I thought this was going to be easy!

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by IRescue452
I have a sneaky solution that may work for your dogs. Our dogs catch treats thrown to them in the air so why not a pill. I throw half a treat, then the pill which they catch and swallow before they know what it is, then the other half of the treat. They never know!

You are so lucky! Peej has to wait until the treat hits the floor, sniff it, lick it, then if it's worthy, he'll eat it. That trick would never work with him.

[finn's mom]

I wish I could give you different advice. When I was caring for two senior pets (both teens), a dog and a cat (Bruno and Dusty), I was the pill master. But, they were so easy! I had a pill plunger for Dusty and Bruno would eat his pills out of cheese. Finn hasn't had to have any pills, yet, but, I don't imagine he'll be really difficult. As he will literally eat anything out of my hand.

[Cinder & Smoke]

.
"Pilling" the Dawg is almost the same as Pillin da KAT -
except the TEETH are Bigger and the JAW *SNAPS* shut with more force!

Problem with most Kats & Dawgs is when you open their jaws,
that darn TONGUE tends to fall back and fill up the back of their mouth
and the top of their throat - so "Tossing" a pill in there puts the pill ON
top of the tougue rather than DOWN the throat. - Not good.

SmokeMutt is EEzee to "pill" ~
I call him over with "Hey Smoke - PILL TIME" and he trotts over and <SITs>
at my feet and sort of "hands" me his head.
Left hand rests on his forehead with thumb & finger <opening> his mouth;
Right hand has pill between first & middle fingers -
3rd & 4th fingers give a lil <push> down on his lower jaw;
then it's *IN* with the pill -
gently pushing DOWN on the tongue and sliding the pill back over
the tongue.
He says "*Gaaaaaak*" as I withdraw my fingers, I <close>
his jaws and, if he doesn't <swallow> right away, give him a lil throat "rub".
*GULP* and it's over with!

New-Comer BOWSER gets the same every-other-day Glucosamine pill ...
But he "resists" ...

Techinque WAS the same as with Smokey ... except HIDE the pill hand
from view to avoid the "catch me if you can" game.

Getting him to <open up> and then sliding the pill *IN* was not much
of a problem (he did "fight" with his tongue a bit more) -
but we got the pill into position without TOO much difficulty.

The big PROBLEM was getting my FINNERS <OUT> in one piece!
Seems when I'd let go of the pill and begin to withdraw my finners;
Bowzie took that as his signal to *SNAP* SHUT!

Then, with me tied up counting & nursing "pinched finners",
HE had the opportunity to "work" with his tongue and often managed
to >spit< a now very soggy Capsule back out!

The "solution" came one day when he wandered into the baffroom
just as I was "Pillin da KAT" with his daily urine acidifier pill.
*BOING* went the lil Bell in my head!!

WHY NOT??

I loaded a Glucosamine cap into Boots' Pill Shooter
"Hey Bowz ~ Step over here for a minute!"

A firm grip on his upper jaw;
a lil push down on the lower one ... nice target ...
Ready ... Aim ... *FIRE*!

**SNAP** ~ *GULP* and it was DOWN da Hatch!!

I felt the Pill Shooter <Take a HIT< from his front teeth;
but it didn't hurt (ME) a bit!!

Soooo ... Here's the Pill Shooter Story >>>

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke

How to *PILL da Kat* reference materials >>>
Substitute "DAWG" where you see "KAT" below.

Firstly ~
NO Self-Respektin KAT will "knowlingly" consume Medications -
when "hidden" in treats or food -
no matter HOW *tastey* the treat or food may be!

Here's Dad's Oft-Repeated "How to Pill da Kat" article >>

Here's a good article on How to PILL da Kat ~
with minimal loss of blood...

How to PILL the Kat article

And we'll repeat *our* method ~
Get youselves a Pill Shooter!

They are *cheap* - less than $5.00 US;
should be availabe in any Pet Store - US and elsewhere:
cause little *stress* to either Kitty OR the Human;
almost Guarantee a successful *pilling* on the first *shot*

Here's a poor picture of ours - all soft plastic and made by
"Four Paws".

Pix - "Four Paws Pill Dispenser"

Dad *loves* it; Boots tolerates it;
and there hasn't been a lost or spit-out pill in years!

Y'all really Otta Get One!!

WHERE to get a Pill Shooter?
Almost ALL Pet Shops sell them...
Usually less than $5.00 gets you a reasonably good Plastic one.

Your VET may have a loaner; but you might as well buy your own.
And you do NOT need a fancy Chrome-Plated "Vet model" your Vet
may offer to SELL you!
The Pet Shop "cheepie" works just as well!

To get meds on-board over the weekend - if the
"Using your Fingers" method in the article above doesn't work ~

Get a STRAW - plain ole Drinking Straw - semi-large diameter -
(thick milk-shake size)...

Insert pill in one end of Straw ...
Take deep breath and secure Kat ...
Insert Opposite end in your mouth ...

Open Kat's mouth with methods from above articles...
Insert KAT End of straw over Kat tongue at back of throat...

*BLOW* through YOUR end of straw -
NOTE! Important! **BLOW** ~ (Do NOT * *suck*!!)

"Verify" Pill came OUT (in KAT) -
before re-inserting straw in your milk-shake!

Hope this Helps!

/s/ Phred
..

[KYS]

I had to brag on how easy it is to give ROcky a pill.
His throat is so wide I can practially fit my fist down it.
So needless to say puting a pill down his throat is
soooo easy.

Sheba is pretty easy too, but if the pill is to big,
I have to put it in a piece of hot dog, or
mash it up in her food with some great tasting
meat juice.