I Am An Expert On Giving Meds:

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

usually behind the sofa cushions

yuck.

I like to feed my dog something I make from roo and other stuff, from human grade ingredients.

I do feed an expensive kibble, but I don't like thinking too hard about what goes into those things.

Back in the doggy dark ages (or third? world countries or some outback communities), dogs are still fending for themselves on what ever humans throw out or they can catch themselves. Short hard lives.

I know chocolate (in moderation) is meant for humans but I don't think sawdust and floor scrapings from battery chook pens is meant for dogs. Tho I'm pretty sure mine would love it. If they could make what washes up on the beach into kibble she'd be happy.

[Pjrt]

I worked at a chicken farm when I lived in SE Qld. Every morning my first job was to get all the dead chickens out of the enormous 'free range' shed by collecting them up and putting them on the big monorail table that pushed up and down the centre of the shed. Despite all the temp control, most mornings yielded between 20 -100 dead chickens in various stages of decay. Amazing what can happen in 10 or 12 hrs in the tropical climate! Many were what we referred to as liquid chickens and we were only left with remnants of green rotten feet in our hands when we attempted to pick them up. So on to the trolley, pushed up to the big doors at the end of the shed, pushed off onto the ground to sit yet some more in the heat until the tractor came around and the guy threw them in the bucket with all the other overnight carcass, and off he went to who knows where. Welcome to the quality chicken in your dogs kibble.

And PS...... I had it on good authority that the feed we fed the chickens was also made of said dead chickens!

Edited March 28, 2016 by blinkblink

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I had it on good authority that the feed we fed the chickens was also made of said dead chickens

The ugly side of recycling - was this even after mad cow disease and mass disease outbreaks in chickens?

[Scottsmum]

A friend of mine used to give her two GSD's a freddo frog almost every day. Not something I'd do but they suffered no ill effects. I never feed chocolate but I've heard a very experienced vet say a little bit of milk chocolate is usually harmless. So yes we need to be careful but maybe not panic too much when dogs get into things etc.Like I said I don't feed grapes/raisins, chocolate or macadamias, but my dogs enjoy the occasional party pie or lick of my ice cream ;)

We got Guinea (dog before Scott) at Easter time - I think she lived the first 2 weeks of our lives together eating almost exclusively chocolate. Makes me shudder to think about what she and us kids got up to.

[Papillon Kisses]

Blinkblink, I should not have read that while eating breakfast.

So is that what is called chicken by-product?

[Pjrt]

Blinkblink, I should not have read that while eating breakfast.

So is that what is called chicken by-product?

Yes.......but it's fine.....they cook the f*** out of it until there is no possible nutritional value left, let alone bacteria of any kind.......and then they add lots of vitamins and minerals......so it's all good.......

[Isabel964]

Thank you for posting about the nutrigel. My Kelpue who passed away at 15 years last month got so clever with medication over the years it became stressful towards the end for me. Nothing could hide the tablets - the stories I could tell would make you laugh. I now have a sick Westie and this info will no doubt come in handy.

[Loving my Oldies]

Thank you for posting about the nutrigel. My Kelpue who passed away at 15 years last month got so clever with medication over the years it became stressful towards the end for me. Nothing could hide the tablets - the stories I could tell would make you laugh. I now have a sick Westie and this info will no doubt come in handy.

This was the real point of my thread. The daily medication regime for my dogs is such that I print out a daily list and mark it off as the day progresses. A couple of the medications are given by syringe which makes it easier, but compounded meds are very expensive. The nutrigel trick has been such a relief for me one three accounts: Danny likes it, the pills don’t have to crushed to a powder as Nutrigel is so sticky and, best of all, I know all the pills are going down.

Good luck with your little Westie. How is she since Punpunya’s passing?

[Papillon Kisses]

Our late Papillon similarly became a mastermind at avoiding medication. He'd eat around the food that was encapsulating it (even melted cheese), cheek the tablet until we thought it had gone down, then spit it out in secret. We'd even check his mouth but he'd fool us! Crafty little man.

I wish we knew about Nutrigel back then, it would have helped with his waning appetite too. Excellent thread.

[Loving my Oldies]

Thanks for bringing this up again, Scottsmum. OMG some of the posts gave me such a laugh.

