Get the dog to take the tablet - I am defeated!

[shipfaced]

Doggy is not very well and the discomfort has put him off eating. He has tablet to make him feel better but as he won't eat, my usual trick of putting the tablet in a piece of food has failed.

I HAVE to get the medicine into him. Any other idea? He is a small dog - JRT

Dog under arm, poke tablet right to the back of his mouth behind his tongue then hold his mouth shut til he's swallowed. IME they either get better at letting you do it each time, or learn after one attempt and never let you again! But it's definitely good for one dose.

Mine will eat anything if I wrap it in a slice of salami - might tempt him?

Otherwise sit him on your lap on his back legs, tip head back and prise jaw open and drop tablet in as far as you can. Keep his jaw shut until he swallows.

I've not done a good job of explaining that but it's how we did it when I worked in a vets.

I have similar issues at the moment with my border terrier. He will still mostly take it in ham. Failing that I have opened his jaws and popped it to back of throat, then gently tilt head up and hold until he swallows. Repeat it until it works. I. E. If he spits it out..try again

Jrt might be tricky though. 🙁

Salami would have worked in the past but he will not eat at the moment.

I'll try the holding him suggestions.

2 person job, one hold dog other prises open jaw, pops tablet in back of throat, clamps jaw shut and then strokes throat.

Butter can work for us too sometimes. Good luck 🍀

Spongecat can detect tablets in any sort of food, so I got this...thing...from the vet. Like a plunger thing. The tablet goes in the end piece, you put it in the animals mouth, quite fire back, and fire it down the throat. Keep the animal's mouth closed to stop them spitting it out, and massage the throat to help it go down.

peanut butter works for us

squish it into a dairylea triangle, my dog is obsessed with cheese!

I came on to say cheese...

Put it into a large chunk of butter then put into dog's mouth and close mouth. He won't be able to isolate the tablet to spit it out and will have to swallow it😈

Cheese.
Our old dog had so many drugs he had his own block of cheese on the shopping each week.

Frankfurters are a godsend for this. The smell is what does it.

Another vote for Peanut butter or Dairylea.
My 2 are obsessed with them too.

Banana too.

You just have to poke it right to the back of his throat.
Mine will spit out tablets whatever they're wrapped in!

Open jaw (easily done if you know how, don't try prying open at the front like I've some do), pop pill in, shut and hold jaw, stroke throat.

Easy job

I have a JRT and have to give him tablets from time to time and he has become wise to all my tricks so now it's cruel to be kind. I open his mouth and drop it as far down his throat as possible then keep his mouth closed whilst rubbing his throat to encourage him to swallow. Good luck

I went for the open mouth, head back, dropped tablet in and held mouth closed while his head was still up. Hoping once he is feeling better I might be able to return to food bribes. I believe his kidney problems and the vomiting have caused acid stomach etc.
V.worried about him and desperate to see him feeling better and back on his food.

hoping for a swift recovery. Get well soon DoggyShip

for our cats we follow the tablet with a teeny squirt of water from a pipette - makes them swallow

Thanks, I am worried about him and feel quite sad about it,

[flower] hope he picks up soon

Mine have always taken it stuck in cheese. Cleverer ones have needed several chunks with it hidden in one of the middle ones. Or shove to back of throat, hold mouth closed and stroke neck til they swallow.

DDog will eat tablets covered in marmite and 'accidentally' dropped on the floor.
You have to do the full works first though - drop real chunks of marmite toast, be irritated when he eats it. 'Accidentally' drop the tablet, grab for it and be just too slow.
It means he scoffs it down faster than tasting it! But you do have to be convincing

I put the pill in a ball of liver paté and push that down the dog's throat. Less aversive than a plain bitter pill and more likely to be swallowed. Follow with an undoctored titbit and lots of affection. Tinned dogfood would do too.