Make your own pill pockets?

[CA_POPPY]

Rosie's officially in CHF, darn it, and has to take several pills a day. Unfortunately, she's expert at separating a pill out of food and has even sneaked away and spit out the pill in another room. Big problem here, as we don't want Darcy getting Rosie's meds. It must be that some of you have worked out a good solution. Rosie's a 12 lb chi mix and "only" 10 yrs old so we need to find an easier way to deal with the issue.
Thanks

[raindove]

The double treat method works well.

My most recent success has been with ham lunchmeat sliced as thin as they can slice it at the deli. I roll the pill in a small pc and have the second piece there to offer as soon as she has the pill loaded one in her mouth. If you have a second dog, they help with the competition factor.

I've also used bread wrapped around a pill and dipped in a dab of pizza sauce.

Some pills are made for time release and should not be crushed up. But if you check with your vet and it can be crushed, you can try crushing the pill. I keep a recipe card handy, folded in half. Crush the pill into a fine powder with a marble pestle. Put the powder on the card. Get an oral syringe and use the folded card like a funnel to get the powder in the syringe. Add just a little water and shake it up good. Then squirt it into the side of their mouth.

[Code2High]

Oh....they are absolute masters of association!

[CA_POPPY]

Rosie's up to four pills a day now and it just became easier to use the pill pockets (much cheaper on Amazon.) I'm not crazy about them because of the glycerin content and results later, but they work. And, per Susan, I save a little piece for incentive and it works every time. But, the funny thing is, I ask Rosie if she "wants "a pill?" and she COUGHS! :R What a crack-up! I don't know if she realizes they help her but somehow she knows that coughing triggers the pill action. Boy, they train us well, don't they? :B

[Pawz4me]

Some of the canned grain free dog foods are just as high in protein and fat as cat food (of the same brand). Check the labels -- many of the ingredients are almost identical, and in the same order.

When you're just using it for medicating, I suspect there's little chance of using so much as to cause a problem, except perhaps for a dog with a really sensitive tummy or a very small dog (to me 12 lbs. isn't all that small).

[Code2High]

You might try baked sweet potato with a little cat food squashed into it. Just a thought. Cat food is pretty rich... And with a small dog taking several pills a day and so many other things going on, it would e good to find something appropriate for her diet.

Possibly one of the canned medical diets like kd, if she likes it. Every animal in my house wpuld kill for the canned royal canin feline renal. Except Sput, of course.

[CA_POPPY]

corgi-traveler wrote:
Be careful what you feed with the pill. Cat food tends to be very high protein and hard on dogs' kidneys. High-fat cheese, etc can sometimes trigger pancreatitis. My dogs get peanut butter in small amounts with no problems, but I wouldn't let them have a lot.
Luckily for us, all the corgis will eat anything without asking any questions, so I can usually just drop the pill on top of their kibble in their bowl and not worry about it. When they need a dose between meals, three small pinches of lowfat string cheese (before, hiding the pill, and after) like the double-treat method works pretty well.
If that doesn't work, ask your vet if the medication is available as a liquid, and give with a syringe.

That's exactly what our vet has always said, cat food has too much protein and fat in it for dogs and is bad for their kidneys. Especially, maybe, for the toy breeds? Tonight Rosie took her meds with a tad bit of her meat flavored toothpaste. Won't do that every night but hey, we have to get creative here. :W

[corgi-traveler]

Be careful what you feed with the pill. Cat food tends to be very high protein and hard on dogs' kidneys. High-fat cheese, etc can sometimes trigger pancreatitis. My dogs get peanut butter in small amounts with no problems, but I wouldn't let them have a lot.

Luckily for us, all the corgis will eat anything without asking any questions, so I can usually just drop the pill on top of their kibble in their bowl and not worry about it. When they need a dose between meals, three small pinches of lowfat string cheese (before, hiding the pill, and after) like the double-treat method works pretty well.

If that doesn't work, ask your vet if the medication is available as a liquid, and give with a syringe.

[Tothill]

Cassie our old dog could spit a pill across the room, not matter what we hid it in....

Until I bought the stinkiest cheese in town. She loved stinky cheese and the pill went down like a charm.

At one point though she had to have 1.5 pills 2 times a day. The pills were nasty tasting and she would not eat the half pill. I talked to the vet and we gave her 2 pills in the morning and one at night.

Oscar, our current dog loves peanut butter. Slather pill with peanut butter and down it goes.

[CA_POPPY]

We've never had a dog that liked peanut butter. I guess I could try again but I've always thought peanut butter was too much fat for a dog. We don't buy cheez whiz or veleveeta, etc. Ours are So Cal dogs and if I wanted to hide the meds in a Taco or enchilada, that would be fine with them. (they don't get those, but they would love to.)

[lovemytt]

We are successful with the peanut butter method as well. I like the double treat name! I scoop a spoonful of peanut butter then spread it on the pill. I stick it to the top of her mouth and give her the spoon to lick. Works every time every day.

[nabi]

No suggestions..just wanted to say sorry to hear Rosie's CHF has exacerbated...

[chezmoose]

My dogs are great about taking pills. I just slather the pill in a glob of peanut butter (cheez whiz works well also) and make sure it gets on my fingers too. I hold the pill just above their head so they have to reach up to get it. As soon as they have it in their mouth I lower my hand so they can lick the remaining peanut butter off my fingers. The pill goes down, they get a treat and never realize that they've just been medicated.

[CA_POPPY]

Code2High wrote:
You need to double treat. Give whatever the pill is in, then instantly offer more of whatever she is getting it in. Instantly. She will swallow what is in her.mouth to grab what you are offering.

Very good doggie psychology, Susan, thanks! :B

[Turbo_Diesel_Du]

Our ten month old tom cat would eat your lunch if you tried putting it on the back of his tongue. We just powder it and put it on some wet treats he likes. Keeps our hands and fingers intact.