# how do you give pills to your dog?



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Mali has a gash on his foot. Got five stitches yesterday and I have been trying to give anti-biotics this morning. I've never had an issue with giving pills to any other dog. 

stuck pill in the wiener and he spit it out

tried taking the capsule apart and sprinkling the powder inside the wiener, he spit it out.

then I tried it again and stuck it in his throat, he coughed it up.

finally, I took another capsule apart and put the powder in a syringe and squirted down his throat. 

There has to be a better way.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

ground hamburger or turkey and maybe some shredded cheese.....empty capsule into bite size portion, mash together, make into a ball and VOILA!!!!


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## tracey schneider (May 7, 2008)

never had a problem with the weiner [-X BUT if I dont have one handy I open the mouth with it facing the sky and drop in the way back and massage it down.......never an issue but ya gotta do it right.

t


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## chris haynie (Sep 15, 2009)

my little old dog hates pills, but has epilepsy controlled by meds. he gets one pill everyday. i got good at hiding them in his raw foods.

get a pill crusher from the pharmacy, usually found for less than $5. thats the easy way, but you can crush pills without the little device, i just got one because i have to do it everyday and for $5 at walgreens it was worht it for me. crush the pill and stuff it inside of a piece of green tripe. if you don't have access to tripe try sticking it in between the skin and meat on a piece of chicken or working it into some ground meat.


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## Becky Shilling (Jul 11, 2006)

Blowing a puff of air at the dogs' nose almost always causes a quick swallow reflex. There's always the pill gun for the really hard cases. 

I had a Dobe once that would hold out for his idea of an adequate piece of cheese, wienie, whatever. He knew there was a pill in it and he bargained for more stuff by spitting it out until he felt it was a worthwhile amount.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

he's the most un-food motivated dog I have ever been around. He eats his kibble ok but he's always been slow about it. Training him with food has been tough. He's the only dog I know that won't eat a half-eaten samich or hamburger. He doesn't like cheese.

One day after training I stopped at the grocery store and came across some marked down meat what was expiring that day so I bought. The rottie scarfed his down before I gave the other piece to the mal. After the 45 min ride home, there was still a slightly chewed on raw beef steak in his crate. That little shit get frustrating at times. 

I'm gonna try Carol's idea. I'll give you a report in about 12 hours.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

With a dog who is wise to pills I find 2 different, but similar, methods work well.

If I only have the one dog inside, I will cut up 3 or 4 pieces of hot dog, cheese, whatever I'm hiding it in. Put the pill in a piece before you start, so you don't have to pause in the middle. Toss them 2 or 3 pieces, one at a time, toss the one with the pill, then toss the last piece. Usually by the second piece they are in "catch and gulp" mode and won't even take the time to realize there is a pill inside, especially with the final "chaser" piece.

Usually when I do this though I have 3 or 4 dogs all standing around looking at me, which works even better. A little competition really increases the "catch and gulp". So I'll cut up enough for each dog to have 2-3 pieces (they can be really small ones) and start handing out pieces. Still give the dog who is getting meds 1-2 empty pieces first, then the pill piece. But usually they swallow it right down so nobody can steal it from them. With some of my dogs just tossing the pill into a little kibble works also, as long as there are 2 or 3 other dogs hovering in the background, since they inhale the kibble so nobody else has a chance to steal any, and eat the pill in the process.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Save your meat, if he spits out the hotdog, chances are he will spit it out with anything else.

Grasp his lower jaw, place the pill on inside of left or right mouth, push as far back as you can, gag reflex falls in throat and continue to hold his lower jaw in an upright fashion until you see him swallon TWICE! Done 4-5 seconds. NEVER had a problem.


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## Sue Miller (Jul 21, 2009)

Do the same thing as Kadi. Also try: grind the pill, add the ground pill to some melted *sharp* cheddar cheese & roll into a ball & see if he'll eat it. Doesn't work as well with regular cheddar & not at all with American cheese. Also, dose him before he's eaten--even skip a meal.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Chris, if you have all that time go ahead and do this, but to make 100% sure the dog is getting all the medication (pill) it needs without coughing it up or not eating it, just do as I stated above, no time, no problem and dog is happy....and so are you once its done! Takes no time....


