Get a Dog to Eat(and Like) a Pill

by oldanvilyoungsmith

27K860

Intro: Get a Dog to Eat(and Like) a Pill

Today I took my english mastiff puppy to the vet and she had to take some antibiotics when we got back home, and the puppy (her name is liberty) hates pills. What to do? read on young one.

STEP 1: Supplies

What you need.
Rice flour
water
chicken broth
fork
small bowl
pill

and of course
(drum roll please)


A Puppy! (who hates pills)

STEP 2: No Rice Flour?

What did you say? you don't have rice flour in your kitchen? no worries
what you need
rice
blender

pour the rice in the blender and run it on "chop" or "blend" for about a minute.

not the finest flour but it works.

STEP 3: Make It

Mix a pinch of chicken broth with approx 1 tsp of water, stir well. stir in rice flour until a paste forms (about the consistincy of grits) mix well and crush all clumps. open pill (if its a solid pill then crush with heavy knife) and mix pill powder with dough. Stir the whole thing well and add a little more water so that the consistincy is like soupy grits, pour on plate and offer to dog. Dog should start to lick it up.

STEP 4: Trouble Shooting

dog doesn't like it? add a small bit of P-nut butter and mix well, dog should really like it then.

62 Comments

Bernice Spiteri 14 years ago

This is really good, but my dog's a VERY fussy eater, and the only way we can make her swallow her pills is by hiding them in the center of a piece of soft chocolate (like a piece of a mars bar) and even then she sometimes doesn't eat the chocolate!

ReaC 8 years ago

No offense, but are you crazy? You can kill your dog with chocolate, worse if it's dark, but don't take the chance. I can tell you love your dog, so don't do it.

kylara70 14 years ago

You need to check with your vet. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs (REALLY). Some dogs have more trouble with it than others (West highland white terriers) but it is poisonous to all dogs. The bad stuff in it can build up in their systems and eventually kill them. Some dogs can have an immediate reaction. Please ask your veet before you give your dog any more chocolate.

Bernice Spiteri 14 years ago

actually, it was the vet who suggested it as it seemed the only way we could get her to take her pills. But thanks for the message. ;)

susanrm 13 years ago

Your vet needs to be better informed. Poor doggy. Have you tried the commercial pill pockets? Animals love them... I'm on this site to try to find a less expensive homemade alternative.

More info on the chocolate-toxic-to-dogs issue:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/nutritiondogs/a/chocolatetoxici.htm

It's the theobromine that gets them. And even worse, the toxicity is cumulative. That is, the bromides don't break down in the dog's body, so the toxicity builds little by little. I hope your dog will recover.

rbiggs1 12 years ago

It actually takes a lot of chocolate to poison a dog. It would take almost 2 pounds of milk chocolate to cause concern to a 20 pound dog and the chances that your dog could eat that much without you knowing or stopping it are slim. Not to mention, if you have 2 pounds of chocolate laying around you have other issues...

Now you claim that it the poison builds up over time. This is not true. The theobromine lasts for at most 48 hours in an average dog's system.

So basically, if you do not give him a lot of it every day, he will be fine. Probably will just have an upset stomach.

That being said... Dont give your dog chocolate if you can avoid it regardless of how safe it is. Worry more about the sugar than the toxicity and dont panic if your puppy eats a couple M&Ms.

susanrm 12 years ago

Well, we disagree about that. I have heard from multiple sources, including vets, that the toxicity from the thebromine can build up in the tissues after repeated exposure to chocolate, since the dog's system breaks it down so slowly. And while a little chocolate won't do immediate harm, other more concentrated sources, such as baker's chocolate, cacao, and high-percentage chocolate, can do more harm and kill a dog in much smaller amounts. So again - better safe than sorry!

As far as the idea of dosing pills in soft chocolate, which was what initiated these responses, that should be out of the question.

YvetteD1 8 years ago

Hi Everyone!

My name is Yvette and I have a pill problem, myself. My miniature Aussie has congestive heart failure and needs to take lots of pills all day. He had the pill pockets for the longest time and I had no problem. Then he turned his nose up at them. Due to his illness he needs no sodium at all and low protein to relieve the stress from his kidneys.

So, after the pill pockets fell from grace, I went with goat cheese (very low sodium) and he loved that......for a minute.

Now I am stuck. He takes so many pills so often each day, I really need another suggestion. I absolutely despise stuffing them down his throat.

Thanks so much!!

ReaC 8 years ago

put a very small amount of peanut butter on a spoon and press the pill into it covering it with the peanut butter and let the dog lick the spoon. That's the only easy way I've found.

gnelson2 9 years ago

A lot of pills shouldn't be broken, crushed or opened. Just stick the pill in a spoon of peanut butter, put it on half a piece of bread, and mold it into a ball. Toss it in the air and they'll catch it, likely swallowing it whole.

Crazblnd 11 years ago

I have one dog that will eat anything you hand him, no problem. I have one dog that can find the pill hidden in anything and spit it out. Both of my pups are old, and so have several medications daily. My secret weapon is squeezy cheese! You know, the stuff that comes in the can for squeezing on crackers. They seem to prefer the american or bacon cheddar versions. Unlike peanut butter, it doesnt stick, so it slides down and doesnt cause my brat to "feel or taste" the pills. And like PB, it sticks to the pills, so is very hard to "eat around". Works like a champ. Another weapon to add to your inventory =)

Grady 14 years ago

I use cheese, peanut butter, hot dog, anything that my fido likes, as long as he doesn't see me do it.

Father Christmas 14 years ago

hmm, well i like this, but i like my version better. Buy a package of hotdogs. Cut or rip a half inch segment, stuff pill in, and let your doggie enjoy the hotdog.

superitchy 14 years ago

My dog refuses hotdogs and all other forms of cheap meat products. No idea why, spoiled brat.

Father Christmas 14 years ago

seriously? the only thing my dog refuses to eat is a nice thick beef steak..

whozred 14 years ago

This is the only reason why we have hot dogs in our house; to give our dogs their medicine. Tried just about everything else and this turned out to be the best one.

Father Christmas 14 years ago

Or you can stick a glob of peanut butter on your finger and stick the pill to that. my dog eats around it otherwise. but i love my canine companion and i am willing to get dog saliva and peanut butter on my finger on a daily basis of she feels better. :)

Padlock 14 years ago

I have my text zoomed on my computer, so the title looked like at first

Get a dog to eat
(and like) a pill
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