How to get dog to take medication please?

[OrinocoGlow]

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?

@2typesofjungle

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!

I do similar, but I keep capsule / tablet whole and ball it up within a teaspoon of pate.

Throwing it to be caught means it goes straight down rather than being investigated in the mouth thoroughly!

I put tablets in a small piece of cheese which my dog can't resist

We put one in a spoonful of Greek yoghurt last week and he was so eager to get the last bits he just swallowed it down.

We’ve also used bits of cocktail sausage in the past.

My dog used to like olives, which were perfect for hiding meds in as they have a ready drilled hole and quite a potent flavour. I'd just put the tablet in and scoot it across the floor like a game

If you can crush the tablets, with my dog I put it in water, draw it up in a syringe and squirt it in the back of his throat, he still didn’t like it but it was the only way I could get it down him.

@Berlioz23

If you can crush the tablets, with my dog I put it in water, draw it up in a syringe and squirt it in the back of his throat, he still didn’t like it but it was the only way I could get it down him.

Seconded. It was the only way I could get the medication in my dog recently. After a major op he wouldn't touch food for days. Syringing into the back of the throat was the only way. He didn't like it but it works.

@Deepintheforest

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

That's the method I use - stroke his throat till I can feel the swallow.

Fortunately he's not too big and has a long enough snout to hold firmly shut.

Another one for your arsenal, just in case.

Smooth pasteurised goats cheese was what worked for my boy last year, when he was on a ridiculous number of pills. It’s perfectly sticky and the strong taste hides the taste of the pill.

My other boy is the complete opposite. We can just drop all his meds into his kibble and he’s scarf the lot down without even noticing.

Thanks for all the tips and kind words. I will save these as eventually she will see through the pate trick and we'll need a new approach.

Use a helper, one to put the tablet in the treat and one, with clean hands to do the feeding.
I'm currently trying to get a spray onto paws which have an allergy to something. We run round like Benny Hill.

My lab begs for his thyroid meds 😂 Worming tablets are exciting treats apparently , and he eyes his ‘sisters’ metacalm with some jealousy.

I tried all of these with Ddog and nothing worked. One day I had the tablet in my hand and was looking in the cupboard for the next trick. He snuck up on me and ate it whole out of my hand 🤣 from then on I used to hang my hand behind me and be 'distracted'. I guess the feeling he was sneaking something he shouldn't have trumped his dislike of tablets 😁 god I miss that dog.

That's funny Whoami.
My dog also hates us going near her paws eggandonion and when she had an allergy on her paws I tried a natural product called Non Stinky Stinky Stuff (silly name but it's good) which can be rubbed on or mixed into food and that worked really well. For some reason she would take that in her food, it's like a solid oil or balm and just mixes in. Maybe worth looking at.

Corned beef squashed round it, or sardine.

And be thankful she isn’t a cat.

How to give a cat a pill ... and a dog, too

How to give a cat a pill:

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil, and blow down drinking straw.
9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band. 11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom. 12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap. 13. Tie the little @!!@#@#$%'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak filet. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down. 14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and remove pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table. 15. Arrange for RSPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to give a dog a pill:

1. Wrap it in cheese.

Oh my Darklane, that's very funny but I can imagine cats are very difficult. And yes, so many pills have gone in the bin in uneaten food! Thanks for making me smile though.

Pate seemed to work yesterday, dipped in gravy in the evening, this morning less success. So need to try one of the other ideas mentioned in this thread.

We wrap it up in a thin slice of ham into a little ball - give a couple of little balls without pill first each time.

Put the tablet as far back in her mouth as you can. Tip head back holding muzzle, blow gently on nose. Works here x

My lad has hamster genes. When you're sure he has swallowed and let go, he wanders off and spits.
I watch the vet nurse, they do it so easily.

I think I might lose my hand if I tried to push the tablets into my dog's mouth, she's a rescue dog and can be a bit reactive. Tonight's approach was hand feeding her the filling of a warmed up Fray Bentos pie which is beef and gravy, looks a bit like Pedigree Chum! Thankfully it worked for two broken up tablets and a capsule, washing my hands before giving it to her. Tomorrow we'll try cheese or ham. Thanks everyone.

I favour the stick my hand in dog's mouth method.

DH does some funny things with Philadelphia.

None of those are foolproof though.

I agree with the poster who said disguise the pill treat in with lots of "clean" ones, lull him into a false sense of security.

I've never had to think of anything inventive with the dogs pills, he'd probably eat them if they weren't wrapped in delicious protein. I have come to an understanding with the cats of no pills, ever.

@OrinocoGlow

I think I might lose my hand if I tried to push the tablets into my dog's mouth, she's a rescue dog and can be a bit reactive. Tonight's approach was hand feeding her the filling of a warmed up Fray Bentos pie which is beef and gravy, looks a bit like Pedigree Chum! Thankfully it worked for two broken up tablets and a capsule, washing my hands before giving it to her. Tomorrow we'll try cheese or ham. Thanks everyone.

@OrinocoGlow

Place your hand on the dogs muzzle from above, fingers on one side, thumb in the other. Slide fingers and thumb down over lips, press lips into upper teeth and between jaws. Dogs wil not bite as it's not possible without biting his own lips.
Quickly push tablets to back of throat.

Not foolproof and don't attempt if you have a very reactive dog as you can get bitten.

I'm a fan of meat paste meatballs with tablets in the middle. As pp have said, blanks are important

Thank you Veterinari - she is a reactive and anxious dog but she's in pain so I will try pate in little balls tomorrow with some clean blank ones to alternate. Back to the vet next week for some more tests.

We have had success with pate on toast, with the tablet stuck inside the toast. Really cheap, smelly pate.
Fray Bentos must be delicious for dogs!

Yes I bought the cheapest pate and a selection of foods to try and tempt her. The pie went down well, saved a bit for tomorrow.