Elderly dog - getting her to take tablets

[Dazedandconfus]

Hi All,
Our lovely girl is 15 (16 in May) and she's a border terrier.

She has cushings, gallbladder issues and various lumps and bumps.

We are really struggling to get her to eat.

She still wants her favourite treats, or our dinner!! However I can't get her to eat dog food at all and now the fall back of chicken isn't working.

I've also exhausted roast beef, corned beef, turkey and ham and it's a no to everything except treats. It's like various things are ok for a while then she goes off them.

Any fresh ideas? My main issue is I need something to wrap her pills in. Maybe pate or liver paste - but I have to be careful it's low fat. She wouldn't even take a cocktail sausage this morning even without tablets in.

Are any of these treat pocket things on amazon any good for tucking them into?

She was desperate for my veggie lasagne last night, but I don't think that's really a legitimate option - just kidding - it may come to that!!

We have a vet appointment next week to discuss everything so I'm not ignoring the fact there's a lot going on, and her age, but just trying to fix this issue for now.

Thanks!!

Pate, squeezey tube of cream cheese, dairylea triangle, dollop of jam, Manuka honey, anything soft and squishy. Trick is to give the hidden pill and have something immediately ready to give again so they gulp down the first bit greedily ready for the second bit.

Good Luck 🐾🐾

Have you tried crushing the tablets into powder form? She won't be able to avoid the tablet then. Warmed up tinned meat might do the trick?

I would try crushing the tablets. I bought a pill crusher on Amazon for £4 or something, and it has been a game changer for me. If she will eat a bit of you veggie lasagne, then you can sprinkle the power inside it.

My dogs would always eat pate - the cheaper the better, or something meaty with a little bit of low salt gravy poured on top. Not ideal, but it will mean they ate them.

When my dog was overweight and I mentioned the only way to get his pills in him was to put them in cheese our vet recommended the chicken lick-e-lix for cats which is chicken flavoured yogurt. He loves it. We put a blob on the tablet in the palm of our hand then when he’s licked it off he gets another blob with nothing in it.

Arden grange have a paste they have different flavours my dog loves it, i use it sparingly as a treat. Have you tried topping your dogs food i am sure you have with nice things so she will eat.

Can you put them in water? We’re able to dissolve some of ours and give them in a syringe. We crush some into their food every day at dinner, they are 17 and won’t eat dog food without chicken or a meat so we cover the nice bit with the meds. We also used to use ham and chicken slices but my dog is wise to that now unfortunately!

Peanut butter or Primula are my go toos.

Peamutt butter - fewer of the less healthy ingredients than the human versions. I use cheap supermarket pâté to give tablets to my dogs. Mine also love tinned sardines.

Not a low-fat option, I realise, but I squish cheddar cheese around my old dog's tablets and he takes them without issue. Cheap pate is also good.

Having exhausted most other options I found lamb kidneys disguised tablets very well. Bit grim to deal with, I used to pierce little slits in them and push the tablets inside-but they went down great!

Thank you all so much for so many suggestions! Just when I thought I had tried everything, I now have loads of new ideas.

I've ordered a pill crusher too which could be a game changer!
Really appreciate the tips and ideas.

I used to use the cheapy rubbery cheese slices. You only need enough to wrap a pill in, and alternate it with other treats.

I have always been of the opinion that an elderly dog with several health issues can eat what they want (obviously not very toxic things like chocolate), especially if they are getting picky with their usual food.

Have you tried mixing a bit of warm water with her food? It can make it more smelly, and therefore more appetising.

Try peanut butter, squeezy liver paste or wrapping in a cheap processed cheese slice.