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After a year of problem-free dosing, all of a sudden I can't get my senior dog to take her pills no matter how I try. Any ideas beyond the obvious?

By obvious I mean I have tried all types of treats, pill pockets of all flavors, liver pate, peanut butter, steak, mashed potatoes, and on and on. She finds the pill every time, spits it out, and eats the treat I wrapped it in. If I crush the pills or dissolve them, or otherwise attempt to hide them (even one pill at a time) in her meals, she just walks away from her bowl and won't eat at all. There's no way to get it down her throat by hand. She bites hard and refuses that method. She has congestive heart failure and MUST have these meds. My vet doesn't have the answer. Can anyone suggest a fix for me?

4 Answers

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You might ask a vet if this medicine can be compounded, basically the pharmacy turning it into a delicious liquid that you can use a syringe to deliver directly to the back of her throat, past most of the taste buds (maybe worth a call to another vet just to get another opinion). http://www.pethealth101.com/howto/dogmedication.shtml

http://vet.tufts.edu/heartsmart/diet/... (the web page stated this link provides tips for administering meds. for this condition)

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I find that liver sausage works wonders! (some dogs are super picky though or will eat around the medicine) Give it a try though! (if you haven't already)

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Try crushing the pill and mixing it with a bit of stock or gravy.

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Try putting the medicine in some whipped cream cheese. This always works for me when dogs don't take it with peanut butter or anything else. Hope this works!