Giving the dog her pill

[LadyCook61]

The dog needs 2 kinds of antibiotics, painkiller, and arthritis meds. First I wrap one pill in liverwurst, give it to the dog, she licks the liverwurst off and spits the pill out. Then I try to grind the pill by smashing it with a hammer , then I flatten out piece of liverwurst, put some ground pill on it, top with another piece of liverwurst, roll it in little balls so she would eat them whole. I had to do this 6 times. I have tried cheese, she ate the cheese , spits out the pill, I tried wrapping in ham, she ate the ham, spat the pill out. Hubby and I tried popping the pill down her throat, somehow it gets out of her mouth and ends up on the floor. So the smashed pill in liverwurst works, got to do this twice a day for the next 10 days.
Also I have to give 2 of my cats meds with a syringe.. Fun NOT ! For that I search for the cat, somehow he and she knows I am getting the meds ready, must heard the med. bottle open or something.. and goes and hides. I wait awhile, the cat comes out of hiding and I grab the cat, wrap him in a towel, covering his front paws, holding him with one arm and give him his medicine with the syringe. Of course some of it splashes on me , the couch, and leaks out of his mouth. Forget about pilling cat ai ai ai !!!

 

[Andy M.]

The vet taught me to use my thumb to push the pill down the dog's throat. You don't go down the middle but on either side.

After a while the dog got so used to it that he would come to me and sit in front of me when he heard the pills rattling in the bottle.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Ya might try laying the pill on the back of the tongue...hold the mouth shut with one hand, and rub/massage the throat. This often times causes a swallowing reflex...the pill goes down.

 

[LadyCook61]

Ya might try laying the pill on the back of the tongue...hold the mouth shut with one hand, and rub/massage the throat. This often times causes a swallowing reflex...the pill goes down.

first I have to get her mouth open. she clamps it shut.

 

[Uncle Bob]

first I have to get her mouth open. she clamps it shut.

Then enlist the help of a third hand. They either help or go to bed hungry!!

 

[texasgirl]

Ya might try laying the pill on the back of the tongue...hold the mouth shut with one hand, and rub/massage the throat. This often times causes a swallowing reflex...the pill goes down.

I do the exact same. when they won't open up, you can slip the pill to the back on the outside of their teeth, there is a gap, put the pill through there and do the same.

 

[GotGarlic]

This works every time with our black Lab - encase the pill in peanut butter. She'll lick her chops for the next 10 minutes.

 

[Barbara L]

What worked for us, with my mom's dog, was to put butter on the pill, blow in her nose (to get her to open her mouth), then push the pill as far back into her mouth as we could.

Barbara

 

[pacanis]

Just goes to show ya, ya gotta get them used to taking meds at an early age

If the dog is spitting the pill out you aren't pushing it in far enough. You don't "pop" a pill in a dog's mouth like you do a cat.
To get them to open their mouth, push the corner of their mouth into their teeth on both sides, back close to where the jaw hinges. It's "kind of" like picking up a horse's foot. You have to force it just a little but they know what you want. Keep that skin pushed in with your finger so they can't close their mouth without biting themselves. And then like said, hold their mouth closed until they swallow and I always rub the throat, too.
If you don't want to hunt down "Pill Pockets", which work great for giving pills, you'll just have to keep looking for something if you'd rather give them in a treat. Soft bread works, too. Velveeta..... the usual stuff that was mentioned, but once they get to know there's a pill in the treat.... good luck.

No help with the cat. I'd rather give pills than liquids, but then my cat will lay in my lap while I cut his nails.

I got back from the vet today with THREE pills for my one dog

 

[corazon]

try soft butter. Our dog would spit her pills out too. You can mold the slice of butter around the pill. Then give it to your dog, the butter should just slide right down. our dog doesn't try to chew the butter, she just swallows it. Good luck.

 

[miniman]

I do the same as uncle Bob but with a handful of small treats as a spur. He is so desperate to get the treat that the pill goes down and stays down.

 

[LadyCook61]

What worked for us, with my mom's dog, was to put butter on the pill, blow in her nose (to get her to open her mouth), then push the pill as far back into her mouth as we could.

Barbara

I did try the butter technique too, she spit it out

 

[LadyCook61]

This works every time with our black Lab - encase the pill in peanut butter. She'll lick her chops for the next 10 minutes.

I hadn't thought of peanut butter. These pills are big, told my hubby the pills looks like it is for a horse.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Vet

When I think my dog is going to give me a fit, I call the vet and ask what he suggests I do to get his prescription down the dog's throat. Maybe he can prescribe substitute for this medication. It does happen that they do things so routinely it takes someone with unique problem to bring to their attention. you want the dog to take it forget about how you feel about asking his help. That is what he is there for. You are the one with the dog that NEEDS the medicine. Seems you have tried everything. If that fails, go back to the source. I wouldn't worry about what he thinks it is what you pay for that matters. Had to drink glass of wine everytime gave my dogs injections twice day for insulin. Vet told me I can't have you bring the dog in everytime he need insulin. I learned how to give them the injections. Something i never ever wanted to do.

good luck

 

[Barbara L]

I forgot to add that along with the butter we also did as pacanis did:

If the dog is spitting the pill out you aren't pushing it in far enough... And then like said, hold their mouth closed until they swallow and I always rub the throat, too...

Barbara

 

[jpmcgrew]

When you open mouth put the bottom of your thumb on the roof of their mouth about half way and hold the middle of the nose with the rest of your hand over the top of the nose and press with thumb they can't close their mouth that way tilt head back and pop pill to back of throat close mouth and hold shut blow in their nose and rub under neck. Works almost everytime.

 

[pacanis]

I "pilled" my dog for the first pill, but for the two I had to give at dinertime I just threw them in her bowl. That works, too, if your dog puts their nose in the bowl until they're done

 

[LadyCook61]

gave my dogs injections twice day for insulin. Vet told me I can't have you bring the dog in everytime he need insulin. I learned how to give them the injections. Something i never ever wanted to do.

good luck

I had 3 cats over the years that I had to give Sub Q fluids at home. Sub Q is fluids under the skin, with the IV bag and needle . Also had to syringe feed cats, one had a tube in his neck , fed him thru the tube. The others were fed thru the mouth. I did what had to be done to care for the cats. I've had other dogs, I didn't have trouble with them with meds. This 66 lb mutt was not even our dog originally, it was hubby's deceased brother's dog.

 

[LadyCook61]

I "pilled" my dog for the first pill, but for the two I had to give at dinertime I just threw them in her bowl. That works, too, if your dog puts their nose in the bowl until they're done

not my dog , she will avoid the pill . She is a picky eater.

 

[pacanis]

Ackkk, I hate picky eaters....

Maybe for future pills you need to get yourself one of these to keep on hand
It's pill popper, or gun.