How to encourage a pony to take medication.

[625]

Hello, I have a 17yo pony diagnosed with cushings, he has been medicated for the last 18months but recently he does not want to take his tablets, I have tried the following:
Putting in carrots/apples - he is now wise to this and spits the tablets out.
The tablets dont dilute well so I cant add to water and syringe like a wormer.
I have cut them up into tiny pieces and added to feed this worked for a while but not anymore, if he smells the tablets he wont eat the feed.
Any suggestions greatly received.
Thankyou x

 

[millitiger]

molasses?
either spread thickly on bread like a sandwich with tablets in the middle or add straight to the feed.

mine will eat anything with molasses in their feed!

 

[Alibear]

They don't disolve but they do crush so you could crush them mix with apple sauce and syringe in?

 

[hellybelly6]

Crush tablets into a fine dust and sprinkle onto a marmite sarnie.

 

[Eaglestone]

They do 'dissolve' enough to easily syringe, as I have done this for Motor for the last 4 years now and it is the only way I can easily get the Pergolide Tablets down him .....

Here is my method (sorry from a previous post on here

)

I knew Motor would starve rather than eat feed with the Pergolide in it, and even stuffing it in an apple ensured that he will not eat an apple from my hand, even now 4 years later

Try using a 50ml Doser Syringe, as it works for me and is 'free' as he has High Fibre nuts for breakfast and tea ... you can use Apple Sauce, but that costs loads of money

Soak a few High Fibre Nuts overnight in a little water
In the morning dampen the tablet(s) for 10 minutes, to soften it enough to go through the doser syringe - I only use a few drops of water, otherwise they become unmanagable

Pour some really runny mix into the Syringe up to about the 1/4 mark
Add the dampened, softened tablet
Add more High Fibre mix to about 1/2 or so in the Syringe, thus 'sandwiching' the tablet
Cafefully push the plunger in the Syringe and expel the air (you have to be soooo careful here to ensure you do not lose the whole lot, but with practice, it is easy!)
Administer the 'mix' like a wormer, ensuring the Syringe is high up in the mouth, with their head up in the air

Motor curls his lips back waiting for it every morning and for a horse that used to knock me black and blue, trying to Worm him 18 years ago, then this must be good.

Good Luck and keep us updated?

 

[hudsonw]

Horses are so sneaky when it comes to tablets...

I used to give my tablets in his feed with the juice off somebody elses sugarbeet.
My friend gives hers in a bit of honey or molasses and my other friend blends (in a machine) a carrot and an apple into mush and then hides the tablet inside.
Good Luck.

 

[625]

Thankyou for all your help I am going to try the marmite!

Eaglestone as in my original post the tablets do not dissolve, pergolide does I agree that is not a problem, but he also has the larger metformin tablets which do not dissolve very easily and have an incredibly bitter taste!! Hence my post for suggestions!