Pills - Comparison: Dogs vs. Cats

[Lothiriel]

So. Today we gave the animals their worm medicine. The difference in the way they take it is mind blowing. It made for a very interesting morning...

We started with the dog, Ginger. Mom took a piece of bread, spread some bacon grease on it, stuck the first pill on, and folded it up. I took it and told Ginger, "Sit." She'd watched the whole thing in all excitement. So she sat like an angel. I gave her the bread and pill, and she wolfed it down like she was starving! The second pill disappeared the same way. And she wanted more. What an absolute angel...

Mittens the old cat was up next. Cats don't eat bread, but ours love bacon grease. So. We took the pill gun for cats, stuck the pill in the end, and slathered it with the grease. I sat in a chair with the cat on my lap, and we proceeded to shove the pill in. Well... It almost worked... Until Mittens spit it out, growling and grumpy. So I got a large bath towel and wrapped her up tight, and we tried again. Fail. Epic fail. Then my sister came in and we sent her to get me a leather glove from the glove box in the hallway. Mittens was very unhappy - ears flat back and I could fell how tense she was. We tried with the pill gun once more, and it failed again. Finally, I grabbed the pill in desperation and, with my leather glove, shoved it into her mouth. Immediately after I squeezed her mouth shut and forced her to swallow. She ended up biting her tongue or something because her mouth was all bloody. But finally it went in.

Rascal the tuxedo dude was last. We wrapped him up in the towel as well. He sniffed his pill with the bacon grease, licked it, and turned up his nose. So with my leather glove, I shoved it into his mouth while my sister (whose cat he is) held him tightly around the throat/head. He was easier than Mittens, but it took quite a bit of effort. He swallowed the pill with a giant gulp, and I released him from bondage.

That said, Ginger watched the entire process eagerly, hoping she'd get some more. Oh why can't cats take pills like dogs?

 

[onthespot]

Sometimes you can trick a cat into swallowing that pill with just a few drops of water. If you can tip their head up and drop it far back, or put it far back with the pill gun, then put a tiny bit of water in the back of their tongue and they most often will swallow hard. Good luck with the pills. Next dose, have someone handy with a camera, will you?

 

[Lothiriel]

Ya! The whole thing on video would have been priceless!

 

[Sword]

The way I give my cats their pills is I wrap the pill up in a paper towel, give it a few whacks with a spoon so that the pill turns into powder, and then mix the pill powder in with a spoonful of tuna. Works everytime!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
That's a good idea. I don't do pills with my cats, I enjoy my remaining 9 fingers.

I get the med in a script and have the local compounding pharmacist make it into a chicken flavored liquid. Then I can just squirt it into their mouths.

Imp

 

[dainerra]

"how to give a cat a pill" http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

 

[yinepu]

i use a pill pusher.. open their mouth.. press the plunger.. pill goes down.. works every time

 

[redhen]

I just pry open my cats mouth and shove the pill to the back of the throat and hold the mouth shut and rub the cats throat till they swallow.

And yeah, MY dog isnt easy like yours to give a pill to. I swear i have hidden them in everything, (from bread to cheese to bologna to liverworst)
She ALWAYS finds that pill with her tongue and spits it out. And of course still eats the treat...

 

[PotterWatch]

We used to have three cats who needed pills. We would crush them and mix them in some tuna. Never had any trouble except keeping them from eating their neighbor's dose!

 

[sgtmom52]

Quote:
We used to have the same problem giving our 14 year old Beagle pill (he gets one every morning for a liver problem) until we found Greenies Pill Pockets ~ they are GREAT!

No more fighting, begging or chasing pills across the floor ~ just put the pill inside the pocket, squeeze it shut and our Beagle thinks it is a wonderful treat! They make them for cats too!