Forum Discussion

mikeleblanc413's avatar
Feb 23, 2014

Baby Girl won't take her medicine. HELP!!!!

If you follow me on Facebook, you know I travel with Baby Girl, a 55 lb rescued Catahoula mix. While she is really sweet (and protective), and she certainly has a mind of her own! This is one of those times! The vet has her on hormones, medication for urinary tract infection, and ladder. All are tablets that can be broken up and put in food. I've tried bread, cheese, peanut butter and mixing in with some chicken. While the peanut butter and cheese worked initially, she now thumbs her nose and won't take anything in which she "smells" the pills. I'm at a loss on what to do. All suggestions are appreciated! THANKS.

58 Replies

  • Vienna Sausage pieces with the pill stuffed in works for us. Our picky pill taker comes to us each day about the same time looking for her treat piece of Vienne. Keeps well after opening, half of one or smaller is enough for a dose, and as that is the only time she gets it, it still is a daily treat.
  • Forgive my memory lapse but didn't someone suggest "freezing" the pills.....I know, sounds funny but this technique pretty much eliminates the smell of the pill as I recall. I suppose wrapping it in some form(peanut butter, honey, hot dogs, cheese etc etc) would still be necessary. Just a thought....
  • What's facebook ?

    Open her mouth, place the pill at back of tongue, close mouth.
  • We've used pill pockets from the vet they work. When I give our dog pills I just back him up in a corner and push it down his throat, then rub it. He doesn't have options.
  • I'd try hot dogs. Cut several "rounds." Give her a couple, and then one with a pill. And then one or two more before giving another one with a pill.

    You want to feed some w/o a pill in them before/after each pill so she doesn't know which one a pill is in. I'd give them quickly in succession. So have a pile of empties and the ones with pills in them in another pile, all ready to go before you start.

    And I'd switch up. Do the pills in hot dogs once or twice, then switch to bread or cheese or peanut butter. You don't want her to learn to associate one particular food with pills.

    If that doesn't work . . pill gun.
  • Meds can be a real problem. Chewable forms of the medications or Pill pockets for conventional medications work for some.

    If the meds you are giving can be formulated into a transdermal (applied to the skin) it would ease administration, but not all medications can be compounded into transdermals. What hormone is she on?

    Doug, DVM
  • Pet stores/vets sell a "treat" (1/2 x 1/2") soft biscuit that has a hollow centre. Put the pills inside, squeeze it shut and put it in her mouth. Then hold her muzzle shut until she swallows.

    We give our cat her pills crushed over shrimp...she gets 2 shrimp every day!!! :)
  • mikeleblanc413 wrote:
    If you follow me on Facebook, you know I travel with Baby Girl, a 55 lb rescued Catahoula mix. While she is really sweet (and protective), and she certainly has a mind of her own! This is one of those times! The vet has her on hormones, medication for urinary tract infection, and ladder. All are tablets that can be broken up and put in food. I've tried bread, cheese, peanut butter and mixing in with some chicken. While the peanut butter and cheese worked initially, she now thumbs her nose and won't take anything in which she "smells" the pills. I'm at a loss on what to do. All suggestions are appreciated! THANKS.


    Take a look at this: Pill Gun