My Violet has an owie.

[taxlady]

Latex glove, pop her mouth open, and shove the pill to the back of her throat, keep her head tipped back and rub her throat. I know, that sounds nasty, but that's how I gave chemo tabs to a dog--it worked.

After that, in dog class, I would include an exercise re: pilling the dog (with bits of soft treats--no glove) so that one could pill the dog and not have to use the glove.

That's what the vet showed me to do for my cat Sucha. She was very good at not swallowing. So, the vet showed me again. We watched the pill fly across the room. Then the vet believed I might have been doing it the way she showed me.

 

[DaveSoMD]

That's what the vet showed me to do for my cat Sucha. She was very good at not swallowing. So, the vet showed me again. We watched the pill fly across the room. Then the vet believed I might have been doing it the way she showed me.

We had a Schnauzer that knew the exact same trick!

 

[Dawgluver]

And hope that Violet doesn't know how to blow back...

Let's hope not!

 

[CWS4322]

That's what the vet showed me to do for my cat Sucha. She was very good at not swallowing. So, the vet showed me again. We watched the pill fly across the room. Then the vet believed I might have been doing it the way she showed me.

You gotta go WAAAAY back, over the arch of the tongue. That's where the latex glove comes in handy, remove your hand, close the dog's mouth, hold shut (nose toward ceiling) and rub throat. If very desperate, you can dribble a couple of drops on the dog's nose to make it swallow. It works, but it does take practice.

 

[Andy M.]

Latex glove, pop her mouth open, and shove the pill to the back of her throat, keep her head tipped back and rub her throat. I know, that sounds nasty, but that's how I gave chemo tabs to a dog--it worked.

After that, in dog class, I would include an exercise re: pilling the dog (with bits of soft treats--no glove) so that one could pill the dog and not have to use the glove.

Back in the old days I had to give our Golden a heartworm pill every night. The vet showed me to open his mouth and shove the pill down his throat on one side of the mouth or the other, not the middle. Then hold his mouth shut and rub his throat. When you saw the tip of his tongue pop out of the front of his mouth, you knew he had swallowed.

 

[taxlady]

You gotta go WAAAAY back, over the arch of the tongue. That's where the latex glove comes in handy, remove your hand, close the dog's mouth, hold shut (nose toward ceiling) and rub throat. If very desperate, you can dribble a couple of drops on the dog's nose to make it swallow. It works, but it does take practice.

We watched her swallow!

The vet succeeded once with a special pill holder stick.

I had to grind up her pills and give them to her in her food. She knew they were there and she wasn't happy, but she ate the food.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

It's obvious, if you need to get your dog or cat to swallow a pill...call CWS!

 

[CWS4322]

There are some meds that can't be given with food, so being able to pill your dog (cats are another story--I had one of those pill pusher sticks when I had to pill a friend's cat) is absolutely essential. Practice with soft treats when your dog isn't in need of meds.

 

[Barbara L]

The only way my mom could get her dog to take a pill was to coat it in butter, then push it back to her throat the way some of you have already described. She could get them out of meat and cheese. Butter made them slick and she couldn't help but swallow.

 

[Alix]

I've never had a problem with Murray thank god! But pilling the cats has always been an interesting experience. We had a Siamese who could cheek his meds and you'd find them spit out stuck to curtains, on windows...anywhere that he could really make his point.

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks, everyone for all your great ideas. Violet is a real prima donna when it comes to getting her own way.

- she hates peanut butter, I mean really HATES it. Won't go within a foot of it. I once made some peanut carob snacks for all the family dogs for Christmas. Violet took one sniff and took off so fast.

- Her jaws are so strong that even DH and I together can't get them open if she doesn't want to. If you do get it into her mouth, she will not swallow (even if you rub her throat.

- We tried putting it in some pieces of treat food and giving her some with, some without and she caught on.

- We tried dipping them in tuna "juice", her absolute favourite thing. It worked twice. Now, she turns her nose up at it for fear there are pills in her dish (even when there isn't).

- I am picking up some things from the vet they recommended today. Not exactly sure what they are, but will let you know when I get them.

You know, I swear Violet doesn't think she is a dog....she is a teenage girl on four legs!

Thanks again. If we can get her jaw open I think the best will be the blowing, but knowing her she WILL learn to blow back.

 

[Barbara L]

It sounds like maybe Violet needs shots instead of pills!

 

[LPBeier]

Yeah, she actually does do better with shots. Liquid medication is okay too. Just not horrible tasting and smelling cephalexin tablets.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Yeah, she actually does do better with shots. Liquid medication is okay too. Just not horrible tasting and smelling cephalexin tablets.

Now I understand, that stuff is horrible smelling, makes me gag. Poor Violet! Sounds to me like she needs a couple days of Rocephin shots since you can't get the tablets down her.

 

[CWS4322]

Try breaking/cutting those big pills in 1/2 or 1/4.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Sorry about Violet

Laurie,

I am hoping that Violet is doing a bit better ...

I know what you are going through, as I lost my 2 British short hair at 22 yrs of age back in 1991. León, my blue cream tiger and Onyx, my 100% black, were very dear to our family and my 2 daughters wept bitterly.

Think positive and enjoy her ...

Kindest regards,
Margi.

 

[LPBeier]

Now I understand, that stuff is horrible smelling, makes me gag. Poor Violet! Sounds to me like she needs a couple days of Rocephin shots since you can't get the tablets down her.

Thanks, Princess and yes, I have had problems getting them down myself. I will mention the Rocephin tomorrow when I take her in.

Try breaking/cutting those big pills in 1/2 or 1/4.

CW, they are fairly large caplets and she takes 1 1/2 twice a day. I have already cut them all in half and she gets three in the morning and at night with food. They have this orange coating which smells and tastes awful and Violet has a really keen sense of smell.

The eye is improving each day and last night she was her old self bouncing around wanting to play. Hopefully the vet tomorrow will say that we can just stop that and finish out the topical cream.

Thanks everyone for your support here. With my own pain and everything this has been extra hard on me. But I know she is okay and that is the main thing.

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks, Princess and yes, I have had problems getting them down myself. I will mention the Rocephin tomorrow when I take her in.



CW, they are fairly large caplets and she takes 1 1/2 twice a day. I have already cut them all in half and she gets three in the morning and at night with food. They have this orange coating which smells and tastes awful and Violet has a really keen sense of smell.

The eye is improving each day and last night she was her old self bouncing around wanting to play. Hopefully the vet tomorrow will say that we can just stop that and finish out the topical cream.

Thanks everyone for your support here. With my own pain and everything this has been extra hard on me. But I know she is okay and that is the main thing.

LP--I know how big the pills are--I have a "house" prescription of those--baytril is even bigger! I guess she is supposed to have the pills 2x/day.

How about this: soft treats (pasta, cheese). Walk up to her with the treat in one hand, wave it in front of her nose, when she opens her mouth, open it wider and shove the treat deep, snap her mouth closed, tip her head back, rub her throat. When she swallows follow with another treat but this time don't do anything other than give her the treat? Then do the sniff, shove, routine. Do 10-15 treats 3-4 x day. Make sure she gets 10-12 treats before she gets the pill.

 

[LPBeier]

Violet got a clean bill of health!

Went back to the vet today and Violet's infection has cleared up completely, the skin has grown back, no more swelling.

This means no more fights over swallowing anti-biotics, no more squirming to not get ointment on the owie, no more Mom tearing her hair and heart out!

Joie is the only one feeling put out by all of this because he was getting a lot of extra treats out of the deal!

Thanks for all your encouragement, ideas and support.

 

[taxlady]

w00t! Yay for Violet.