How do you get small dogs to eat medicine and what helps with allergies?
I just adopted this little chihuahua out of a really horrible shelter, and he’s in really bad shape. He’s extremely skinny and seems to have a skin condition of some sort. The vet says its allergies, but underneath his arms his irritation seems to also be from the harness they made him wear 24/7. he has the rash on his neck as well. the vet said to give him fish oil [which he loves], and then benedryl to help with the itching. I didnt want to give him any benedryl, but he seems to be itchin up a storm [a snow storm lol], so i went out and bought some, but he wont take it. giving him only one half ata time of course, i tried putting it in bread, but he wasnt fooled. i tried crushing it up and putting it in bread…no dice. any ideas? hes kind of a picky eater =\
thanks for all your help guys! my vet told me to give cholo half of a 25 mg pill once a day until the fish oil starts doing its job and he’s not so itchy. im sure whatever they were feeding him in that shelter wasnt nearly as good as what im giving him now because his coat already seems to be looking better. he gladly ate my laced cheese treat, so thats for all the ideas. once he gets the hang of that, im sure i’ll have the move on to peanut butter ;] thanks all
[IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/iheartelle/cholocutie-1.jpg[/IMG]
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/iheartelle/cholocutie-1.jpg
Tagged with: Allergies • Dogs • Helps • Medicine • Small
Filed under: Skin Allergies in Dogs
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you might have better luck with the liquid and use a syringe to give it to him. did you try the flavored tablets? my little one likes the grape flavored benadryl. otherwise you will have to pill him.
Try a bit of cheese. I have an allergic dog and my friend has an allergic shih tzu. We both feed California Natural which is formulated for allergic dogs and high quality and it works really well. Also keep fleas under control with Frontline Plus or Advantage. Good luck with your little guy!
Most dogs like cheese. We give our dachshund benedryl wrapped in in a small piece of cheese she takes it with no problem.
Find a food he really likes, such as a piece of hot dog, or hamburger and feed him a few bites and then conceal the pill in another piece and he will never know, he will wolf it down liek the other stuff. Peanut butter works well for some dog, as does ice cream Figure out first what he likes – A LOT and then use it. The fish oil is GREAT and keep using it, it is natural and not a drug and helps with his coat and the itch. Benedryl is ok for a short amt of time, but not long term, but you probably right about the harness, let that heal up and then he hopefully wont itch as much. GOOD LUCK!
Your dog is just spoiled but, at least it isn’t as ugly as the ones on http://www.pets-at-play.com Now there are some real bad examples of dogs.
Growing up we had a dog that had to take “itchy pills” because she had extremely dry skin. We would wrap the pills in a bit of cheese and she had no idea she was taking a pill because she would gulp down the cheese treat.
Not all dogs are fooled by this, however. If your dog gets cheese regularly he/she won’t be fooled at all!
Try putting it in something he likes, cheese, peanutbutter, or you mught just kinda have to force it down his throat. i know it sounds mean, but he’ll thank u in the end. I work at Petland and sometimes those little puppies dont want anything to do with meds, in drop form or pill form….but it’s ion their better interest.
make sure you’re feeding a wheat free food. most dogs are allergic to the wheat/soy and other fillers found in commercial dog foods. instead of benadryl ask your vet about a cortisone shot. lasts about 30 days, but it may be enough time to get the itchys under control. otherwise, as he heals he’ll itch. the benadryl won’t really solve the problem, just gives temporary relief.
GOOD FOR YOU FOR RESCUING AND NOT ADDING TO THE PROBLEM.
Crush the pill up into a powder, in a spoon. Add a drop or two of water. Pull it into a syringe (without a needle!). Squirt it into the back of his mouth.
Vets help animals with allergies, random folks on Yahoo! Answers generally can’t.
Well first of all, it prob. is allergies, and in that case, find out what he’s allergic to. Give him a warm bath (just one) in luke warm water just to get anything yucky off his skin, and then feed him a lot, and thats pretty much it. Fish oil sound ..yucky. Get a second opion from another doctor, too. About his condition.
