Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat. Explore 17+ years of forum archives for stories and answers to questions about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery. Enjoy fresh discussion and connect with members in the new Tripawds Support Circle.
Join The Tripawds Community
Register your free account to join the Tripawds Support Circle. Connecting with members and getting the support you need is now easier than ever with the Circle app!
Easy Photo Upload
Private Messaging
Subscribe to Topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Forums Locked: Search archives for answers & join Tripawds Support Circle to keep discussion going!
Log In
Members
Offline
Belle is refusing to take her pills in just about anything, any suggestions? We have tried peanut butter, chicken, chicken peanut butter balls, lunchmeat, cheese. A friend even spend all day Sat looking for the peanut butter pill pockets made by Greenies, that worked for one dose. I am running out of inventive ideas 
Has anyone tried oatmeal or anything like that?
Shari
Belle's Mommy
Liverwurst worked well for us. It's stinky and mushy so really covers the pills well. Cream cheese also worked well for us.
For some of Abby's pills that were too big to hide easily, I'd just pop them down her throat and give her a great treat after.
Good luck!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Thanks, I will try the liverwurst. I even tried a bite of brownie today, and she turned her nose up at it, and they were homemade
Shari
Belle's Mommy
How about braunschweiger (sp?). It's some mystery meat thing (actually, I think it's some type of liver or liverwurst). You should be able to find it in the deli section of your local grocery store. It's nice and smelly, just what a dog likes!
AngelAbbysMom said
For some of Abby's pills that were too big to hide easily, I'd just pop them down her throat and give her a great treat after.
Yep, sometimes that's just the easiest way!
Here are some ideas:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Melted cheese worked with Maggie for awhile. Take a couple small pieces of cheese, just big enough to cover the pill, and microwave them for a few seconds. Then wrap the pill in the cheese while it is warm. I would make sure she saw there was more than one treat. I would give one blank, then a pill, then another blank. Serve when it is not too hot, but still oily, the oil coating makes the pill slide down. I found that the smaller the treat the better so she would just swallow. If it was big enough to chew she would find the pill.
She eventually figured out every disguise and I ended up just stuffing them down her throat with a reward after. The melted cheese worked for a couple months though, during her chemo.
Good luck!
Karen and the pugapalooza
I've been successful with a little routine.
Cut hot dog into about six pieces (smaller or larger depending on the size of the dog)
Toss a bite for them to eat. (They will normally chew this one)
Toss another bite. (If the plan goes right, they will swallow this one)
Toss one with pills (Again, if the plan goes right, they swallow this one)
Toss another one without. (At this point we don't care if they chew or swallow) 
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
I used hotdogs with Daisy. Worked great. Every once in a while she would eat the hotdog and spit the pill out. I found out if I used the ends and cut them a little longer she wouldn't eat around the pill. I use the Greenies Pill Pockets for my other dogs daily supplement. They work great too. They are soft and you can smoosh them around the pill.
Marla and Daisy
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
with Abby I use chicken mcNuggets microwave 10 seconds to warm slide the pill just under coating so she cant smell it and wala
My last resort is canned cat food or baby food. Almost works every time.
I just put Hank's ones in his throat with my fingers and then give him a treat to wash it down.
Dogs: Friends for life, faithful and true.
Courage is being scared to death... but saddling up anyways.- John Wayne
bikeintime.wordpress.com (will soon have Hank story)
The braunschweiger idea is the ONLY thing that I have found that will work at all with our boy and I have tried almost everything possible. Wrap the pill in the meat and roll it into a little ball. Chance doesn't even chew it, just swallows it right down, lol
Ask your vet for a "Pill Popper". They are inexpensive and will most likely save you from a lot of frustration. They also keep fingers out of harms way. It is a long tube with a rubber end that the pill fits into. I have seen dogs that once they figure out what the pill smells/tastes like, they can pick it out no matter what you hide it in. Good luck!
hhackett said
Ask your vet for a "Pill Popper". They are inexpensive and will most likely save you from a lot of frustration.
Thanks for the suggestion! These two Tripawds blog posts may also be helpful:
Pill Taking Treats, Strategies & Recipes
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We've used liver paté (the English equivalent to liverwurst, I think), liver & bacon paté, jars of potted meat or fish paste (made for sandwiches), and grated cheese wrapped around a pill. All have worked well for us, for quite long periods of time. Other than that, I just stuff the pills down with my fingers - I'm used to doing it and it's a sure way to make sure it's gone - treat after, of course!
The suggestions for tossing a treat without, treat without, treat with, treat without are very sound. That works well too.
I've read a suggestion to melt butter and fill ice cube trays with a mix of melted butter and a pill in the middle, and pop them in the fridge to harden, but ASK YOUR VET first if this is a suitable way to give whatever you're giving. Some medicines are very sensitive: some don't like heat, some don't like cold, some shouldn't be allowed to be in contact with moisture before giving them because it destroys an enteric coating, etc ... so check first. I've never done it, because I've never had to, but it makes sense to chill the pill, as it were, because cold dulls the taste and the smell. That's exactly why if you melt an ice pop (kid's ice lolly) and drink the liquid it's so strong tasting and sweet it makes you gag.
1 Guest(s)
