tips for pilling your pet
TIPS FOR PILLING YOUR PET Giving your pet the medication they need at home can seem overwhelming for many pet owners. Here are a few tips and tricks to help ease the pain of pilling your pet.
Tip #1: Medication Can Be Tricky
Hide your pet’s medication in a Greenies® Pill Pocket®. These soft treats come in beef or chicken flavor and have a built-in pouch - ideal for hiding a tablet, capsule or liquid medication. Hide your pet’s medication in small amount of peanut butter, cheese, bread or deli meat. When concealing medication, make it a game by following these three steps: 1) Give a treat without medication 2) Give a treat with medication 3) Give a third treat free of medication to wash it down. If your pet knows any commands, have him perform one each time. This can be as simple as asking your pet to “sit”.
Tip #2: Be Confident
"Lucky just hates the sight of pills and hides at pill time."
If you are apprehensive about giving your pet their medication, they will sense this and may associate fear or anxiety with each dose. Give each dose with confidence, knowing that you have your pet’s best interest in mind. Another option for concealing the medication is to crush the tablet, or open the capsule and mix it into a small amount of his favorite food. All the food must be eaten to ensure the proper dose is given. (Some medications should not be broken up or crushed, so check with your veterinarian.)
Tip #3: Use a Tool
"Sasha doesn’t like pills, but she loves treats."
"Buster foams at the mouth and spits out the pills I give to him."
Pets may be sensitive to the bitter taste of some medications. Transfer the pill into an empty gel capsule to mask the flavor or use a “pill popper”, which places the pill at the back of the throat. If you continue to have problems, consult your veterinarian about the possibility of switching to a different medication. If you pet tends to gag when giving a pill, coat the pill with butter and store it in the freezer. The butter will help the pill slide down and freezing will minimize the mess. Encourage your pet to take a drink of water following the medication. (Some medications need to be stored at room temperature, check with your veterinarian). Please call us with any questions at (510) 881-5811
Tip #1: Medication Can Be Tricky
Hide your pet’s medication in a Greenies® Pill Pocket®. These soft treats come in beef or chicken flavor and have a built-in pouch - ideal for hiding a tablet, capsule or liquid medication. Hide your pet’s medication in small amount of peanut butter, cheese, bread or deli meat. When concealing medication, make it a game by following these three steps: 1) Give a treat without medication 2) Give a treat with medication 3) Give a third treat free of medication to wash it down. If your pet knows any commands, have him perform one each time. This can be as simple as asking your pet to “sit”.
Tip #2: Be Confident
"Lucky just hates the sight of pills and hides at pill time."
If you are apprehensive about giving your pet their medication, they will sense this and may associate fear or anxiety with each dose. Give each dose with confidence, knowing that you have your pet’s best interest in mind. Another option for concealing the medication is to crush the tablet, or open the capsule and mix it into a small amount of his favorite food. All the food must be eaten to ensure the proper dose is given. (Some medications should not be broken up or crushed, so check with your veterinarian.)
Tip #3: Use a Tool
"Sasha doesn’t like pills, but she loves treats."
"Buster foams at the mouth and spits out the pills I give to him."
Pets may be sensitive to the bitter taste of some medications. Transfer the pill into an empty gel capsule to mask the flavor or use a “pill popper”, which places the pill at the back of the throat. If you continue to have problems, consult your veterinarian about the possibility of switching to a different medication. If you pet tends to gag when giving a pill, coat the pill with butter and store it in the freezer. The butter will help the pill slide down and freezing will minimize the mess. Encourage your pet to take a drink of water following the medication. (Some medications need to be stored at room temperature, check with your veterinarian). Please call us with any questions at (510) 881-5811
