Getting dog to take tablets

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Snuffles

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Old dog not eating, pancreatitis, and has to take 3 pills twice daily. Wont take any food at the moment, so tried the putting it at the back of his throat, but he's too clever for that and spits them out, even if Ive coated them with meat paste or similar.
Ive tried covering his nose when the pill is in his mouth so see if he gulps but that doesn't work either. Can you get anything to shoot pills down the throat?Anyone tried this ? like a peashooter, don't quite know what to Google for
 
Have you tried putting the tablet into the back of the mouth, holding the nose to keep the mouth shut and stroking the throat in a downward movement to encourage him to swallow?
 
So difficult to explain without being able to post pics, but I'll have a go …. :)

The trick is to do it quickly though without rushing and by not offering the dog a choice of whether he accepts it, or not! Right and all assuming that you're right handed;

Get a sizeable dob of butter (marg if you must) on the end of your middle finger and of your right hand and stick the tablet to it.

Now with your left hand over the bridge of the dog's nose, with your middle finger and thumb pinch his cheeks (as hard as you need to) and 'HOLDING' that position, push the finger with the tablet attached down his throat. When I say 'down', I mean that if your hand disappears, don't worry. The pill needs to go past the epiglottis and then with his chin raised, telling him what a good boy he is, hold his mouth firmly shut. ….

…. pill in place, or it should be! Good luck.

Alec.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Have you tried putting the tablet into the back of the mouth, holding the nose to keep the mouth shut and stroking the throat in a downward movement to encourage him to swallow?
Click to expand...

This is the cat method and is the only thing that works with one of mine, who spends time sorting out what I’ve shoved in his gob and spits out all tablets. Worming is fun!
 
cinnamontoast said:
This is the cat method and is the only thing that works with one of mine, who spends time sorting out what I’ve shoved in his gob and spits out all tablets. Worming is fun!
Click to expand...

I've always used the method with dogs who wouldn't take the tablet like a treat out of your hand, sometimes lubricated with a bit of butter.
 
Will he eat sausages or something similar?
If so the trick is to have 3 treats to give him, and only the second one has a tablet in.
Almost throw the first bit of sausage at him for him to catch, while still holding the second piece he should gulp the fist down ready for the second, then do the same with the second piece (with tablet in) and then immediately follow with the third piece.
Not sure I've explained that very well but basically you don't want him to chew it, just gulp it down! Having other pieces ready to 'throw' at him should encourage that.
 
No butter for a dog with pancreatitis!!

Having seen my usually voracious, food-obsessed dog who eats pills for fun floored by a first bout of pancreatitis this week I'd urge you to go back to your vet and consider hospitalisation for fluids and IV meds until he's eating more reliably.

Otherwise - tablet dropped at back of throat, head elevated, syringe of water squirted in between the front teeth to trigger a swallow.
 
I put the tablet between the tips of my index and middle fingers and slide them as far down the dog's throat as they will reach. The pill must not touch the tongue but land down the throat. I have never had one come back up yet. The trick is to do it gently and smoothly so as not to panic the dog into resisting. If the dogs are used to have to open their mouths for regular teeth inspection or cleaning it also makes it easier.
 
Really put them down his throat... If they're right at the back he'll have to swallow them. Not just at the back of his mouth, literally down his neck. He sounds a pretty nice guy but even if they're snappy if you're right at the throat they struggle to bite. Hold his muzzle up and either blow in his face of wash his mouth with a few ml of water. Not the nicest but when needs must...
 
Snuffles said:
Old dog not eating, pancreatitis, and has to take 3 pills twice daily. Wont take any food at the moment, so tried the putting it at the back of his throat, but he's too clever for that and spits them out, even if Ive coated them with meat paste or similar.
Ive tried covering his nose when the pill is in his mouth so see if he gulps but that doesn't work either. Can you get anything to shoot pills down the throat?Anyone tried this ? like a peashooter, don't quite know what to Google for
Click to expand...



wrapped in bacon - wafer thin chicken or turkey - dog gravy -http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/merch-groups/merch-groups/mg-039/kong-easy-treat-dog-treat-paste-cheddar-recipe-236ml
 
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my dog is good at catching so we do `catch the treat`3 or 4 times,then catch the tablet-gone before he knows lol
 
When I said he wont eat, I mean wont eat anything, no wrapping in bacon etc. I have tried the right to back of the throat
but I have big hands and he's got a small mouth and still spits out! Thanks for link Cobgoblin, didn't think to google for gun .
You are right BB no butter for pancreatic dog or anything remotely fatty ideally. He will usually start to eat a little something the second day but he started the pills yesterday, or should have ! This is going to be a recurring theme so I need to crack it
 
If you can't use butter, I find that a bit of my own spit on my finger works just as well, and the dogs don't seem to object. I have large-bloke hands and use the system that I suggest when worming 6 week old Cocker pups, and it doesn't seem to bother them, particularly — it even worked on our cat, when we had one. :)

Alec.
 
Good luck. I worm my dogs as per Alec's suggestion, but obviously no butter for a dog with that condition. However, if he is not eating anything at all, I would be worried and have him back at the vets and on IV etc as suggestion by another poster.
 
My dogs are all different. One of my dogs was on several different tablets a day for a liver condition, arthritis and needed something to help him with his appetite, mostly due to the liver condition. Low fat dairylee cheese was the saviour for him, but not sure I'd say use that with a dog with pancreatitis either. One of my dogs will take his hidden in soft food (ie his own food) so that's handy. My bitch is hard core, no thank you to food or other treats to hide it, just straight down the gob and rub her throat and she knows the routine so it's easy (where as the first two would have thought you were trying to kill them). The puppy just takes out of my hand, so naiive ;)
 
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