Tricks to give a dog pills?

Question

My dog (Am. Bulldog) has a a nasty ear infection and needs to take 9 pills a day. These are large pills too. For the first day he took the pills with some peanut butter. The second day he refused the peanut butter & had it with some lucheon meat. The third day he refused the meat and had it stuffed in fries. Today I had to force them down his throat. Cheese gives him room clearing gas. Can anyone recommend anything else? Oh when I say he refuses the items he will spit them up almost vomiting. I have 22 more days of this to go. I need help!

To clarify: he is to get 3 of Cephalexin 2X a day for 3 weeks. These cannot be broken. and 1 1/2 of Clemastine 2x a day for two weeks. I used some canned dog food, which he ate.
The ear infection is a yeast infection and he has skin allergies. This is the first time he's needed pills. and this vet was highly recommended by everyone at the ASPCA.

Answer 1

its hard to give my dogs pills too, ive tried everything from peanut butter to cheese to butter, but i actually found a treAT called pill pockets. they are this little chicken flavored soft treat with a whole, and they come in all different sizes for different sized dogs and pills. you could ask your vet or a local pet store if they carry them.

Answer 2

I have NEVER heard of any antibiotic that requires 9 pills a day. And never have I had to give any animal pills for over a week. You need a new vet or to recheck the instructions. If the infection is that bad the dog should have injections.
I know you want to do what is right for you dog, but this whole program is really strange. The only time I have had a real problem with giving pills, I ended up smearing the pill with margarine, forcing the dog's mouth open, putting the pill way back on the tongue and then holding the mouth closed until she swallowed. It was horrible. She and I became mortal ememies. She would hide in the closet or behind the couch. Liver sausage is a good idea, but it sounds like you need to ask another vet or maybe check with the breeder you got the dog from. 9 pills a day, 22 days just sounds wrong.
But the important thing is to get him healthy. Good luck.

Answer 3

Giving dogs pills is pretty hard, they don't like it. I have had the best luck with opening their mouth and putting it down their throat and holding their mouth shut and rubbing the throat till they swallow. I have tried a huge hunk of hamburger with the pill in the middle. What has happened is the dog swallows the whole thing in two seconds and then spits out the pill, how can they do that?
I would check with a different vet. Nine pills a day?
I just went through a nasty ear infection with my Beagle. The treatment was, step one, to wash his ear twice a day. Followed by, step two, Sysnotic Otic Solution. Followed by Otomax. This was done for ten days. The Sysnotic Otic Solution contains DMSO so you have to wear gloves to keep it out of your system, it goes through the skin.
Totally cleared up in the ten days.

Answer 4

Stop being a wimp and put the pill down the dogs throat. Just get it as far back as you can, hold it's mouth gently shut for a couple of seconds, and massage it's throat a little. The dog has NO choice but to swallow it. I've had several dogs, one currently, and many in the past that have had to take medication everyday for life. I get the job done fast instead of farting around with different methods. Shove the pill down! BTW, ingesting the pill and digesting it are two different things.

Answer 5

I have read the answers you have received thus far and am prone to agree with the fact that you should NEVER have to give a dog 9 pills, large or small, and you should NEVER give an antibiotic for something like an ear infection for more than 10 days. You need a different vet before this one causes you to kill your dog by giving it "meals of medicine"!

Answer 6

try not to give him the pills all at once. Peanut butter is a dry food to eat even if it is tasty. Try mixing some of the peanut butter with jelly. The sweat flavor will be more appealing.

Answer 7

The only think I know to do is crush the pills up and hide them in his food. They like Hamburger and that is an easy one.
To force them, You have to open their mouth push the pill to the back of their throat with your finger and shut their mouth real quick. holding his mouth shut with one hand and rubbing hid throat with the other hand. you do the same with cats.
make sure they get all their medicine each day. They are antibiotics and will eliminate the infection if you are attentive.
Rev. TomCat

Answer 8

Ask your vet if it's ok to crush the pills. If so - either go to the pharmacy and get a pill crusher or crush them yourself between 2 spoons.. Sprinkle it on top of his regular food. If he still gets fussy, add a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to his kibble and stir it all up. He'll love it!

Answer 9

You could try getting a wet dog food treat to put on her original food. If you can smash the pill up and sprinkle it in the wet food and put more food on top. Hopefully, that will help mask the flavor. Good Luck.

Answer 10

i'm sorry, BUT if the cheese works, there you go. also, if he has a big appetite at meal time, you may try just mixing one in with each meal. thats what i do with charley, (my dog). but he gets a mix of dry and canned and eats every and anything in his bowl.

one other thing, i live right by my vets house, and sometimes when charley just will not let me tend to whatever is ailing him at the moment, my vet will help out, no charge. you know, ever now and then.