Tricks For Medication

[feistylady]

Am wondering if some more suggestions for getting meds down could be offered here. I normally do not have a problem but since trying to get antibiotics down my usual way with cheese slices Matey has decided no way. I have been posting in the palliative care forum as he has Mast cell carcinoma, The tumour is very large now on his hind paw the antibiotics are for trying to keep this from becoming infected. It seems everything he detects this in he will not have a bar of, I am throwing it all out when I have been trying on and off all day. I have rolled it up in raw fish which he loves,added vegemite to my cheese slice including crushing the med to no avail. Tonight I have lifted sausages out maybe I can snook it in there.I might even try covering in butter somehting he liked when he was younger.

Any ideas greatly appreciated

[Guest Ams]

I scrape the tablet through a tub of cream cheese and all the dogs here are quite happy to have a "lolly". ;)

[W Sibs]

There is no trick with me... I simply put it down Charlie's thoart. We do it quickly that usually leave Charlie giving me a look saying 'What just happened?'

There is a thread similar to this not long ago.

[emilee]

Philly cream cheese or liverwurst work here

[Kirislin]

I can just give mine tablets but prefer to do it the "nice" way. as others have said philly cheese works, I reckon peanut butter would too. If your boy is suspicious try giving him a bit that hasn't got any meds hidden in there first. He'll wolf it down and be hoping for more. Then sneak the meds in the next bit. Hopefully it will be down before he realises.

[Erny]

I taught my boy to take a tablet 'on command'. Of course it is always followed up with a food treat of some description. Always. But it does solve the problem of potentially at some time in the dog's life not being allowed to eat this food source or that food source. So I started him out that way. Sometimes he objects and starts goofing around, but he opens his mouth for it anyway. Sometimes he does a surreptitious 'spit', to which I appear to look shocked ..... and he'll paw it on the ground, and ultimately lick it up. He's learnt to lick his chops (poke tongue out and in) to indicate he's swallowed.

If I'm really pushed (because of some tablet that might taste repulsive, for example) I just open his mouth and pop it in, my hand gently keeping is muzzle closed and the other cupping his chin to keep his head tilted up. Once he's poked his tongue, I know he's swallowed it and is signalling for his treat. There is no force in any of this - he's quite compliant.

Possibly won't work for all dogs, but it certainly works for me.

Edited March 25, 2010 by Erny

[Diva]

There is no trick with me... I simply put it down Charlie's thoart. We do it quickly that usually leave Charlie giving me a look saying 'What just happened?'

Me too. Followed by a food treat.

No use hiding anything in food with my lot, they don't gulp anything.

[spottychick]

Yes there was a similar thread a few days ago - the general consensus was don't make a big fuss and "just pop it down the throat" ;) That's what I do! My poor guy was having to take a lot of pills every day for months when he was battling cancer. I used to offer them to him to take himself (and some of them he would), then if he didn't take em I'd pop up to three at a time into the back of his throat, gently hold his mouth closed and stroke his throat to encourage swallowing - and usually give him something nice afterwards to make it a less horrible experience.

If it's just a one-off thing I don't usually treat them tho.

[Kavik]

I just put them down their throat. But I always do it at meal times, so they get their dinner afterwards.

[W Sibs]

My boyfriend recently bought empty capsules from the chemist.. he will put the table in that and then hit it in some Charlie's raw food and feed it to him... he says it works for him ;)

I don't treat Charlie afterwards. Just cause it happens very fast and I don't want to make a big deal about it.

[raffikki]

I've taught my boy to open his mouth wide for tablets, so I can just pop it to the back of his throat.

I just gently place the palm of my hand on his nose and use 3 fingers to touch his top lip, he then drops his lower jaw, leaning his head back.

I taught it the same as you would any other trick, I suppose, heaps of praise and treats afterward. We began with no tablets of course.

[t-time]

I'm a meanie LOL ;)

No mucking around....

Open up, straight down the back of the throat, close the mouth and rub the throat - simple, easy and you know they've got the drug they need. :p

Oh, also another hint is blow gently into the nostrils while the mouth is held closed. :p

I do give a treat afterwards but for some reason, the dogs prefer to run behind the couch rather than have a treat :D :D

[SmoothieGirl]

Tricky isn't it.

My Dobe was an open mouth and slip down the throat girl, no problems.

Bronte on the other hand is clearly smarter and much more sensitive and turns into a wiggle worm so I can't even hold her muzzle. I now use a medium sized piece of diced fresh meat, use a knife to create a small pocket in it and pop them in there. If she's in an obliging mood I just give her this one and then her meal. If she's being a little difficult I give her two diced pieces with no meat in quick succession, then the 'laced' one, then another normal one. The trick is to get her eating the first few without suspicion, slip in the tabletted one and then have the last one right in front of her ready to gobble so she eats up really quick to get that last one.

Its not always foolproof, sometimes you have to have a second go (how do they manage to eat the meat and spit out the tablet?) but its a lot less stressful on her and me.

[feistylady]

Some great hints there, today I got all down in sausage, trick him first then cut a hole put in tab and down the hatch followed by another piece. I broke very tiny I also wonder now if it is because he only has 2 teeth and can feel the tabs. I do feel down the hatch is probably the way to go, love the cream cheese idea though yummy.