A good trick is to hide the Benedryl in a little bit of cheese or meat and see if he eats it. If he’s really stubborn and only wants the meat/cheese, you may just have to use a pill gun to administer the pill to him. Open his jaw with one hand and slip the pill down the side of his throat. Quickly shut his jaw, hold it shut as you massage his throat. Keep his jaw shut until you see him swallow (you’ll know he’s swallowed once his tongue sticks out of his mouth). Or, if you’re giving him liquid Benedryl, you may need to try using an oral syringe. (Same method as the pill gun). …Good luck!
HOPE hes happy now? try a hot dog get dog and cut end off and take most of center out put meds in side replace meat you took out and then see if the little fellow wont take his meds like a big boy.
The allergies— this one no one can really answer you have to have vet do tests to figure what the little guy is allergic to…
My dog is allergic to grass took me long enough to find out but now have a special poo i have to use also gets cortisone shots for itching.
Try putting a little peanut butter on it. That works with my dog. If he won’t take it, you’re going to have to make him take it by gently opening his mouth and placing the pill at the back of his throat. Then you can close his mouth quickly and gently rub your hands down his throat to help move the pill. For the long run, you need to solve the root of his allergy problem which is probably food allergies. There are several types of food on the market that are made especially for dogs with allergies. Wellness makes a food that is grain free called CORE. Try a grain free food with an uncommon protein source like venison, rabbit or duck.
Another thing I have recently tried with my dog, who has skin allergies, is a product called Pet Alive Skin and Coat Tonic from Native Remedies. It has really helped my dog’s skin tremendously.
Kim at: http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com/natural-pet.html
If cheese etc… doesn’t work – if you can get the meds to the back of his throat, close his mouth and give a quick blow of air up is nose he should swallow it. It’s a reflex… but only do this if your sure you won’t get nipped by your pooch! Then you’ll need meds too!
KUDOS ON ADOPTING FROM A SHELTER!!!
Hi Miss Holly- thanks for helping that little one and giving a new home to the Little Chi.
ok, the allergies and itching will not go away… You need to make some changes to diet.
Canine Caviar is a good food for little chi dogs. I have a chi names miss Priscilla… She likes innova – small bites.
Innova is a great holistic food. I would do innova small bites to 1 teaspoon of innova ( canned wet food) .
Chi dogs need to eat 3 times per day – very small amounts. So that they don’t get low blood sugar… ( hypoglycemia)
..
Also, I would also continue the salmon oil ( fish oil?) 1/2 tea spoon 1 x per day.
**give your chi a bath with a Oatmeal Shampoo and Or Tea Tree oil Shampoos… I have some here
http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( hit the e-store for the shampoos)
Also, a good supplement for skin – Here is my web site:
See photos of our Chi guest..( the Doggie Chalet Hotel)
http://www.apluspetcare.com/untitled4.html
I normally put my dogs meds in peanut butter or a small piece of a hot dog.
You will need to feed a premium food- my favorite is Wellness, but any all natural food is great to help skin conditions.
Benadryl does help with the allergies. You need to get an oatmeal based or medicated shampoo for your baby. Then get an ointment from a pet store to put on the itchy areas and that will help also. (If you don’t get a pet store cream you can get a hydrocortizone. aloe vera or vitamine E cream for humans and apply it to the irritated areas after you bath in the shampoo.)
Good luck with your new dog- I’m sure he’ll have a happy life . Don’t pay attention to the “a.hoffman54″ comment, she’s just a jerk!
Try a marshmallow. Actually, for a chihuahua, you can probably use a mini marshmallow. Wrap it around the pill and give it to him as a treat. Most dogs love marshmallows because they’re sweet. And it’s so sticky there’s no way he can eat around the pill; he’ll have to swallow it pill and all.
I have to use the liquid Benadryl. . . can’t easily get the pills down to the kind of dosage my vet says for a 10-lb dog, and she’s always suspicious of anything except for those apparently amazingly yummy heartworm “treats”. Shooting it in her mouth works really well if I’ve got a second person to hold everything but the mouth end of the dog for me. It gets me a wonderful “yuck!!!! look and lots of tongue-smacking sounds. . . but at least I know it’s in the system.
By the way. . . how much medicine are you trying to give this dog? I wouldn’t think a chi needs any more Benadryl than a min pin does, and I was told (which worked for the time I needed it) I think about 1 cc a day.