Get a silicone ice cube tray - melt peanut butter & pour into tray holes - like 1/3 full - crush up medicine & sprinkle on peanut butter (try to get it mostly in the middle of the slot) - melt more peanut butter & pour on top - freeze
When my dog was on allergy meds I made a couple of batches & kept in the freezer & every morning he got one after breakfast
@hungphatads123 Someone I know uses a pill pusher/shooter/syringe (it’s called a variety of things when I look it up) designed for pets to give pills to her elderly cat who knows how to chew around pill pockets and spit out the medicine. When I gave the medicine to the cat, I put the pill in the tip of the pill pusher, stuck the pusher as far back into her mouth as I could, and pushed down the stopper. It launched the pill down the cat’s throat and it was gone. Gave breakfast to the cat right after to help it go down if it gets stuck in her throat.
I don’t know HOW to get the dog to tolerate this, but it might be easier than sticking your hand in the dog’s mouth?
@hungphatads123 I always use the spoon trick, get a small spoonful of something your dog loves and is easy to swallow (cottage cheese, peanut butter, wet food, etc) and push the pill into it so it’s covered on all sides, then start feeding it to the dog and use a second spoon to gently push the food into the dogs mouth a little faster. My dogs get so excited they never even notice there’s a pill in there!
@hungphatads123 I cut up pieces of a food my dog loves and have them in my hand with the pill. My dog loves to catch food so i start with throwing a piece of the tasty food in the air, then another, then another. At some point I mix in the pill and throw it. She usually doesn't even notice. I then follow up quickly with another piece of food. Works like a charm every time!
@hungphatads123 I used to work at a vet clinic, and a little trick we used to use was to have multiple smaller chunks of a high value treat (chicken, Kraft cheese slivers, hot dogs, tripe, whatever). Give the dog a few treats with no pills, lulling them into a false sense of security. Let them see you have a few more in your hand so they are gobbling them quickly. When you only have one or two “blanks” left, sneak them the treat with a pill in it and give the remaining ones in rapid succession.
@hungphatads123 My dog will gobble up food with pills in it, but every time she finds the pill and spits it out. The only thing that works with her is finely crushing it (mortar and pestle) and putting it in something really delicious, I often do salmon wet dog food, and then break up some other stinky treats in it like freeze dried squid etc. She sniffs it more than usual, and it’s obvious she knows there’s crushed pills in there, but it’s almost as though she decides she wants the other stuff enough that she’ll consent to eat it all up despite the crushed pills. It’s worth a try with your pupper. Just make sure the medication your dog is on is one that is safe to crush, some are designed to be released slowly.
@hungphatads123 If your dog will catch a treat you toss at them, get 2-3 pieces of chicken or cheese or whatever, wrap the pill in one, show the dog that you have 2 or 3 treats, toss the first one with the pill while showing the next one is ready, they will quickly swallow the first treat to be ready for the next one you're about to toss, just make sure the last treat has no pill because they might take their time chewing the last one. Works great for me.
@tomvalois Rapid fire treat tossing always works! They are so excited about the next one they don’t even notice anything. Treat treat treat treat pill treat treat!
@hungphatads123 I would make tiny "meatballs" out of the dog food. Trick - give one or two meatballs with no pills in them , give one with pills, immediately offer another one without pills in it.
@hungphatads123 Liver sausage (Oscar Mayer Braunschweiger) works great. I think it's the strong smell. I take about a teaspoonful, roll it in a ball, then stick the pills in the middle. Also, I wouldn't crush pills without verifying they can be crushed with vet. Some meds cannot be crushed without altering the pharmacology. I am so sorry you are going through this with your best dog in the world. I'm sending all of you hugs.
@hungphatads123 We had a slow battle with my sweet angel last year. By the end, we were taking pieces of slow smoked brisket and shoving the pills in there. She even turned her nose up at the brisket after a while. This was after trying the pill pockets, peanut butter, cheese, and hot dogs.
We also tried crushing the pills and dissolving them in broth and squirting the combination into the back of her throat.
It may be possible to administer the medication with a syringe/needle. You should ask your vet if that's possible.
It also may just be time for the end. My heart goes out to you and your sweet companion. Seeing them in pain is almost as painful as the emptiness when they're gone. Give him some ear scratches and a kiss from me.
@hungphatads123 Cream cheese is great. Also coconut oil sometimes works. You need to have a second treat ready so they rush to swallow the first (and the pill). Also switch up your pill treat every few days to keep things interesting.
@hungphatads123 My boy has had a few meds the past few weeks. Its been interesting. But I tend to pry his mouth open, chuck the pill back as far as I can, and stick a treat in front of his nose while holding his mouth shut. He swallows a few times and he gets the treat. He has managed to get them out a couple times but it was more about angle and my fault than his. When he was sick years ago I used to do the above, except I put a bit of water on his nose. Just dipped my finger in a cup and put it on his nose. Encouraged licking just fine then but he’s gotten smarter about it in this last couple rounds of meds. Good luck, wish you the best.
@hungphatads123 I would’ve said cheese because that’s what worked on our basset, but I guess that’s not an option. My husband would wrap a pill in American cheese and shove it down the dog’s mouth before he could smell it lol.
I know there are devices on Amazon you can get that hold the pill and you shove it in the side of their mouth, and then release the pill. I never got a chance to try it, but I’ve heard they’re cheap and easy to use. That’s if your dog wouldn’t freak out about having a piece of plastic shoved in his mouth.
