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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How to get dog to take medication please?

62 replies

OrinocoGlow · 27/01/2021 11:54

My dog has been prescribed strong painkillers for a urinary tract issue as well as anti-inflammatory liquid. The dog will take the liquid mixed in with food with no problems but she just won't eat anything with the tablets and it's horrible to see her in pain.

We've tried crushing the tablets, giving them hidden in small chunks of sausages, mackerel, all sorts of food but she won't swallow food whole and always chews little pieces so it's hard to disguise. She spits out the bits with parts of tablet in it. We mix it up so some food is untainted and some has the tablet in it but she's worked it out now. Too clever for her own good!

Does anyone have any ideas for dogs who refuse their tablets please?

OP posts:
Pandoraslastchance · 27/01/2021 11:55

We use crunchy peanut butter to get our dogs to take tablets.

Biscuits101 · 27/01/2021 11:56

We used to give inside a chunk of cheese

2typesofjungle · 27/01/2021 11:58

Pate is our 'go to', I crush the pills up in to a powder and then throw lumps of pate. If I just give them to her she'll get suspicious, but if thrown they are swallowed before she can even think about it!

SoapAndFury · 27/01/2021 12:00

Primula squeeze cheese!

YouHadMeAtWoof · 27/01/2021 12:02

Burger cheese here. It’s also really important that the tablet is put directly inside the cheese and not rubbed around the outside at all or she can instantly taste the dust!

Original poster
OrinocoGlow · 27/01/2021 12:12

Thanks for the ideas and advice.

I've just tried peanut butter with no tablet in it and she turned up her nose. Cheese and pate are on my shopping list now and yes, agree must avoid getting tablet dust anywhere near the food and wash my hands before attempting to get it in her. I've tried throwing food for her to catch but she doesn't swallow it, she drops it from her mouth and eats it from the floor or leaves it if there is tablet in it.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 27/01/2021 12:23

I use cheese but do it in threes.

First bit of cheese on its own, then the one with the medication in it followed by one without.

If I do this in quick succession he is so keen to get the next bit of cheese he tends not to notice the second one has medication in it as he just wants the next bit.

Mrsjayy · 27/01/2021 12:25

Squeeze cheese or yoghurt let your dog lick the pot.

Mrsjayy · 27/01/2021 12:28

or cheese slices i had a dog who was on a lot of medication and we had to rotate the disguises or he refused to take them.

Snaplittledragon · 27/01/2021 12:29

I would crush and mix with primula cheese

OnionsAreToxic · 27/01/2021 12:31

Hidden inside cocktail sausages, with the cut sealed with Philadelphia.

Whoateallthestuffingballs · 27/01/2021 12:34

I agree with cheese, but a sticky one like Brie or Camembert so that the tablet is really stuck in there.

Also agree with the three tactic - one without, one with the tablet while holding the third right where they can smell it so they snaffle the second.

If you have another dog, giving three bits of cheese to both at the same time (but keep them in separate hands, so you don't give the tablet to the wrong dog).

Sometimes having a bit of cheese yourself, then to the dog, then to you etc. can work (but again, don't forget where the tablet is Grin ).

Good luck - our dear departed dog would actually pick the tiny bits of carrot out of tinned food and line them up on the side of the bowl while eating the rest, so I do empathise.

I hope your dog feels better soon.

candlemasbells · 27/01/2021 12:36

Shove the tablet in a piece of butter or margarine, make sure theres no tablet showing, give to dog.

Boltonb · 27/01/2021 12:39

You also get pill dispensers with little claws, where you can deposit the pill all the way to the back of the dogs throat

TopBitchoftheWitches · 27/01/2021 12:41

I always used to put into a chunk of cheese, worked for my dog.

Whitney168 · 27/01/2021 12:42

Honestly, the best thing to do with tablets is just to put them in the throat, no disguise, and KNOW that they've been taken and not spat out.

Use one hand to gently open your dog's jaws by putting them behind the big canine teeth. Put the tablet on the end of the other hand's index finger, tuck it right at the back of your dog's teeth, open jaw and gently push it round and down behind the tongue.

There will be Youtube videos that demonstrate I'm sure.

(More useful to include one - this seems a fair one:

Get whoever in your family is the calmest to do it, give the dog a treat afterwards.

Notonthestairs · 27/01/2021 12:46

We crush to a dust using the back of a spoon and smother in primula cheese.

notapizzaeater · 27/01/2021 12:49

I used to put in the middle of corned beef - it 'melted' in my hands so made a cute ball

Original poster
OrinocoGlow · 27/01/2021 13:09

I got some smooth pate from our local shop and she's taken it quickly followed by "clean" pate as a pp suggested. She doesn't chew it so it must slip down her throat. Also got some corned beef and cheese so we can rotate the disguises in case she gets wise to our cunning tricks!

Thanks for your help and good suggestions, much appreciated. I wish the manufacturers of pet medication would make it taste and smell less off-putting for our pets!

OP posts:
mrsrobin · 27/01/2021 13:31

Tried and tested technique....only works if your dog loves food!

  1. Dance around all excited with 3 bits of cheese in your hand - one of which has been moulded around the tablet.
  2. Tell dog to sit - should sit quickly as can't wait for treat
  3. Give one piece of normal cheese (dog has normal treat so doesn't suspect)
  4. Quickly follow same procedure for 2nd piece (which has the tablet inside). Dog should willingly take it.
  5. Then - CRUCIAL - be very quick with 3rd piece, still dancing around all excited.
Dog should be so interested in the treats he will just swallow all 3 (probably whole) without a thought! Never failed for me :)
mrsrobin · 27/01/2021 13:33

Ooops, just noticed previous posts saying the same! Defo works!

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 27/01/2021 13:35

I've always favoured the just putting the tablet down the throat thing but I've been lucky that my dogs have always accepted me messing about with their mouths/teeth to a certain extent. However, current one is very good at whipping her head from side to side just as I'm trying to get the pill far enough back to top of her throat, so it is quite difficult with her. Good luck, anyway!

Deepintheforest · 27/01/2021 13:41

I also the use the putting down the throat method. Mine can detect a grain of sand sized tablet in even their favourite foods. I put it at the very back of the mouth/throat, close there mouths and rub their chins to encourage them to swallow. Follower by a treat. But my dogs are pretty tolerant thars not going to work if you have one who will bite your hand odd

Mrsjayy · 27/01/2021 14:11

Glad it's down utis can make dogs go a bit loopy so hopefully it clears soon.