Thursday, April 08, 2010

The Pill War

Trinket has been very healthy all his life, so we never learned his pill habit -- as in, how difficult it is to make him take pills. We know he's a picky eater, even has to sniff test his water every morning, as if from day to day the filter might just change a bit, well I guess that could be true. When he was a baby I used to hand feed him kibbles, or give him table food when he refused his meals. He's our first born, what can I say.

Last week Dr. Larsen prescribed couple of meds for Trinket -- Enacard for the heart, twice a day, and Torbutrol for breathing, as needed. That's at least two meds a day. First we did fine with cheese, good Provolone cheese. Did that for four days until Trinket turned his nose at it -- too strong, I'm a little dog after all. We ran out and bought pill pockets, which worked magic for Bucky. Did that for another four days, until Trinket started spitting the little balled up pocket out, no like it, want real food, this is for dogs.

Trinket's Dad is a big guy at six foot four, I mean he's A LOT bigger than the little dog. When Trinket gets nasty about things like taking pills and I don't feel like fighting those sparkly little canines, we bring out the big gun. Trinket and Dad settled on a pill routine something like this:

1. Dad brings out a pack of deli meat and offer Trinket a little piece.
2. Trinket: Yum, turkey, good stuff. Can I have more?
3. Dad gives Trinket another piece.
4. More?
5. Dad quickly wraps the pill in a piece of turkey, before Trinket figures out what's going on.
6. Trinket happily eats it.

Stay tuned.

5 comments:

Bill said...

Well, you didn't mention the part about how I had tried another strategy before baiting him. The failed strategy went like this:

Me: I'm the boss. Eat! (point at pill pocket)
Dog: Let me try it then. Ooh no way. (spits out)
Me: You must eat! No games!
Dog: Since you put it that way, I'll give it another try.

Dog takes in pill pocket and holds it in his mouth a bit longer before spitting back up.

Me: Ah!
Dog: But that's the best I can do for now Pop.

Marjie said...

Thor loves peanut butter so much he'll take any pills with it. Good luck winning the pill battle.

Lapdog Creations said...

Glad you found a way to make the pill thing work! :) Cheese and peanut butter have been good uses here... also hamburger.

Lynn said...

What a dog would do for some people food!! LOL Glad that you can get him to take his meds. I had a cat that would half swallow a pill and then cough it back up! Blech!

Rose said...

Sounds like a plan. I hope it keeps working for you.