[Jennifer]

Does anyone else here have a dog that is on heart medication?

Sherry's meds have to be taken 1 hour before food twice a day and this is already proving difficult. When you can give meds disguised in food it's relatively easy but to give horrid tasting meds with no food is kinda hard.

I've tried opening her mouth and putting it on the back of her tongue, shutting mouth and stroking throat...Sherry pretends to swallow, then spits it out /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smack.gif So I try again and again until the tablet is all slimey and can't be used anymore.

So far I've only managed to get her to take one when she should have had three already...HELP!!

 

[Murphys Dad]

I don't have advice since you've already used the method that I use for giving meds to stubborn dogs. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif The only thought I have is could you get the medication in liquid form to be given with a syringe?

Poor Sherry doesn't know you're trying to help her, and poor you getting frustrated trying to help. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

[Murphys Dad]

Is it okay to put the pill in a cube of cheese and forcing her to eat/swallow?
Or maybe coat it with peanut butter?

 

[Virginia's Mom]

Jennifer,

Here's a suggestion:

In the US (and probably in the UK as well), there are what's called "compounding" pharmacies. They can specially formulate medications (human and veterinary)to ensure palatability and patient compliance.... even when the patient is 4-legged. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

So, look up a compounding pharmacy in your area, and/or check with your vet about it. If there's one local, great, or it may be that you have the meds sent to you in the mail once your vet phones in the prescription. They might be able to reformulate Sherry's meds into a chewable flavored tablet that she is more likely to take without a problem.

~Virginia's Mom & Tinker's too

 

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the tips.

I managed to get her to take one this evening by squeezing it into a small peice of sausage. I'm hoping that's ok as the vet said "on an empty stomach only, no food". I'll check with him tomorrow and if that's not ok then I'll ask him about liquid meds or the compounding pharmacy option.

 

[Murphys Dad]

We started using Pill Pockets (Science Diet, I think) Summer and Murphy love them, so they work like a charm in getting pills in them. No more "Phi Ramma Jamma" down the throat.

 

[BeagleBabe]

Can you grind it up and sprinkle in canned food?

 

[Jennifer]

I've been looking for Pill Pockets but can't find a store that sells them. I've seen them before years ago when I had to get Lilly to take meds but no luck finding them this time.

At the moment I'm getting on ok'ish with sticking them in the end of a peice of cocktail sausage. The vet said that was ok so I'll carry on doing that although it's not ideal as the sausage breaks up a bit lol and of course I have to give Rosa some too and she's supposed to be on a diet /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

 

[Murphys Dad]

Jennifer, I saw pill pockets among the supplies that my vet sells. Don't know whether vets in the UK sell supplies like this or not.

I empathize with your problem. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif Yesterday, Miss Priss figured out that I was putting her pain med in treats, and then wouldn't eat anything for awhile. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scared.gif Since she doesn't seem to be in pain, I guess I'll forego the meds today since it's more important that she eat. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/PBnervous2.gif

 

[BeagleBabe]

I f ound them on eBay and this seller will ship to UK, though I'm not sure of shipping price or how much they would be in anything than the American dollar
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-6-PACK-Pill-Pock...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Murphys Dad]

Check with your vet first. They may be able to order them for you.

 

[Jennifer]

Thanks Jamie and Joe. I've got to go to the vets today to get some flea stuff so I'm gong to ask them.

 

[PenPen]

Penne will take any meds hidden in peanut butter!

 

[NORTHWEST REDNECK]

Goober does not need heart meds yet, but a nearly foolproof way
to get him to take his previous meds were to wrap the pill in
cheese! Sometimes I had to hold his mouth closed & massage his
"under-neck"...until he would swallow it! But I am happy to report that he a full recovery from what the vet speculates was
a stroke, to "hounding me" for his supper after I have had mine!
Granted, he can not eat as much @ a sitting now...(but neither
can I)! Soo, Homer-the-Huge is the lucky hound to clean-up after
us! BUT Homer is "lucky" if this happens more than twice a week.
Most often,(dog-friendly) leftovers are fed to them, but non-
friendly foods are fed to our septic system!