Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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We are in day 1 of home recovery. He ate a little this morning, but wouldn't touch the little soft food bundles will ALL the pills. He already was on 3 for congestive heart failure (enalapril, vetmedin and furosemide). Now we've added Gabapentin and Tramadol. It was a pretty traumatic event me trying to shove dissolving pills down his throat, so we're letting him rest for a little while before trying phase 2.
I'd love to hear from the experienced what we can do to get these pills down his gullet. Are all of these meds ok to crush/open and mix with something with a strong smell? I think hand shoving 5 pills down his throat all during the day is going to be terrible for everyone.
And while we figure it out, last night's pills are wearing off....
For us, liver paté worked a treat. Stick the pill or capsule in the middle of a big blob and down it goes no questions asked.
Tramadol is extremely bitter. We had it in capsule form, and Meg took it fine in the middle of a blob of paté, but definitely not sprinkled on food. That put her off eating anything, and she's a proper ol' greedy guts.
Try the paté. It was such a relief for us, as I now know I can give them any meds, no probs at all.
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
I gave pills with Biljac small dog training treats, liver flavor. The smell of these treats is just obnoxious, but I think it was strong enough to hide the smell of the pills. I have heard that some, including tramadol, have a recognizable smell to dogs. I would talk to the vet before you crush any pills. Some can and some cannot be given that way.
A lot of members have used peanut butter (not the xylitol kind) or hot dogs/little sausages.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Here at DaBear HQ, CharlieBear has 15 daily pills AND I just open his mug and shovel them to the back of his throat. That is the only way I can make 1000% certain that he gets his meds and does not spit them out. Tramadol is extremely bitter even as a whole pill so maybe not crush it up? Also I do the same for EmmaRose for the same reason ( and she has heart meds- which are also very bitter tasting). However, immediately after feeding them the pills, I feed their morning and/or evening meals. It seems to work as they then " wash" the taste out of their mugs.
Gosh the pharmacy companies would make a mint if they just had better tasting meds for our loved ones...
Almost everyone else in TriPawds Nation does variations of what Meg and Clare do: offer tasty, highly pugnacious, somewhat sticky in consistency liver or peanut butter or CheezeWhiz or other treats and that seems to work wonders for most! Also, some try wet cat food which most dogs LOVE so maybe try that? ( I am holding off on these methods until it becomes too much of a struggle with DaBears: they have been pretty complacent so far though...)
Best wishes on a speedy and un eventful recovery!!! Hugs and PyrPaws all around!!!
Geez, I knlw that's awful for voth of you trying to ise the "shove down the throat" method...especially with that horrible tasting tramadol!!
Some great advice already.
Here's what worked for Happy Hannah.
First of all, try not to get anynofnthe scent of the pill on your hands. Your pup now is associating the smell of the pill with any kind of food you put it in and will reject it.
Get stinky liverwurst. Roll it into balls and make a little "crater" for the pill.
USING TWEEZERS, insert the pill in the crater without ever touching the pill. roll into a ball making sure pill is thoroughly covered.
Toss a couple of balls without the pills first, then toss the "pill ball"....then more without the pill...then pill ball, etc.
Another "trick". While you are eating something off of your plate, put the liverwurst balls on your plate. Toss a bit of whatever you are eating from your plate, then toss a liverwurst ball from your plate. Thinking he's getting some of your "dinner" makes it that much more yummy!!
Make sure he never sees you go to the pill bottle and that he's not watching you do any of this. Be just as nonchalant as you can. Try not to show any tension...just an upbeat happy attitude!
Recovery is no picnic'and I'm sure you're exhausted...and probably will be for a few more days! TRY and get some rest when you can.
Would love to hear more about your pup. STAY CONNECTED and let us know how we can help. And let us know how the pill "deliveries" are going!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Here are just a few posts from the Tripawds Blogs you may find helpful...
Pill Taking Treats, Strategies and Secret Recipes
While you wait for more comments from others, use the Advanced Search above to refine your forum search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find more helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here . Or, consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for more recovery and care tips and feel free to call the toll-free Tripawds Helpline anytime!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Liverpate or any of the good stuff didn't work for us. He would just leave it in his mouth long enough to suck out the pill and spit it out.
I am with sally: don't let him see what you're doing, have something ready for before and right after the 'pill treat' so he sees there's more to come-he'll swallow faster. For us, spoon-feeding did the trick, with canned dog food, or stinky soft cheese.
With all our different tricks here, I hope you'll find something that works for you!
Guardian of Manni the Wonderdog. -Or was it the other way around?
Osteo and amputation in Dec 2015. Second, inoperable, primary osteosarcoma found in June 2017.
The end of our adventures came Dec 10, 2017. 2 years to the day.
We figured it out. I read somewhere that we can wrap the pills in butter to make them go down smoothly, as well as mask the bitterness. Then i put the little lightly buttered pills in tuna fish. Eats it right up. WHEW. I was so frantic.
Thanks for all your responses and help. Now I'm trying to figure out when we can begin to Ice. Little bugger escaped his cage, the dog door and was hopping around the yard when i finally got wise to his disappearance. And he's 13 yo!!! I'm sure he fell out the door, felll down the steps on the patio, every horrible thing you can think is running through my head. He passed out when we got him back in the cave. But, hours later, temp is normal (100), gums are pink and he just ate a pretty good sized meal, so i think he's not too damaged. But I'm sure he'll be inflamed from that adventure, so would like to know about the ice.
Appreciate it!
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