Pet Lovers

[x Hedge]

@forrestwolf 

      This solution had been passed down through generations of dog and cat owners in my family

       Liver sausage.

The pasty stuff in a plastic roll, like Oscar Mayer brand liver sausage, not the deli stuff.

Roll about 6 little balls of liver sausage.

(Big enough to conceal a pill, but small enough to safely swallow whole. (Thats why you need the pasty, squishy type of liver sausage).

Conceal the pill in ball #4.

Call your pet, be enthusiastic and present this as a treat, one ball at a time.

They'll taste or chew the first two balls as they size up taste & texture of the new 'treat'.

They'll swallow the third ball whole, in a gulp, and that's the acceptance you're looking for.

Next give the ball with the concealed pill, it should likewise go down in a gulp, but have the next two balls ready to give quickly to assure number 4 is well down their gullet.

Works every time.  😁 😸

[rrpell]

Thanks to all who said they use liverwurst.  That is a great idea! I never thought of trying that.

I used to have a German short haired pointer who would find a pill in anything.  Her vet taught me how to open her mouth and place the pill way back on her tongue, almost down her gullet. Then, close her mouth with one hand, holding it shut, while lifting her snout upwards. My other hand would stroke her throat in a downwards motion.

It took me a couple of tries but I finally felt comfortable with putting my hand in her mouth and getting the pill back in her throat.  It is the method I use for my two standard poodles. It is easy for me and my dogs have never rejected me doing this.

Well, maybe it is because I always follow with a very good treat!

My husband gives them pills in food.  He likes to roll up raw hamburger into a 1” meat ball with the pill inside.  It works for him.

[SeaMaiden]

@forrestwolf If  the medicine was a pill, I put them into empty capsules( buy the size 000 empty capsules as those are the biggest size) they will not taste or smell the medicine in the capsule.  

Put the capsule in anything they love...peanut butter, whatever.  Down they go!  I have a pill splicer Incase the pill needs to be cut I half to fit into the capsule.

[GCR18]

I had the same issue with my cat.  I'd give him smoked turkey from the deli.  I'd give him it with no pill first, then with the pill. 

[Marp]

---

@Deb665 wrote:

My vet recently mentioned that he uses that cheese in a can to get his dogs to take any pills they need.  That might work for your dogs.

---

This made me laugh!  My vet also uses the canned cheese but when he tried it on one of my dogs, the one that will usually eat anything that even remotely resembles food, she rejected it.  Back to cheese slices or liverwurst.

[forrestwolf]

For the last 2 days, have not been to the store, I have used canned dog food, which I really do not like to use, but bought it just for this reason, and this morning, smashed up a can of Vienna Sausages, and just opened up the capsules....So far, so good.... I just then have to keep my little Hok'ee away from Koda's..What I do not do for these 2!!!

[KingstonsMom]

@forrestwolf 

If you can't find liverwurst in your area, Vienna sausages are a good alternative like pieces of hot dogs.

They're soft enough to easily slip a pill into and just big enough to pretty much swallow them whole, so they don't crunch/taste the pill.

If it's a very small dog, you can even break the vienna sausage in half, to make it an easy, quick swallow.

I've also crushed the pill and mixed it into a scoop of ice cream, when they got tired of cheese, peanut butter, etc.

The main thing is to try to find something the dog just loves and will wolf down, without giving it a thought or biting into the pill, they're all bitter!

For the dog who won't eat or drink, ask for a liquid alternative and a syringe.

You don't even have to open his mouth if he refuses to, just lift his lip up at the back of his teeth and squirt it in.

[Fressa]

I have German Shepherds. Here's my list of foods that I have worked for me.

Peanut Butter

Velveeta cheese

hot dog bit

brunsweiger lunch meat roll

sweet potatoe bit

chicken bit

Hope one of these work for your dogs.  

[forrestwolf]

Thanks so much to all for suggestions....I have neurotic kids, guess because they were so abused and thrown out and abandoned....OR they take after their mom.. But peanut butter is out, they don't eat American cheese, and Koda is one who shys away when you try to give him things by hand. I have to put treats on his foot sometimes or lay it down, and he will eat it when I look away. They will only readily take treats if coming out of THEIR cabinet!!! I am going to the store tomorrow to get liverwurst, as I still have to get their Nexgard down, as they will not just take them. They will take the Heartgard, sometimes, after multiple trys...

[sipp]

Takes 2 people-----( wear gloves if you have to!)---If you can get their mouths open long enough- (prob with 2 people) you hold their jaws open- shove the bill in as far as possible (without hurting them) - close the jaws and hold them shut and rub their throats- they eventually have to swallow. Good luck if you have a rottweiller!