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

with my old dog who had to have a thyroid pill every day, i found hiding it in canned cat food was the best way. you just have to make sure it's not the "chunky" kind but the "paste" kind.

and of course, shoving it down their throat.

if you think a dog's hard to pill---try a cat, LOL.


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

I think it is the people who make Greenies--they make Pill Pockets--semi gooey little sleeves sized for pills and capsules. My guy gets tylosin each day which is very bitter. These make pilling easy. My guy has never met a piece of food he doesnt like, so it is easy, dont know how they smell/taste to non food dogs.....might be worth a try.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I train my dogs to take pills. I tell the dog to sit, toss the pill and the dog catches it. No problem. There are only a couple exceptions of nasty-tasting meds and a smear of butter before giving it works.

So to train the dog to take a pill, I start with salmon oil capsules. I prick the end, put it in the dog's mouth and squeeze it. The dog initially balks - like for any pilling - but then tastes the oil and is a happy camper. I continue using pricked capsules over a number of days until the dog is pretty excited about the capsule.

Then I add in the pill. The first time, I'll use "Vitamin A & D" capsules. They are small fish liver oil capsules. If I have to, I'll prick these too. I give the small capsule first, chased by the salmon oil.

Once this is down, then I switch in a biotin (tiny, virtually flavorless, tablet) instead of the cod liver oil pill.

And you can go from there. A couple meds have awful flavors, but smearing it with butter will get it down before the dog tastes it. Vitamin B supplements have a pretty awful smell that a lot of dogs will refuse, but the butter trick has worked for that also.

My doggies do little happy dances when I open pill or supplement bottles. \\/ I love it!


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

If you're going to pill the dog, shove it down the dog's throat and hold the dog's mouth shut. Then dog your dog to kiss or lick. When the dog licks, the pill will go down.


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## Michele Fleury (Jun 4, 2009)

I also use the mulitple treat method with raw hamburg, ground turkey, canned food, whatever she really likes. I make 3, one with the pill. The first one has nothing, so usually the second one goes down with no suspicion and then I quickly follow the pill one with the last one so she doesn't have time to think about what might have been different about the second one. Works every time.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

There are pillers, too. Cheap, at the vet's. Pill in one end, into dog's mouth as far as you can, depress plunger-thing at the other end, pill goes down throat.

I think it's under $2.50.


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

I think Anne is on to something, DON'T WASTE TIME OR MONEY, shove it down the throat!


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

Jody couldn't you just slip it in one turds your dog loves so much:-\":grin:


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Can't she just shits it back out and re-eats it over an over, doesn't have time to dissolve and work through her system!


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

I go through this with fish oil caps with Cyko, he HATES fish oil and will gag, drool, spit, cough them up, and not touch his food with liquid oil on it. When I hide caps in his food most times they are left licked clean in the bottom of the bowl. One way that works is hiding pills in little meatballs and working OB - he will eat all kinds of crap he wouldn't normally touch if he thinks he "earned" it as a "training treat". Another is the more dirct method, shove 'em as far down his throat as I can, hold his mouth shut and tell him to swallow (he does on command) and when he licks his nose I know there are no pills left for him to to spit or cough up.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I used to teach the "proper" method of pilling to all my handlers. It was a 2 hour block of instruction, with each handler actually pilling their dog. Then I decide to work smarter rather than harder. While I still demonstrate the "proper" way of pilling, that takes about 10 minutes, I then put the pill in a piece of cheese and toss it too the dog. Maybe 1 in 200 won't take it that way, but it sure is easier.

DFrost


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I do the same as Jodypen dogs mouth & drop pill in the back of the mouth & then take my finger & shove the pill down & close their mouth & wait a second & dog will swollow. You can also rub under the dogs lower jaw to make them swallow if the dog's gag reflex isn't quick enough & the dog can cough up the pill. I have given pills for years to dogs this way with dogs that have needed daily medications. Takes a couple of seconds. I have had worse luck with trying to get dogs to not spit it out when hidden in food or treats.

