How to Get Your Dog to Swallow a Pill

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 Approved

With some dogs, getting them to take medicine is as easy as haphazardly putting it in cheese. For other dogs, it can be a bit more work. There are different ways you can get your dog to take his medication. Take time to figure out what works the best for you and your dog, so that administering his medication is as simple of a process as possible.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Hiding the Pill

1
Get food your dog really likes. You need to override your dog's distaste for his medicine by offering your dog something your dog finds irresistible. Make sure to choose foods that are healthy for your dog, like plain meat, cheese, peanut butter, or yogurt. Avoid junk foods like candy or chips.
- This works best if your dog swallows food quickly, without chewing.
- This works best with food in which the pill can be well enveloped such as wet dog food, so that the pill does not fall out.
- Using Pill Pockets or Flavor Doh available at your veterinarian sometimes works better than food.^{[1]
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- Before you administer the medication, ensure it can be taken with food to avoid detrimental side effects.
2
Hide the pill inside the food. There are different ways of doing this, depending on the kind of food you use. Generally, the goal is to fold the pill inside, or push it into the food, such that it is securely hidden. Try different ways of hiding the pill in the food to see what works best for your dog.
- Ground beef, turkey or chicken can be molded around the medication.
- Pills can be pushed inside a portion of hot dog.
- Softer cheeses can be easily re-shaped to encapsulate the medicine.
- If you're using peanut butter, grasp the pill with tweezers and dip it into the peanut butter. Get just enough on to make the pill enticing, without overdoing it.
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3
Give the food to your dog. This can take a few tries. Sometimes dogs are able to separate the medicine from the food in their mouths, and they will then spit it out. In this case, try again. If you are repeatedly unsuccessful, it may be necessary to try another method.
- You may want to try to wait until the dog is hungry, and then give two or three undoctored treats so that the dog gets a taste for them and looks for more. Then slip in the doctored treat, closely followed by another normal treat to get the taste out of his mouth.
- If you have more than one dog, try this when they are both present. Give food without medicine to the other dog first. Then attempt to give the medicine. The competition from the second dog can increase the chances of successfully getting your dog to take the bait.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Crushing the Pill

1
Crush the pill. This works only with medication that can be crushed. Many times it is possible to crush medicine up for your dog. However, some medicine should not be crushed because the contents may taste extremely bitter and cause the dog to leave the food or because the tablet is designed to be slow-released over 24 hours and crushing destroys this ability.
- Liquid medicine inside capsules can be removed by lancing the capsule and squeezing the medicine out.
- Don't crush pills that have a coating.
- Check the container or ask your vet to see if you can crush the pill.
2
Mix the medicine inside food the dog loves. Rice and beef make a good combination that is easy to digest. It is not recommended that you try this with dry dog food, as moisture will likely be required in order to hold the medicine and the food together.
3
Feed the food to your dog. Make sure that you don't give your dog too much, as unfinished medicated food means that your dog did not get his full dose of medicine. If you have other dogs, be sure that they do not eat the medicated food instead. Let the dog eat in a separate room if necessary.
4
Get a baby's vitamin syringe if medicated food is unappetizing to your dog. Take the pulverized pill and pour the powder into the syringe with water. Inject the water into the dog's mouth. Your dog won't like it, but he'll get most of it.^{[2]
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- Open your dog's mouth. It doesn't have to be very wide, just enough to insert the syringe.
- Insert the syringe near the back of the dog's mouth, so that you can squirt the medicine into the back of the dog's throat.
- Push the plunger on the syringe, and squirt the medicine out. By giving your dog medicine this way, you make it nearly impossible for your dog to spit it out.
- Give your pup a treat.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Pretending You Want the Pill

1
Get different foods your dog likes to eat. You will not feed all of them to your dog, so they can be foods you like too. Make a show of enjoying this food, so that you've really gotten your dog's attention.The key is to make your dog desire what you're eating.
2
Drop some food on the ground while you eat. This is not medicine, but a way to get your dog to expect good-old, no-medicine food. It will let his guard down. Your dog will take for granted that it wants to eat whatever falls.
3
Pretend not to notice that you dropped the food at first. Other times, quickly grab the food from the dog. In this way you establish a sense that your dog must act quickly in order to snatch the food. This will encourage your dog to try to eat what you drop, without thinking.
4
Drop the pill. This can be hidden in food, or just by itself. Try to quickly grab it from the dog, in an attempt to trick your dog into eating it. If your dog already expects it might lose the opportunity, you may not even have to try that hard.
5
Keep other dogs away. This process works best when there are no other dogs around. There is a risk that another dog might try to take the pill this way, and so it is important to isolate the dog you want to medicate. However, keeping another dog in view, but behind a gate, in a crate, or outside, can increase the medicated dog's excitement.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Pushing the Pill

1
Force your dog to gently swallow the pill. Do this if you cannot get your dog to take his medicine another way. This may feel a bit extreme to do, but in some cases it can be entirely necessary. Don't worry, you won't choke your dog. By taking your time, and by being gentle, this can be a simple, surefire way to get your dog to take his medicine.
2
Start opening his jaws from the back of the mouth with one hand. Then, use your second hand to lift from the roof of his mouth. Fold his lips over his teeth in order to help prevent your dog from biting. Go slow so as not to hurt your dog. Do not cover his nose.
3
Open your dog's mouth wide, and place the medicine inside. Try to put it as far back as possible. You want to maximize the possibility that your dog will swallow the pill. By placing it as far back as you comfortably can, you will increase the chance that this will happen. If you don't put it in far enough, the dog will spit it out.^{[3]
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4
Hold his mouth shut gently. Do this until your dog swallows. When a dog has swallowed can be difficult to perceive at first. Always check after, just to make sure the medicine is not still in your dog's mouth. It may seem tough, but hold a little bit to ensure your dog gets his medication.
- Blow gently on his nose to help aid this process.
- Rub your hand over the dog's throat after your dog swallows the pill to make sure that it goes down smoothly. This will stimulate his swallow reflex and your dog will have to swallow.
- Give your dog a drink of water after your dog swallows the pill to ensure that the pill doesn't get stuck in its throat, which may cause an ulcer.
- Be patient, calm but firm.
5
Give treats after your dog swallows. Use high value treats. Give lots of them before, and especially after. Your dog won't mind this experience as much if your dog gets a huge reward after. Make sure you take the time to do this, especially if you will have to give your dog pills often. If your dog learns that this will only be an unpleasant experience, it will be more difficult to work with your dog.

Warnings

Do not heat the pill or pill powder, as a chemical change or breakdown may occur, which would render the pill ineffective or even harmful.

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Check to see if the pill is supposed to be crushed before doing so. Some medications are not supposed to be crushed or broken.

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Do not attempt the pill push method if you have a flat-face dog, like a Pug. You may endanger his breathing. (Hiding the pill in some flaky tuna fish in your fingers works well!)

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If you choose to use the pill crush method, it is not recommended to mix the pill powder with a full serving of canned dog food, because if your dog does not finish his meal, there is a chance your dog may not get the full pill dosage your dog requires.

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Do not attempt the pill push method if you have long fingernails. You could cut the sensitive skin in your dog's mouth and throat.

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