Post by Nicole on Sept 4, 2006 11:41:45 GMT -5
I am starting a separate thread here with Loey’s cheese post also in case someone is ever searching for help on giving pills they will be able to find it. And if someone has a suggestion, please share it.
I tried the cheese balls yesterday but it didn’t work. He actually chews all the cheese...JUST THE CHEESE... even with a ball that is small enough to swallow and he is so careful to avoid crunching the pill and then he spits out the pill. He won’t just swallow the ball of cheese or peanut butter. So I ended up having to force it again yesterday and with 1 and ½ pills I have to do it twice and he cried the second time. This is the type of thing that I think can erode trust and a relationship especially when the dog views it as a painful thing.
So......I bought some lamb canned dog food and hot dogs and I had a plan. These are his two favorite things that he RARELY gets. Lamb gives him the runs so he never gets it anymore but he loves it. I cut out the center stuff of some of the hot dog to remove the outer skin to avoid him wanting to chew. I cut the pills in all halves to make them small. So this had to work three times. I wrapped a ½ of a pill in some of the the hot dog insides which I briefly micro-waved prior to putting the pill in of course, to get it all smelly. I then covered this small ball of pill and hot dog in some lamb can food. I had a conversation with Sunny and told him he has to help me here and that this was the last alternative. I think that did it. ;D ;D
He swallowed all three. I then gave him the rest of the hot dog and praised him like he won lottery. Hopefully this will work again tomorrow!!!
THIS IS LOEYS POST
I use sliced cheese like Kraft singles. I cut it in 4 pieces, or more, depending on the size of the pill. I don't want to get too big a ball...just big enough to disguise the pill, but small enough so she can swallow it. There is an art to pill wrapping to get it "just right".
Then I wrap a pill in a piece and then kind of roll it around in my hand so it is like a cheese ball.
I don't give a dummy cheese ball first...I give her pills first, so if I have one pill, I give the pill and have the " dummy cheese ball" under her nose. If I have two pills, I give one pill and have the second pill cheese ball under her nose, then when she takes the second one, the dummy cheese ball is under her nose so she knows there is a 3rd one and will hurry and swallow the second one too!
This morning when I gave her the pills, I gave her the first one and she spit the whole thing out! I said, "Arrrrrrgh...don't spit it out", and she picked it up and swallowed it w/out chewing. Whew! Then I gave her the 2nd one and she swallowed that one too and I gave her a small piece of cheese with nothing in it.
If you have two dogs that helps too. I make a big deal of giving Buddy a piece of plain cheese first, because he doesn't get any pills. Then I give Kara hers, and since Buddy got his FIRST, she just gulps hers down. I alternate between them until she has swallowed both of her pills.
There has been times, however, when whatever method I tried failed and she "tasted/chewed" the cheese ball and spit out the pill, so when that happens, I wait a few minutes, rewrap the pills and try again.
I tried the cheese balls yesterday but it didn’t work. He actually chews all the cheese...JUST THE CHEESE... even with a ball that is small enough to swallow and he is so careful to avoid crunching the pill and then he spits out the pill. He won’t just swallow the ball of cheese or peanut butter. So I ended up having to force it again yesterday and with 1 and ½ pills I have to do it twice and he cried the second time. This is the type of thing that I think can erode trust and a relationship especially when the dog views it as a painful thing.
So......I bought some lamb canned dog food and hot dogs and I had a plan. These are his two favorite things that he RARELY gets. Lamb gives him the runs so he never gets it anymore but he loves it. I cut out the center stuff of some of the hot dog to remove the outer skin to avoid him wanting to chew. I cut the pills in all halves to make them small. So this had to work three times. I wrapped a ½ of a pill in some of the the hot dog insides which I briefly micro-waved prior to putting the pill in of course, to get it all smelly. I then covered this small ball of pill and hot dog in some lamb can food. I had a conversation with Sunny and told him he has to help me here and that this was the last alternative. I think that did it. ;D ;D
He swallowed all three. I then gave him the rest of the hot dog and praised him like he won lottery. Hopefully this will work again tomorrow!!!
THIS IS LOEYS POST
I use sliced cheese like Kraft singles. I cut it in 4 pieces, or more, depending on the size of the pill. I don't want to get too big a ball...just big enough to disguise the pill, but small enough so she can swallow it. There is an art to pill wrapping to get it "just right".
Then I wrap a pill in a piece and then kind of roll it around in my hand so it is like a cheese ball.
I don't give a dummy cheese ball first...I give her pills first, so if I have one pill, I give the pill and have the " dummy cheese ball" under her nose. If I have two pills, I give one pill and have the second pill cheese ball under her nose, then when she takes the second one, the dummy cheese ball is under her nose so she knows there is a 3rd one and will hurry and swallow the second one too!
This morning when I gave her the pills, I gave her the first one and she spit the whole thing out! I said, "Arrrrrrgh...don't spit it out", and she picked it up and swallowed it w/out chewing. Whew! Then I gave her the 2nd one and she swallowed that one too and I gave her a small piece of cheese with nothing in it.
If you have two dogs that helps too. I make a big deal of giving Buddy a piece of plain cheese first, because he doesn't get any pills. Then I give Kara hers, and since Buddy got his FIRST, she just gulps hers down. I alternate between them until she has swallowed both of her pills.
There has been times, however, when whatever method I tried failed and she "tasted/chewed" the cheese ball and spit out the pill, so when that happens, I wait a few minutes, rewrap the pills and try again.