Just a note....I would be careful using a suringe to squirt down the dogs throat....I would squirt it into the side of their mouth & then encouarge them to swallow. If you squirt it down their throat it can be aspirated into the lungs by mistake. You need to be very careful with this.


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## Erica Boling (Jun 17, 2008)

Jody Butler said:


> Save your meat, if he spits out the hotdog, chances are he will spit it out with anything else.
> 
> Grasp his lower jaw, place the pill on inside of left or right mouth, push as far back as you can, gag reflex falls in throat and continue to hold his lower jaw in an upright fashion until you see him swallon TWICE! Done 4-5 seconds. NEVER had a problem.


 
This is exactly how I do it, but I just push it down the middle of their throat. Works like a charm!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Place the pill in a blowgun and breath out! Aussie throwing lessons next week. Boom there it is.......\\/


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Drop it in the food bowl at feeding time. With the exception of Tramadol, it works for every kind of medication or supplement I've ever had to give.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

success... just now, I opened the capsule and dumped on top of his kibble, then I added a bit of chicken broth.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

i love "simple"-that works


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## Lynda Myers (Jul 16, 2008)

Open their mouths and drop them in! All my dogs think most stuff from my hand is a treat!


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## Kyle Sprag (Jan 10, 2008)

Grab the Jaw, tilt head back, drop pill in as far as you can, clamp jaw shut and hold close until swollow!


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Kyle Sprag said:


> Grab the Jaw, tilt head back, drop pill in as far as you can, clamp jaw shut and hold close until swollow!


Really????? 
This has been said multiple times in this thread....but.....most of us give our dogs treats every day for training or maybe even just because.....

what is the big deal to dump a capsule and give it to the dog in a fun way rather than a negative "come here, I will shove this down your throat, and now here is a piece of hot dog for being good and not chomping my fingers off":roll:](*,)8)

Sorry guys....my dogs get meds in food.....and I get a 5 minute training session in as well. :mrgreen:


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Shove it down his throat. Way down. Works just like Jody said.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Now 4 pages of "how to give a dog a pill"!!! At least make it a viscious dog or a real wolf.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

i know don--i was kinda shocked to see yet more myself. same # of pages on how to pill a dog as there are on GSD bitches....what does it all mean???


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

People are ****ing clueless, yet anxious to post something so they can be recognized.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

i do have to say that i replied to this post 2x myself (re the OP). 

i'm just sayin'.....still kinda sad


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

I will admit, I put the pill in my hand, let them know I have something they want and presto. Now, If you have a dog that won't take a pill, I would suggest you give the pills out with two dogs standing there to create a competion to get the pill first. Get both dogs sufficiently wound up and....hold your hand out with the pill. I might suggest wearing some heavy gloves.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

ann freier said:


> i do have to say that i replied to this post 2x myself (re the OP).
> 
> i'm just sayin'.....still kinda sad



And which is more sad? Those pages, or this one, with us on it, talking ABOUT those pages? :lol:


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## Adi Ibrahimbegovic (Nov 21, 2008)

Many ways, as many posters stated.

Sometimes just put in mixed with the food in his bowl. My dog is kind of indicriminate wolfing down kind and he gulps everything as an equal opportunity eater.

Sometimes, shove it down his throat and massage as others do.

Sometimes make a ball out of ground beef and give it to him. some of the finger might be missing too once he does his JAWS attack routine...

When he was younger I'd actualy time him with a stopwatch. Doesn't matter how full the bowl is, it's always between 30 and 40 seconds.

Then he does the "link the bowl for the last molecule of food", then he looks longingly at the empty bowl with a: Damn, it's gone look on his face...


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> And which is more sad? Those pages, or this one, with us on it, talking ABOUT those pages? :lol:


 
i would have to say, us talking about those pages. and here i am adding ANOTHER post to it!!:^o


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Is this the place I come to in order to get recognized? \\/


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

well, YES!! but you have to "add" to the conversation, as in, "how to pill your dog (or cat)". 

sucked me right into THAT didn't ya??


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I give my dog's pills by mouth! :-o:-& 
That's they way I was told but there has to be a better way. Makes me sick to my stomach every time I do it! 
Damn near got arrested when someone sent pics to the National Inquirer. That's against the law in some states ya know! 8-[8-[


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