[rogueslg71]

Originally Posted by SSpiro

Having this issue now

what have you tried so far? is it pill or liquid?

[ACampbell]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

I think there's also a tool that vets have...it's a plastic pill gun. I mean, it probably isn't called that, but it kinda shoots pills down the dog's throat. I remember having to have one for my last dog. Alvin will eat anything that is put inside a slice of banana, so his medication is never a problem.

It's called a "balling gun" made in all sizes for horses and cattle on down They work really good but most dogs aren't happy about having a plastic tube stuffed down their throats

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/...&pf_id=0026253

That's for larger livestock but same thing

Hot dogs seem to be the thing that works for me...then again, my dogs eat like there's no tomorrow so it gets inhaled before they notice there's something not so tasty in it!

[kjnewk]

Greenies Pill Pockets are the best things ever made for getting your dog to take pills. I just bought them for my dog who used to HATE taking her meds. Now, she is anxious to take them.

[JDub]

<----another "back of throat, hold mouth shut" person. Seems to work. The only other thing I ever did for my Golden was to put it in a treat, then get her all worked up with excitement to get the treat...but show her 2. I'd give her the pill laced one first, which she would quickly swallow so that she could hurry up and get the other one.

Good luck. Not a fun process!

[heidiann]

We have to give topaz 2 1/4 pills and liquid at bedtime and 1 1/4 pills in the morning.

I used to pry his mouth open until he started cheeking the pills and we would find them...and then he ended up having seizures due to missed meds.

Then I tried Peanut Butter, but we're really strict on his diet, so we started putting the pills in his breakfast and I was cutting a "chicken butt" off the chicken backs and kind of making a little pocket and then putting the pills in there.

Now, I get a little of their meat mix, or else tripe and put the pills in there and the liquid at night. My husband still puts his pills in his food in the morning.

This was the best solution we could find. He HATES the liquid medicine, but will eat the food with it and has only left the pills twice since we started this.

I had to wrap a missed pill in a 1/2 slice of cheese this evening because we were low on mix.

When it comes to meds, you do whatever works! LOL as crazy as cutting a chicken butt off and making a little pocket was, it worked like a charm!

[ChrissyBz]

A new trick I've been using lately...

Cream Chese. as long as the med doesn't react with dairy, works like a charm. I haven't met a dog yet than will turn down cream cheese.

[Bobeyer]

My dog is 15 and has various problems including some pain. He is on Previcox and Tramadol. I have an awful hard time giving him the Tramadol as it apparently tastes awful. Does anyone know of any other type of narcotic that doesn't taste so bad?

I have tried a lot of things, but if he gets one taste, he walks around the kitchen shaking his head and won't take any type of pill for the rest of the day. Putting it in his mouth won't work. Even the vet tried that with little success. Some days, I feel pretty helpless. I want to keep the little guy going as long as I can.

[bluedawg]

I guess Blue is a very forgiving dog.

I held his head up and using my fingers on his jaw got him to open his mouth. Ild drop the pill as far back as I could and keep holding his head up untill he swallowed the pill. He never gave me any trouble doing this over the 14 days I had to give him pills twice a day.

[Patt]

Have you tried Pill Pockets, PB, Hot Dogs, cheese? How about putting the pill down his throat?

When all else fails, try this http://www.ehow.com/how_16334_medicate-dog-with.html http://www.ehow.com/how_16334_medicate-dog-with.html

[InverseLogic]

When Ringo was a puppy, I had to have him on pills. It went on for a little over a week.

All I would do is put the pill as far back as I could and close his mouth and rub his neck. He would swallow it (you need to make sure though, sometimes they'll hide the pill under their tongue or something).

I think using a piece of hotdog with the pill stuffed inside would have been easier for him though. He usually eats things like that in one chomp. Doesn't even stop to taste it a little, he just engulfs it.

[gingersmom]

Even before I tilt my dog's head back, I have to kind of wedge her between my legs so she doesn't pull backwards. The toughest part is making sure that she doesn't take the one nanosecond before I close her mouth to move it into her cheek pocket. To avoid this, I have to be really assertive about making sure the pill gets far back into her throat. I can't just drop it in there... I have to push it down. I don't like doing it, but in the end, it's easier than trying to get her to swallow it 4-5 times in a row and having it pop back out even more slimy and yechy-tasting each time.

Also, if the dog is really regurgitating the pill, then try giving it about 20 minutes after some food, instead of before meals. Sometimes taking it on the empty stomach is what causes the dog to upchuck.

With my cat's thyroid medicine, I had to get it in a paste, rather than a liquid, and smear it over her forepaws. This was not that good for our furniture, if she escaped from the area where she was supposed to be cleaning herself off afterwards, but it kept her thyroid readings normal for 7 years.

[Patt]

Another suggestion would be a Pet Piller. I use this on my cats and sometimes if needed on my dogs.

http://www.petrx.com/index.asp?PageA...ROD&ProdID=719

[Kathyy]

Sassy the old dog is really good about taking medicine. Maxwell, not so much. I do practice pilling them every so often just in case I have to do it for real. I push the pill in past the big part of the tongue at the side of the mouth. I open the mouth gently, hold the jaws and wait for the dog to stop clenching works better than a sneak attack.

Usually I doctor up one soft treat like bread or cheese. Toss plain treats one after the other, once they are going down fast toss the pilled treat and follow with plain treats fast so the dog is swallowing instead of chewing.

The funniest way to pill a dog I have ever heard was to sweep it off the counter calling out OOPS. Not sure how you could insure the right dog got the pill but what a sneaky way to get a pill down!

[EXBCMC]

I didn't have the time to read all the responses, but there is a product out there called pill pockets. little candy/doughy type things that open up to hold the pill. our lab loved them after her hip surg. pet stores and vets carry them

[K8IE]

Call me crazy, but bananas work wonderfully. It is easy to break off a piece of banana and mash the pill into the middle of it, and it is easy on the tummy..

[Pickleisaminidaschi]

Pickle take pills by them being smashed then put in a peice of cooked chicken

[Bobeyer]

I can get him to take most pills with whatever he is in the mood for that day (cream cheese, liverwurst, ice cream, hot dog, etc). However, the Tramadol tastes pretty bad. If he eats without chewing, it works. However, about half the time, he chews the food containing the Tramadol, spits it out and walks around the kitchen shaking his head, then he won't take any pills for the rest of the day, as he knows when I am trying to give him pills. Stuffing it down his mouth doesn't work. I have tried it, the vet has tried it.

Does anyone know anything about Tramadol (a narcotic) or substitutes? Should I try another forum or thread? This is the first time I have been in this site.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[gingersmom]

Originally Posted by Bobeyer

Does anyone know anything about Tramadol (a narcotic) or substitutes? Should I try another forum or thread?

I would start a new thread in the dog health forum, and title it something like "substitutes for Tramadol". Sorry I can't help with your specific question... I hope you can figure out something that works better for your dog!