As a pet owner, it can be common to have to give your dog a tablet or pill. However, it can be challenging, especially when they keep spitting it out. Whether the tablet is for routine healthcare, such as parasite prevention or to provide important medication when they are unwell, we have some hints and tips to help make the medicine go down easier.
One, two, treat
Hide the tablet in a treat that your dog loves, such as cheese, canned dog food, sausage or a spoon of peanut butter. The idea here is to find a treat with a strong flavour to mask the taste of the medicine.
Put it aside and give them a treat without the tablet, followed by a second treat. Next pick up the tablet hidden in the treat and place it in front of your dogs nose, then quickly move it away. Do this a second time. The third time, let them eat it. Follow it up with a fourth treat. Unless the tablet is really unpleasant, this works well and is lots of fun.
There are also pill pockets available, which are small treats with a built-in interior pocket that holds a tablet. Simply find a flavour your pets loves!
Bonus bits
When preparing food, it’s common for dogs to hang around in case a few bits drop on the floor. If this is the case with your dog, hide the tablet in a treat. While you are cooking, “accidentally” drop it on the floor. Some dogs are so excited they don’t even realise they have just taken their medication.
Competition time
If you have multiple dogs, you may be able to use competition to your advantage. After hiding medication in one treat, hand out treats to all dogs, making sure you give the medicated treat to the dog that needs it. As dogs tend to eat faster in competitive situations, your dog may quickly eat their treat so fast they won’t realise they have taken their medication. Just be careful the tablet doesn’t get left on the floor or end up in another pet’s tummy.
Catch
Again have a few treats on hand, one with the medicine hidden inside it. Then play a game of “catch” tossing them a treat. They can be so focused on catching the treat that they may not notice when you finally throw the medicated treat to them.
Walkies
For this one, distraction is everything! Take your dog for a walk. Part way through your walk, give your dog a treat with their medication hidden in it. Dogs are often so distracted by the excitement, smells and sounds on their walk that they find their adventure more interesting that what’s hidden inside their treat.
Traditional method
If none of the above ideas work, you may need to physically give your pet their tablet. To do so, have your dog sit in a comfortable position. Tilt their head back and gently open their mouth. Place the medicine at the back of their tongue. Close their mouth and gently massage your dog’s throat or blow on the tip of their nose to help them swallow it. Finish with a treat and lots of positive praise. The idea here is to not force your dog to take their medicine, but to do it gently.
If you need assistance giving your dog medication, speak to your vet who can provide a demonstration.
If you have any questions about your giving your pet medication please don’t hesitate to contact us on 03 8784 4444.