Sure, I can give my pet a pill”

Pet medication is mostly prescribed in pill form. Some dogs like happy-go-lucky Labs that would eat anything not nailed down will usually eat any medication as if it were a treat. Others, like terriers, need a combination of trickery, speed, and skill to get that medicine “down the hatch”. And cats? They are especially challenging.

I hear so many people say, “Yeah, I can get pills down her. How hard can it be?” Well, if you’ve tried it before, then you know how difficult it can be. It can take a small army of people to hold a pet down, pry open his/her mouth, and get the pill in. And just when you feel triumphant, Fluffy or Fido spits out the pill. By then, it’s starting to dissolve, which makes it even harder, because the pill is falling apart, and now your pet is on to you. It can really be tough!

If you have been prescribed a pill for your furry friend and are going crazy trying to get that little pill down his/her throat, here are some tricks:

1. The tastier the better. Try to find something to disguise the taste and the presence of the medication. Try crushing up the pill and mixing it with something like canned food, or hide the pill in a treat like a piece of hot dog or Pill Pockets (they really work!)

2. Consider liquid medication first. Most animals take liquid far better than pills. There are exceptions, though!

3. If you have to give pills, and your pet knows you’re trying to hide it in a treat, then you need to learn to open up your pet’s mouth. Point the nose up, try to pull the jaw down, and get the pill are far back as you can. If you don’t, you’ll see it on the ground in about 3 seconds. If you’re successful, use a syringe of water (or an eyedropper) to give to Max or Midnight to help the pill go down. Stroke the throat, and look for your buddy to swallow. If they won’t swallow, try blowing into the nose.

4. After all of this “torture”, reward with them with a treat. Some medication needs to be given with food anyway.

5. If all of that still doesn’t work, call your veterinarian for advice. Some medication can be put into a flavored suspension or a tasty chew, or even a transdermal gel for application to the skin!

Well, I hope that helps you win the “battle” of giving your pet medication.

Till next time, Dr. Steve

p.s. If you have any creative ways of “pilling” your pet, e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !

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