antibiotics

miss_mallinson · August 2009

Tiger got bit the other day, we were worried that because the other dog (a puppy of less than a year) is an illegal import that it wouldn't be registered at the vets and thus wouldn't have it's shots, we took him to the vets and she said regardless of whether the dog had it's shots or not that a bite like his requires antibiotics anyway because they get infected.

Tiger took his first 2 days worth of tablets easily. This morning he ate everything but the tablet, I carved out a piece of cheese and popped the tablet inside and he ate around it. I've hidden it in his evening meal and he's left it again. I'm going to try and get him to eat the tablet in a piece of chicken in a moment.

My questions are two-fold. Firstly, what does missing an antibiotic (or a days worth as it may well turn out to be) do during a course of them? Secondly, how on earth do I convince him to take it and why has this problem only just now occured? which, of course, makes it three questions. Argh.

CreamyShibaMom · August 2009

Stick it in something small, where he can't bite around it, like a small piece of cheese..basically something where he can just gulp it and not have the time to chew on the food and decide what's in his mouth.
We've been feeding spuds with her antibiotic and her claritin in blueberries. I ran out last night and this morning just smashed her food around it and quick gave it to her in between her regular feeding. Spuds is not food agressive so that helps. Don't play around with antibiotics, the body can build up a resistance (same with humans)>

miss_mallinson · August 2009

I'll try a smaller piece of cheese, if not I'll have to shop around for something easier to trick him with. Don't worry, we wont over medicate, we're pretty weird about over-using them with ourselves so the thought occurred for the dog, too

KFontaine04 · August 2009

Miso is a terrible pill taker.

I tilt his head up and open his mouth and pop the pill as far back as possible. then I hold his mouth closed with his nose up and rub his throat, it forces him the swallow the pill. He has dug pills out of the smallest pieces of cheese imaginable.

CreamyShibaMom · August 2009

oh, and I know this sounds crazy, but don't let him see you take the tablet that he's refused from his bowl and stick it in something else. That was my mistake with my old dog. With spuds, I always make sure she doesn't see what i'm putting in there, and it never gets put INTO her bowl of food so she doesn't have a chance to sniff it out as the "yucky" food.

tsukitsune · August 2009

I shove pills down the back of their throat, hold their snout closed (gently) and then do a small little blow on their nose (makes them swallow). Its the only way to ensure they've taken it.

Missing one dose of antibiotic isn't horrible, do not double up or anything. It is important to give it when suggest the same time of the day so a consistent level is in the bloodstream, and therefore doing its job.

abbodo · August 2009

I would guess that it took Tiger a couple days to figure out what that weird taste in his food was and how to avoid it. They are fairly expensive, but I like the Greenies pill pockets, which are soft cups that you can mold around a pill. I believe you can get them at pet stores, if not, many vet clinics sell them. They seem to be incredibly tasty, and they are really squishy which might make it harder to separate from the pill. With antibiotics the problem is more not giving/taking a full course and so leaving the resistant bacteria alive, which can make the infection harder to fight. But I wouldn't worry about one day.

xremii · August 2009

The pill pockets works wonder. But like Irene said, DON"T LET THEM SEE YOU PUT IT IN. Pong Pong is the worse pill taker and no matter how tasty the food is where we put the pill in, she eats around it and leaves you a nice clean pill. There was even one time where she went on a complete hunger strike (shocking I know) and refuse to eat anything. Then after that, she would sniff the food before she took it. Heh heh heh.. can't trick the trickster.

I use Jen's method for Jada and Pong now since it is the best way to make sure that they took the pill. It might be hard to hold down an Akita though.. but if you trust him not to take off your hand, I would do that. Also, give him a nice treat afterwards!

McYogi · August 2009

The old tried and true method for me at doggy daycare and with cats (aka the worst pill-takers ever created) was -as long as you were comfortable they weren't gonna take your hand off- grab their lower jaw right at the top of their neck and tilt their head back and with the other hand wrench their mouth open and put it at the back of their throat. The key is to keep their head back and mouth shut so they are sure to swallow it instead of try and hack it up. I think I'll also try the nose blowing thing next time, it sounds like a helpful addition to my method.

My silly dogs think that their pills are tasty treats, and gulp their huge, stinky fish oil pills like I was giving them filet mingon.

WrylyBrindle · August 2009

SInce we do a lot of "succession of tiny treats" reinforcements for duration of reward for behavioral stuff, I can use this for pills as well. Eat a no-pill treat, a pill treat and then - you know what;s coming! ANOTHER treat! so he doesnt dwell on each piece, and gets ready for the next piece. But as was said above- - TINY! also peanut butter hides pills well, but make as if you are giving him peanut butter on a cracker so he has the crunch of the cracker to disguise the pill somewhat

CreamyShibaMom · August 2009

funny story: the other day I couldn't get her antibiotic in her blueberry for some reason, so i was running late, i sandwiched them inbtwn 2 berries...so she ate them, i heard crunching, looked at me funny, and I though..noo..she didnt just cruch on the pill...she licked her nose, it was WHITE LOL...and i thought, oh shoot! Meanwhile she's still looking at me funny and i quick grabbed a few more blueberries to feed her plus a followup of more kibble and carrots. It was just kinda funny to see her cracked out nose ;-)

Calia · August 2009

I agree with what Jen says about blowing in the nose...Once they lick their nose, the pill is as good as swallowed

miss_mallinson · August 2009

Well, I tried my way (smaller food item with the pill inside, not being watched preparing the treat/pill) and it failed again. John decided to use the clicker, he clicked, fed (the click was for waiting for the kibble). He did this for a long time and then introduced the pill with more pieces of kibble. It took a while for Tiger to catch on but he's finally eating his pill without complaint. He was, however, concerned he'd "Broken Tiger" because he seemed to wait after to get clicked before eating all his kibble, which would take an age but I think it was just a little more confusion. Yay. John saves the day.

miss_mallinson · August 2009

Chrystal I realise this is your suggestion! I apologise, you take full credit

though I must say I didn't tell John cause I didn't read the thread before he'd done this haha.

WrylyBrindle · August 2009

No worries! We all discover the same things on our own when they make sense!

You go John!

I give Sage his daily pills in those pill pockets (except I smoosh them all in a big ball and rip off just the amount i need to make them last longer- I am cheap!) in his food dish, so he's already excited about eating and just mowing on the next bite, next, next. Keep him thinking about whats's next. they say dogs live in the current moment, but I think Sage lives in the Very NEXT Moment. If I just offer him the pill in the dough alone, he is too suspicious and will trot away. Same with the heartworm chewies till recently. "No Thanks!"

antibiotics

Comments