Clever ideas can help the pet medicine go down more easily.
With good preventative care and a high-quality diet, most pets will stay healthy for most of their lives. But at some point in your pet’s lifetime you may need to give pills or liquid medication to treat an illness or chronic disease.
Most pets will not easily swallow a pill or liquid just because it’s good for them. And shoving a pill down a dog or cat’s throat can be stressful for both pet and owner, not to mention the dangers of doggy or kitty clamping down on the fingers that hold the pill.
Having an arsenal of ways to get your pet to take pills and liquid medication can save both you and your four-legged friend from the anxiety that often accompanies “medicine time.”
Please contribute your own ideas along with photos if possible. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas, tips and recipes that (sing it with me) help the pet medicine go down.
Recipes that help the pet medicine go down
Capsule Pocket Treats
Here is a simple recipe to make your own capsule pocket treats at home with top quality ingredients.
For dogs, mix ½ cup of organic canned pumpkin, ½ cup of organic unsalted peanut butter and ¼ cup of organic goat milk in a mixer until all ingredients are blended well.
If you are making capsule treats for cats you can substitute the peanut butter with shredded, canned chicken or tuna. Just be sure to use chicken or tuna that has not been stored in oil and has not been seasoned with salt or other flavorings.
Turn the mixer on low and slowly add in two cups of organic steel cut oats until all of the ingredients are mixed well.
Use a melon baller or tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and roll it into balls. Roll the balls in steel cut oats to coat the outside and place them on a large platter covered with wax paper. Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm them up.
You now have a pliable, organic, healthy treat to hide capsules in! Since these treats do not have any preservatives and contain goat’s milk, be sure to keep them in the freezer and only thaw out as many as you will use in 2-3 days.
Meatball Med-balls for Liquid Medication
Giving liquid medication to pets can be more challenging than capsules. Try this homemade recipe to give your dog or cat liquid medication.
Mix one pound of ground grass-fed beef or free-range chicken, one cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and one free-range egg in a bowl.
Once the ingredient are blended well, use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and roll into balls. Now insert your little finger into the center of each meatball forming a hole into which the medicine dropper can later be inserted to deposit the medicine.
Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°F. When the meatballs are done, let them cool completely then store them in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer until you need them.
Draw the liquid medication into the dropper and then squeeze it into the middle of the meatball. The medication should now be hidden inside a tasty meatball.
Tips that help the pet medicine go down
- The best time to give a pill or liquid medication to a pet is just before its regular feeding time, whether AM or PM. A little hunger can help the pet medicine go down.
- Try out all medication delivery treats on your pet before inserting the medication. You don’t want to waste the medicine and find out that your dog or cat doesn’t like the treat. If your pet does like the treats, give him several without any medication over the course of a few days so he learns to like the treat.
- When giving medication, give one treat without, followed by one treat with medication, then finishing with another treat without medication. Even if your dog or cat can taste the medication, he’ll learn that not every treat has it, and hopefully he’ll continue to eat the treats.
- How to Give a Stubborn Dog or Cat a Pill
Got a Quick Tip, Clever Trick, Tasty Recipe?
Do you have an idea to help the pet medicine go down? Share it in the comments below!