Pilling

[Jade]

Q. How do I give a pill to my dog?

A. If your dog is not on dietary restrictions, and your veterinarian said the medication can be given with food, the easiest way to give a pill is to hide it in a piece of food. A small amount of butter, peanut butter, liverwurst, cream cheese, or canned pet food, is often used. Canned cheese with nozzle dispensing often works too, and does not have to be refrigerated. If you are going to put the pill in the dog's food, it is best to give a small amount of the food without the pill first. This lowers your dog's suspicion index. It is best not to mix the medication in an entire meal, since if the dog does not eat the whole meal, he will not get the appropriate dose of medication.

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[Crittercall]

We used sliced sandwich cheese - get it a little bit warm and it will wrap right around a pill and stay in place.

Beware the wiley dog. Sometimes the cheese or whatever medium you choose to use will be eaten and the pill left in the bowl!

The main thing is to make sure that you get it over that "hump" in their mouth. Otherwise you'll have a soggy pill and have to try again! You can also stroke their throat gently to encourage the swallowing reflex - and try not to let go of the dog until he has licked his nose and you know the pill has gone to the proper place!

Just an idea that has always worked for mine, I wrap pill in 1/3 cheese slice. wrap up other 1/3s to look the same. Give one piece, without pill, to dog ~ give next piece with pill but offer third piece straight away. Never found one who bothered checking second piece for pill with the third piece under his nose.
Have fun

[Crittercall]

That's a good idea, Su. But since I'm trying hard to watch my dogs' waistlines (gave up on mine long ago!) I try not to give them too much of anything outside their diet food.

I've had such a horrible time with fleas this winter that they are all on an antihistamine/steroid combo pill right now - talk about being a dog eat dog world! We can't walk through the kitchen without the dogs attaching themselves to our legs in hopes that a crumb will drop.

[Candycane]

Just wanted to say that blowing in the nose works great. I have always given my dog pills like this. Of course, he is a vary laid back pooch so I don't have much problem.

[Punxatawny]

when we had dogs and they needed pills we would go out and buy hotdogs cut a hotdog up into three pieces stuck the pill in one piece and then fed the other two pieces to the other two dogs and the pill piece to the dog that needed it. It worked like a charm and we never had a problem giving pills and the other dogs just got a extra treat