the tablet up in it, they go down a treat and Joe is sitting waiting for them.
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rej973
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Post by rej973 »

I use a little cream cheese whenever I have to give my dogs a pill. They love it and never have a prolblem swallowing it. They think it's an exciting treat.
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Horace's Mum
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Post by Horace's Mum »

I do the usual wrap it in something, but I have several more pieces of that yummy stuff that I feed straight one after the other after the pill (I usually start with one or 2 bits of stuff without the pill first too) so he doesn't notice the tablet!!
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Sequence feedig is what I do too :D especially holding the next yummy treat up as the dog is eating the one it has, so it swallows faster.

What idiot made antibiotic pills so huge when the dog has no appetite? :roll:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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wvvdiup1
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Post by wvvdiup1 »

I've wrapped my dog's medication in some treats if the medication is in a capsule form. However, I've found that if the medication is in a pill form, I'll crush the pill in put it into their treats. Another method I use is if the medication is in a liquid form and any of my dogs won't keep it down, I soak the medication in their treats that will absorb the liquid. However, these methods work if the medication can be taken with food!

Does anyone have any good tips on how to give a dog medication that can't be taken with food?

wvvdiup1
cruisintigger
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Location: Chicago, IL

Post by cruisintigger »

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=3049102

I've used these pill pockets. Very handy. They are soft so you can form it around the pill and if pills are small, can break the pocket in half. Pup gulps them down and doesn't realize he's taken medicine. :)
Naomi C
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Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:57 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by Naomi C »

I have tried this before, my dos somehow eat around the pill, it always seems not to work, but I must say, crushing the pill is a good idea.
kpaul76
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Location: michigan

Post by kpaul76 »

pill pockets work great for my dog KoKo.
own 3 dogs: Bear, Sassy, KoKo
own 5 cats: Ashley, Collin, Misty, Riley, Cutiepie
mselisabs
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Location: Charlotte, NC

Post by mselisabs »

My Brit loves catching her kibble so I'll throw the pill to her randomly, usually flanked by pieces of kibble before and after. Hardly even notices... although with her fish oil she'll catch it, spit it out, then eat it off the floor. Maybe it just wasn't what she expected at first, hah.

If for some reason that little trick doesn't work I'll push it into a piece of hotdog. Waaay cheaper then pill pockets and taste just as strongly to mask the icky taste if they bite into the pill.
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