Giving a pill to your dog requires patience -- and maybe cheese

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Dr. Jim Berg | The Animal Doctor - The News Journal

I have a cocker spaniel named Pete and I'm having a problem that I hope you can help me with. I'm really having trouble giving him a pill, and I have some worming pills my vet gave me that I just can't get down. I first tried hiding the pill in his food bowl, but he ate all around it. Then I put it in some cheese, but he wouldn't eat it. I think he knew something was in the cheese.

If I try putting it in his mouth, he flings his head around and gets the pill out. He salivates terribly and makes a real mess. I don't want to hurt him or make him upset. I'm going to have to get another pill from my vet because it's all wet and mashed at this point.

Do you have any tricks to offer? How do you give a pill when you need to?

R.J., Wilmington

Your question brings to mind a humorous article titled something like "How to pill your cat." It listed 12 steps, and Step 1 was something like: "Perform a room-to-room to locate the cat, then drag the cat out from under the bed." Step 2: "Carefully peel the cat off the draperies after he has escaped from your arms." Step 3: "Walk calmly but swiftly to the bathroom, wipe the blood off your hands and fingers, and then apply first aid cream ..."

Giving a pill to a dog can be one of the more trying moments of dog ownership. It also helps to demonstrate a dog's keen sense of hearing when owners attempt to quietly close the medicine cabinet, pull out a pill, then tip-toe toward their dog. To many dogs, swallowing a pill ranks right up there with having their nails trimmed or visiting the vet.

When giving your dog a pill, it is often wise to enlist a friend's help. An extra pair of hands helps a lot.

At moments like these, many owners truly find out just how strong their dog is. People will sometimes plop their 8-pound poodle on the exam table and say "You try giving him a pill!" They then describe how even three adults working together couldn't do it.

If you have a small dog, try putting her on an elevated slippery surface, such as a washing machine or utility table. The height tends to intimidate some dogs, and the slippery surface prevents them from getting traction if they try to get away.

Sometimes wrapping your dog in a towel may help to restrain him.

Here's how I give a dog a pill: Assuming you are right-handed, grasp the upper jaw with your left hand right behind the dog's canine teeth (biggest ones) and gently push a small amount of the lip, which usually hangs down over the teeth, so that the lip protects your finger and so that if your dog decides to close his mouth, he will pinch part of his lip. Put the pill between your thumb and index finger of your right hand, and then use the middle finger of the right hand to gently pull down on the lower incisor teeth, thereby opening his mouth.

Now comes the tricky part. In one smooth but fluid motion (it takes practice), quickly place the pill in the back of his mouth over the hump in the tongue, then quickly close his mouth and hold it shut. If you don't put the pill back far enough, your dog is very likely to spit the pill out.

While you are holding your dog's mouth shut, your dog will most likely be looking at you with a disgusted look and not moving his mouth at all. It is at this point you must wait him out; watch carefully until you either see his throat move to signal that he's swallowed, or see the very tip of his tongue appear out the front of his mouth, again telling you that he's swallowed.

Be warned that some clever dogs will wait for minutes until you give up and let go, then spit the pill out; you must watch carefully for the first few seconds after letting go. If the pill does come out, it will usually be well-lubricated with saliva, so pick it back up and repeat the process.

Sometimes lubricating the pill beforehand may make the process easier; dry pills, especially capsules, may stick to the surface of the tongue. Try covering the pill with a small amount of butter; some dogs may even swallow the pill voluntarily with the butter on it. You can also try hiding the pill in a bit of tasty food, such as cheese, liverwurst, peanut butter, or hot dog.

This is when many owners truly discover just how keen their dog's sense of smell is. Sometimes giving him three pieces of cheese, one right after the other, with the last piece containing the pill may fool him.

At Animal Veterinary Center, we sometimes use a product called Flavor-Dough in which to hide the pill. We also have "pet pillers." They look something like a durable plastic pencil with a small rubber tip that can grasp a pill. When a button on the opposite end of the piller is pushed, it releases the pill; this allows placement of the pill in the back of the mouth without putting one's fingers in harm's way.

If you have a very tricky and very picky dog, you might need to have your pet's medication specially formulated at a compounding pharmacy. Such pharmacies can produce carefully dosed medicines in flavored pills or liquids that may appeal to your dog, such as chicken, beef, or liver (yum!).

Pilling a dog is a skill that takes determination and patience. When the pill finally goes down, pile on the praise for your dog and follow the kind words with an especially delicious treat. Maybe taking that pill wasn't so bad after all ... got any more?

Dr. Jim Berg is a veterinarian in Bear.