Is your dog a picky pill popper? Here are some tips to get them to take their meds

One thing that unites dog owners is the challenge of getting them to take pills.

My dog — an adorable collie named Minka — recently tore her right rear CCL, the equivalent of a human tearing their ACL. It’s an injury I had never heard of until I started mentioning it to other dog owners. If it’s like a human ACL, I can only assume it’s extremely painful.

Before and after surgery has involved a lot of pills. Minka, however, seems to enjoy pain and suffering, like a tragic character in a Russian novel. Sometimes, she refuses to take the pills, even sniffing them out of a pill pocket, the popular dog treats designed to hide medication.

Once I brought the problem up, every dog owner I knew had a different method to get dogs to take medicine.

Whether the issue is chronic or a temporary fix, every dog will need to take medication at some point. Sometimes you get lucky and that medication will be a treat-like chewable. Sometimes it’s an actual pill and the game of “hide the medicine” is on.

In an ideal world, we could explain why they need the pills and our dogs would nod soberly and take them. Since science is not there yet, sometimes we have to be sneaky. Remember your attitude when you’re giving your dog medications. You’ve prepped it with something special, and it’s a fun and exciting treat. Most of our dogs will be excited if we are excited. Keep in mind any dietary restrictions your dog may have, and always check with your vet if you aren’t sure about something.

It’s best to arm yourself with a lot of options, because you never know for sure what will work with your pet. Here are some ideas to get you started:

▪ Pill pockets. There are several brands of pill pockets on the market that can be an easy go-to. They are available in most pet supply sections and probably at your vet when you’re picking up the medication. Pill pockets have a Play-Doh-like texture, so you can stick the pill in the middle and cover it up. Hopefully your dog thinks they’re getting an awesome treat and gobbles it right up. But maybe your dog hits that pill and thinks it has a devil-filled center. They chew the treat right off the pill and it lands on the carpet. You’ll need to try something else.

▪ Flavored cream cheese. It’s easy to bury a pill in and hard for the dog to lick off a pill. If your dog will swallow it down without chewing, you are a winner.

▪ American cheese. I’m talking about processed cheese slices here. With a processed cheese slice, you’re going to have the same ability to mold the cheese around the pill. Most dogs can’t resist a little people-food snack. But maybe your dog needs to stay away from dairy or is a cheese snob. Also some medications are not to be taken with dairy. Try again.

▪ Hot dogs. Cut into pieces and put the pill in one piece. Try feeding your dog an all hot dog piece, and then the one with the pill. Follow up with another plain piece. Your pup is going to think it’s the best day ever. What pill?

▪ Crunchy peanut butter. Was that a peanut crunch or a pill? Who cares! Most dogs love peanut butter and they will be so grateful to you for the chance to snack on it. If you opt for this route, please make sure your peanut butter does not contain the sweetener xylitol or chocolate. Both can be dangerous for your pet.

▪ Bananas. The soft texture of a banana will also be an easy way to sneak a pill in. A bit of banana for the dog, a bit of banana for you. It’s a win-win. Plus, potassium bonus.

▪ Pumpkin puree. There are people on the dog show circuit that swear by pumpkin puree for digestive issues. I am a believer. A bit of pumpkin added to your dog’s diet can help with either constipation or diarrhea. It’s magic. Plus the dogs seem to think the taste is amazing. Put a couple tablespoons in their bowl with the pill buried. Pill taken and tummy troubles solved. Of course, check to make sure that it’s pure pumpkin puree and not pie filling. But maybe your dog isn’t into gourds?

▪ Wet food. If your dog regularly eats wet food, maybe you can just sneak it in. If they don’t, maybe a little scoop of wet food with a pill buried in it will seem like an extra-special dining experience.

▪ Specialty pills. If you’ve got a really tough patient on your hands, Dr. Cameron Collins at East Sacramento Veterinary Center says, “There are many compounding pharmacies nowadays that will actually make the dog’s medicine into a tasty treat or flavored liquid, so that it is easier to administer. Just ask your vet if this would be a feasible option for your pet’s medication.”

This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 11:14 AM.