'Tips For Getting Animals To Take Medications'

KateyBate (66.227.233.47) -

I was told you can help animals swallow capsules and pills if you put the medication in their mouth and hold their mouth closed and blow on their face. This apparently causes them to swallow and has worked with my cats. Anyone else go ttips out there?

Comment #1 Ann (152.163.35.102) -

Our vet pops the pill in our cats mouth and then rolls her over in a sumersault and the pill is swallowed. I think its easier seen than done!

Comment #2 MissyG (64.136.27.228) -

Wow, I wouldn't want to try to roll my cats over in a somersault! I've always had no problem with the 'shove it to the back of the mouth' thing and just hold their mouth closed. I also have given medication in food when allowed.

Comment #3 Bill (152.163.36.138) -

I would practice the somersaults without any pills in their mouth first! Not sure it would work with dogs!

Comment #4 KateyBate (66.227.233.47) -

Our cats are pretty funky anyhow. Maybe if I practice somersaults with them it will help next time I have to de-worm. I'd never heard of this before.

Comment #5 endora (24.45.126.104) -

Ive been lucky with my cats and have always been giving the drops if something is wrong. With a dog i put the pill in the food with no problems. I would not want to force an animal to eat something.

Comment #6 Lucy (66.24.100.217) -

We give out dogs their medicine by putting in their favorite people food. Normally it is a piece of cheese. If the cheese doesn't work we plop it in the back of their throats and close their mouths until they swallow. I have heard of people putting medications in peanut butter too but I would think it would be a pretty big mess. It would take forever for them to get it off the roof of their mouths.

Comment #7 Courtney from Amarillo, Texas, USA!! -

What we do is put the pill in a little hot dog or piece of lunch meat. My dog is so small that her pills are usually broke up in half so putting it into a little hot dog won't hurt her. I think also if you use a canned dog food or cat food, they would probably just eat it out of that.

Comment #8 endora (24.45.126.104) -

Have you ever seen the dog that eats everything but the pill? LOL My dogs have all been clever little suckers i have to be really creative where i put that pill.

Comment #9 citronkid from bird nation -

I have a ferret who has to take drops two times a day. I end up wrapping him up with a towel and then giving him the drops. He loves the taste but getting him to start taking it is always a struggle.

Comment #10 wildcard from the swamp -

I tried the cheese thing with my dog and he managed to eat the chees from around the pill and then spit the pill out. I tried peanut butter - same result. I also exhausted lunch meat and other meats. I have finally resorted to crushing them into a powder and mixing them with gravy and kibbles. Just si that isn't a dead giceaway I give him gravy and kibbles without pills sometimes too. I don't know what I'll do if he catches on. Shoving them down his throat doesn't work, he swallows them and promptly goes and eats grass til he throws them up.

Comment #11 Wolfgang from Dog Pound -

Cat owners, how in the world are you getting your cats to voluntarily open their mouths to accept medicine? I can't pry my cat's jaws apart and make her swallow for anything especially not without getting shredded in the process. If I put the pill in a treat, I can usually get it past them. It often takes a lot of treats. Or I just have to give them canned food and smoosh it up in that.

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