3 Ways To Give Your Dog Pills

Image By DonnieRayJones, Flickr 

At some point in his life, your dog might have to take medication. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get your dog to take his medication, especially in pill form. These 3 methods should help.

Hide It In Food

The most common way to feed your dog pills is by hiding it in food. Keep in mind that this doesn't always work, some dogs will simply eat around the pill or spit it out once they've eaten the good stuff. However, if your dog isn't one of these, try hiding the pill in a piece of cheese or meat. It's also possible to make smelly, tasty treat balls out of substances your dog might like, such as cream cheese or butter. You can experiment to see what your dog likes most. The nice thing about treat balls is that the dog will often swallow it without caring what's inside. 

Crush The Pills

Image by DeaPeaJay, FlickrIf your dog won't take the pill whole, consider crushing it so he won't even notice that there's a pill in his food. This can be easily done with a bowl and a spoon, or mortar and a pestle. Once the pills are all ground up, integrate them into your dog's meal somehow. Try serving it with wet food, or putting it in a gravy mix that you can spoon over his dry food. Also, you could always integrate them into food balls and treats so your dog can look forward to his medication, without even realizing it. 

Pushing The Pill

Another method that is commonly used involves pushing the pill into your dog's mouth. This method may involve more than two hands, so get help if possible. Start by gently opening your dog's mouth, and then hold it open. Push the bill down as far as you can into your dog's mouth, placing it behind his teeth towards the back of his mouth. Once the pill is in place, hold his mouth shut and massage his throat to help him swallow the pill. Blowing on his nose also helps. Once the pill is swallowed, give him a nice treat to reward him for good behavior. 

With these methods, your dog will be taking his medication in no time. Be patient with him, and give him lots of love until you figure out which method works best.

Savanna Y Lujan
Featured Blogger