Getting the dog to eat worming tablets - help needed...

[trando]

We have a 5 year old Jack Russell who will not eat worming tablets. The ones we use are bone shaped and 'flavoured' but even if we grind it up and mix it with chicken and rice he smells it and won't eat his lunch....

Anyone got any better suggestions? As you can see from the pic, he is looking sheepish...

[Piglet]

We give tablets in butter or in pate - pate can be pretty smelly so it hides most things.

The other advice I was given was to hold another piece of food in your hand so that the dog can see it, they tend to gulp down the first piece of food (pate with tables!) whilst focussing on the second bit in your hand.

[Superficial]

You could try wrapping it up in some meat whole and feeding it immediately but I'd be inclined to pop it straight down his throat by hand if he refuses food that has it ground in.

Easiest with two people, one person holds the dog and opens their mouth with their head tilted upwards. Other person drops tablet down throat and rubs throat to help it go down. Give a little treat afterwards.

[Fozziebear]

Chicken wrap, peanut butter, bacon all work

[gog440]

Cheese triangle with the tablet squished into the middle. By the time they have realised there is a tablet in they have swallowed it

[Munter]

A small ball of ice cream (pill in center), used to work with our dog as a kid.

[chrisga]

Is there a different make/type of worming tablet you could try, don't stick to the same one all the time perhaps? I may be wrong and no doubt someone will correct me, but if your regular vet only has one type, I'm sure you can try another vet just for worming tablets. Wouldn't have to re-register with a different vets I don't think, but I may have that completely wrong of course.

[trando]

Thanks all. Some great ideas there! Given the cost of these tablets (£4 each!!!) we need to find a solution that works as we have already wasted one... We love Freddie to bits but sometimes we think he's far too clever for his good!! The pâté idea sounds interesting...

We use Drontal worming tablets. Are there any other brands?? That's all we get from our vet...

[shambolic]

My dogs had no problem with normal worming tablets, but I had those wee bone ones last month and they wouldn't touch them no matter what I did.
I would try another type.

[bexVN]

Soft bread and marg (or peanut butter) molded around the tablet.

Or get your vets to do it and show you. We do it all the time for clients, for just the cost of the former.

I'm assuming you aren't able to just pop the tablet in the back of the mouth?

[Marcellus]

Cheese, the stronger the better!

We use milbermax (sp?) as the bone ones were impossible to get in.

[pikeyboy]

Big dollop of crunchy peanut butter works for mine. If you hide it in their dinner they eat around tablets and spit them out.

[Happy82]

Pretend to drop it on the floor, that is how I tricked our dog into wolfing it down

[trando]

bexVN said:

Soft bread and marg (or peanut butter) molded around the tablet

Happy82 said:

Pretend to drop it on the floor, that is how I tricked our dog into wolfing it down

Both worked brilliantly!

Thanks for everyone's contributions...

[madbadger]

We use banana. Cut into 6 pieces with a tablet in piece 2, 4. & 6.

Can also use the old Labrador tactic of sit, paw and she'll take them as a treat.

[bexVN]

[Turn7]

I use a small piece of cheese moulded around the tablet.

[welshjohn]

Shove it in his gob and rub his throat sound s cruel but it does work

[welshangel]

Make him some liver cake and add a generous amount of garlic to the mixture. Check out the link below for the recipe.

http://www.bdws.co.uk/2011/09/11/homemade-liver-ca...

Cut a piece off (treat sized) and put the tablet in the middle.

My dog loves it and it is what I used to train him as a pup :-)

[Morningside]

Turn7 said:

I use a small piece of cheese moulded around the tablet.

Else plan B always work.

welshjohn said:

Shove it in his gob and rub his throat sound s cruel but it does work