Trouble Giving Tablets?

[jackie_a1]

There are pill poppers you can use. They help get the tablet further down the mouth. I always give a treat after or syringe some water in the mouth.

I am surprised your dog doesn't like drontal? most dogs find them very tasty? Although are you using the chew or the tablet form?

I HATE the new sentinel "tasty" chew. Most dogs do not find it remotely tasty and chew it into a mush and then spit it out, yucky.

Its also too big to shove down their throuat.

I read on one of those chewable packets that shoving the chewables down the dogs throat isn't good because the chewables need to be chewed to be better digested. As opposed to the tablet forms that are supposed to be directly swallowed the chewables need to be broken into smaller pieces (if the dogs refuse to chew them) otherwise they do not get absorbed as well. My dogs will not eat the chewables EVER. I always get the tablet form and just pop them down the throat.

[griff]

alway given wrapped in a small piece of cheeze or meat

other wise out comes to the pill popper that way no mucking around .

[greytdog]

Bianca has pills every day, and I find the easiest way is to buy a home brand devon roll, cut it up into chunks, pack a few day's worth into sandwich bags and freeze. Defrost them in the fridge in a container, and when it's pill time, shove the pills in the chunk and give it to her. Rarely any trouble. I sometimes have two pieces, and give her the pill filled one whilst holding the other one in front of her face. She's usually in such a hurry to get the second one that she gulps the pill one down quickly.

[aussielover]

or hide in a piece of bbq chicken

[bridie]

Bianca has pills every day, and I find the easiest way is to buy a home brand devon roll, cut it up into chunks, pack a few day's worth into sandwich bags and freeze. Defrost them in the fridge in a container, and when it's pill time, shove the pills in the chunk and give it to her. Rarely any trouble. I sometimes have two pieces, and give her the pill filled one whilst holding the other one in front of her face. She's usually in such a hurry to get the second one that she gulps the pill one down quickly.

What a sneeky lot you all are

Thanks every-one

[corvus]

Why go to the effort of forcing a pill down a dog's throat when you can just press it into a spoonful of peanut butter and the dog takes it willingly? Why bother even teaching them to take pills when you can have them eagerly lap it up?

My last dog used to give me no end of troubles with pills. She was a master at spitting them out. Didn't seem to matter how far I pushed it down, how tightly I held her mouth shut afterwards, or what angle I went from. In her last few months she was on a lot of medication for arthritis and one in particular she just hated and she would starve herself rather than eat a meal that had those pills in there somewhere. It took buying some Pecks Paste to get her cooperation. Pate also worked. I have one dog now that can be trouble, but press it into anything pastey or sticky and it's all good. Peanut butter is his favourite, but it's a bit messy. Cream cheese also works.

[Kavik]

Personally I find it quicker and easier to just pop it down their throat

Diesel who gets fish oil tablets every day and occasionally antibiotics or cortisone when his skin flares up is very easy to pill. After his pills he always gets his dinner.

If your dog is at the vet and needs medicating, or is being boarded and needs medicating, they will not mess around hiding it in food but put it straight down their throat. Much easier for everyone involved if your dog is already used to having this done. Like any other handling/grooming/medicating etc.

I find it easier with big dogs - you can get your whole hand down there

[Crisovar]

Why go to the effort of forcing a pill down a dog's throat when you can just press it into a spoonful of peanut butter and the dog takes it willingly? Why bother even teaching them to take pills when you can have them eagerly lap it up?

My last dog used to give me no end of troubles with pills. She was a master at spitting them out. Didn't seem to matter how far I pushed it down, how tightly I held her mouth shut afterwards, or what angle I went from. In her last few months she was on a lot of medication for arthritis and one in particular she just hated and she would starve herself rather than eat a meal that had those pills in there somewhere. It took buying some Pecks Paste to get her cooperation. Pate also worked. I have one dog now that can be trouble, but press it into anything pastey or sticky and it's all good. Peanut butter is his favourite, but it's a bit messy. Cream cheese also works.

It is pretty easy to teach a dog to accept being dosed with medication, and if they ever need to be hospitalised they will manage much easier of they accept it readily. You don't have to force it down their throat.

I insist upon it with all mine, they get used to it from the time they are small pups.

Medicating and nail clipping seem to bring so many owners unstuck, I don't know why.

[piper]

It is pretty easy to teach a dog to accept being dosed with medication, and if they ever need to be hospitalised they will manage much easier of they accept it readily. You don't have to force it down their throat.

I insist upon it with all mine, they get used to it from the time they are small pups.

Medicating and nail clipping seem to bring so many owners unstuck, I don't know why.

I agree. I learnt at a seminar with an assistance dog trainer how to teach a dog to take a tablet, no fuss. People with assistance dogs may have disabilties that makes forcing a table down the dogs throat difficult and the dogs may at some point in their woring career need regular medication so they taught the dogs to take it on cue, I ended up introducing it to my puppy classes and the vet and bet nurses thought it was awesome and also taught clients.

All she did was take a heap of yummy soft treats and give them to the dog as you would give a tablet - put them in and hold muzzle while saying "tablet" - dog initially is reluctant but soon realises there is a yummy treat each time. Do this with half a dozen treats rapid fire for a few days and they will open their mouth to "tablet". Then the first time you need to give a tablet give your tablet cue and give a treat 2 or 4 times then a tablet then back to treats. Dog swallows tablet without knowing and without needing to be held or forced. Over time you can reduce the number of rapid fire treats given. With my guys if they are on antibitoics I go back to using half a dozen or so small trwats and varying where they get the tablet so they don't wise up to it.

A previous dog that was on daily heartworm got given it before dinner and it was part of her routine the same as a wait is part of the routine for the current dogs. She was never an issue to tablet either.

[KZs Mum]

One of mine will eat tablets as long as I make a song and dance that she's getting a treat. She gets so worked up that she eats it no problems.

The other one is not as good. We cover it in vegemite and she eats it then no worries.

Needless to say: mine are pigs pugs