I hope it helps with Jindi, Isabel.

Danny was to the vet a couple of times this week just gone and despite both the vet and I believing he is very close to the end and despite some days of eating very little. HE HAS PUT ON WEIGHT. I definitely put it down to all the nutrigel I use to mash up tablets in and to the mixture of nutrigel and bone broth that I crush up another tablet in.

I have discovered another way of feeding Danny (which might help others).

I crush up kibble and chicken jerky in a pestle and mortar (it doesn't have to be very fine) and then put in a little bit of liverwurst paste and then pestle that in with the kibble mixture. I have to pestle it all together as if I just mixed the kibble and liverwurst, Danny would like the liverwurst off the kibble and then spit them out.

[The Spotted Devil]

Nice! Masterchef eat your heart out :D

[Scottsmum]

Our late Papillon similarly became a mastermind at avoiding medication. He'd eat around the food that was encapsulating it (even melted cheese), cheek the tablet until we thought it had gone down, then spit it out in secret. We'd even check his mouth but he'd fool us! Crafty little man.

I wish we knew about Nutrigel back then, it would have helped with his waning appetite too. Excellent thread.

I found a number of "little blue pills" under the bed a few weeks ago while i was doing a better than usualy job of vacuuming. No idea how he was spitting them out - I always watch til they're gone - but it appears I've been out foxed by the foxie.

As for the laugh DDD - you're right. Good thread. Also exceedingly happy Danny has put some weight on.

[mita]

My 'never-fail' way of giving the dogs medication, is in a little blob of vanilla ice-cream. Tastes good so they're into it...and, because it's cold, they swallow it down fast.

Long time back a DOLer posted how she'd tried offering pills in globs of peanut paste... but her two big dogs were on to that ruse & wouldn't accept them.

Then one day she was returning the failed peanut paste to the fridge & accidentally spilled some down the fridge door. The two dogs rushed to be the first to lick it off! Light bulb moment. She then took to smearing the globs (with pill inside) on the fridge door &, with some careful organising, the globs with pills went down doggie throats in a flash.

[mita]

I found a number of "little blue pills" under the bed a few weeks ago while i was doing a better than usualy job of vacuuming. No idea how he was spitting them out - I always watch til they're gone - but it appears I've been out foxed by the foxie.

Same with friends' cat, Mr Fitz. Vet prescribed a course of 'little blue pills' & stressed he'd be in serious trouble healthwise if not taken. So friends were determined to get them into him. He only struggled a little bit, but there was a gulp as the pill went down. Felt pleased with themselves & Mr Fitz's condition was fine and vet was pleased. But in the following weeks, they kept finding little blue pills behind chairs, under beds & other such places. Seemed he hadn't swallowed any.

[Scottsmum]

I found a number of "little blue pills" under the bed a few weeks ago while i was doing a better than usual job of vacuuming. No idea how he was spitting them out - I always watch til they're gone - but it appears I've been out foxed by the foxie.

Same with friends' cat, Mr Fitz. Vet prescribed a course of 'little blue pills' & stressed he'd be in serious trouble healthwise if not taken. So friends were determined to get them into him. He only struggled a little bit, but there was a gulp as the pill went down. Felt pleased with themselves & Mr Fitz's condition was fine and vet was pleased. But in the following weeks, they kept finding little blue pills behind chairs, under beds & other such places. Seemed he hadn't swallowed any.

Could strangle the little buggers sometimes. :)

[mita]

I found a number of "little blue pills" under the bed a few weeks ago while i was doing a better than usual job of vacuuming. No idea how he was spitting them out - I always watch til they're gone - but it appears I've been out foxed by the foxie.

Same with friends' cat, Mr Fitz. Vet prescribed a course of 'little blue pills' & stressed he'd be in serious trouble healthwise if not taken. So friends were determined to get them into him. He only struggled a little bit, but there was a gulp as the pill went down. Felt pleased with themselves & Mr Fitz's condition was fine and vet was pleased. But in the following weeks, they kept finding little blue pills behind chairs, under beds & other such places. Seemed he hadn't swallowed any.

Could strangle the little buggers sometimes. :)

Yep! As our friends said the little bugger didn't even die of the terrible problem that not having the pills was supposed to bring on. The Devil looks after his own.