Any really good tips on how to give a dog pills? Tango's impossible..

[.sarah]

Crush it and mix it in with a favorite food

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I've done both of those things and she takes one sniff of it, snarls (at the food item - not at me), and walks away from it. It doesn't matter what the food is. I've tried so many different things. Thanks though.

[Jakesmom]

The other thing I've heard of but have never used, is a gizmo (from the vet) that sort of puts the pill on the end of a stick and you can more easily get it in the back of their throat.

You might try asking your vet for ideas, they must run into this one. Depending on the medication, it may come in a liquid form--or you could have it compounded. Most medications are or can be made in liquid form for infants/children (call your local pharmacist). I know that DrFosterSmith pharmacy will compound things in liquid form it it is one that is not currently available (it is pricey though).

[Karen]

Okay - this is a two-person job, but works. Person one sits with Tango trapped between their knees. Then uses both hand to open her mouth as wide as possible. Second person then throws the pill as far back into her throat as possible, then shuts her muzzle, Person one immediately helps camp he muzzle shut and points Tango's nose toward the ceiling. Person two then strokes her throat, down, down, down for a minute or so so she swallows repeatedly. And tells her what a good girl she is, good baby. When you are sure she has swallowed, then she can be released and praised for being a good girl, and even offered a treat, as extra swallowing incentive.

Trust me, if it can work with 185-pounds of expert pill-hiding jowly St. Bernard, and with a slick-as-grease Great Dane of "just" 145 pounds, it will work with Tango.

Sorry girl, but you do need your medicine.

[wolfsoul]

I know she can't eat raw, but what about raw tripe? Buffalo tripe in particular is VERY smelly, and the dogs love it! I don't imagine she would know if a pill was crushed up in there.

Another thing you can do is crush it up and mix it with oil -- any kind of oil. I've always had success with dogs, cats, rats, etc. The oil hides the scent.

At the shop we have these things that push pills into a dog's throat or something. I forget what they are called.

[Ginger's Mom]

The only suggestion I have you are not going to like (I don't like it). Ginger will take anything wrapped in cream cheese, so she is easy. But my RB dog would not take a pill for anything. She would stop eating completely if you tried to hide it in food, and the putting it down her throat didn't help either. What the doctor had to do was put the pill down her throat followed quickly by a syringe full of water to force it down before she could dislodge it.
It is not a good solution, and as strange as it sounds I felt better when I had to give her injections, rather than forcing her to take a pill.

[cyber-sibes]

Ugh, Star can also be VERY difficult. What I found that works is to use either: hide it in Cheese-Whiz on a cracker (in just enough so she can eat it all in one bite) and 2) pry her mouth open, shove it in the back, clamp her muzzle shut, and blow on her face - I heard it if you do that dogs have an automatic response to swallow & blink - don't know if that's true, but it works.
I figure cheese-Whiz is probably not really good for her, but it gets the pill down.

[critter crazy]

Okay - this is a two-person job, but works. Person one sits with Tango trapped between their knees. Then uses both hand to open her mouth as wide as possible. Second person then throws the pill as far back into her throat as possible, then shuts her muzzle, Person one immediately helps camp he muzzle shut and points Tango's nose toward the ceiling. Person two then strokes her throat, down, down, down for a minute or so so she swallows repeatedly. And tells her what a good girl she is, good baby. When you are sure she has swallowed, then she can be released and praised for being a good girl, and even offered a treat, as extra swallowing incentive.

Trust me, if it can work with 185-pounds of expert pill-hiding jowly St. Bernard, and with a slick-as-grease Great Dane of "just" 145 pounds, it will work with Tango.

Sorry girl, but you do need your medicine.

that is exactly what we had to do with our 120# rotti!! he was a bear when it came to medication! but it worked like a charm!!