I don't know what kind of pill that is but for Ky's big antibiotic pills I got tired of trying to hide them because she always ate around them anyway. Now I open her mouth throw it to the back of her throat close her mouth and rub her throat. Viola! She swallows it instantly

 

I cut the pills in fours and just put them way in the back of the dogs mouths, tell them to swallow, and reward.

When they know a treat is coming they swallow quickly and readily.

 

We seriously stopped giving trifexis or comfortis because of this. It just wasn't worth to me to have to shove it down his throat. I know plenty of dogs don't have issues with it but Iorek can smell it no matter what. Our last adventure in trying to hide it was mashing it up, mixing it into fish wet food, and covering it in small bits of beef. Still wouldn't touch it. Curious to see what other responses you get, but in my experience... some dogs will just need it shoved down their throat if it's that important to you to not use a topical.

Edited to add,
Iorek has no issues with any other pill and frequently takes other pills dry. He must just smell something in the comfortis/trifexis

 

We seriously stopped giving trifexis or comfortis because of this. It just wasn't worth to me to have to shove it down his throat. I know plenty of dogs don't have issues with it but Iorek can smell it no matter what. Our last adventure in trying to hide it was mashing it up, mixing it into fish wet food, and covering it in small bits of beef. Still wouldn't touch it. Curious to see what other responses you get, but in my experience... some dogs will just need it shoved down their throat if it's that important to you to not use a topical.

Mixing it in wet food has always worked with Felix, I just need to make sure there is enough to hid the pill in or he will eat around it/ not touch it. Food always wins out in the end with this dog even when he watches me put the pill in the food. He'll look at if for a few seconds like he is debating "should I walk away from the food or eat it even though I know there is something in there that I don't want".

And it's not that not using topical is important to me, but we were using Revolution (My boyfriends aunt sent some to us from Nevada since their dog was in the same weight group), but no vet I have talked to in Florida sells Revolution. they told me it all got pulled off the shelves which sucks because he did great on it. So I ended up buying Frontline Plus and heart Guard from the humane society. Well either the frontline didn't work of he picked up a couple of fleas at the vet because when I took him in to get groomed he came home with 2 fleas on him (there is more of a story behind that one), but I didn't want to risk it not working so I purchased Trifexis (after finding out that they did not carry Revolution) from them. I still have almost all my doses of Frontline Plus and Heartguard so when this Trifexis runs out I might wait a bit before going and getting more, though it does not seem to have a negative affect on him. The only think I hate about topicals is that I never know if I got the majority of it on his skin or in his fur.

 

The only way I can get Bailey to take a pill is if I cut a knob of butter and put the tablet in the middle of it and she eats it no problem. Otherwise she just spits it out! Give it a go and see


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@Mirinde - that's a special dog you have. Mine won't take ANY pills without having them put to the back of their mouths. Even the itty bitty thyroid pills.

Back when we were giving Cosequin DS pills - those pills smelled GOOD to me (like roast beef). But Jacks would make a gaak face and spit them out.

 

I just throw it in his food bowl. He gobbles it up. If I forget to toss it in before breakfast, I cover it in peanut butter and smoosh it on a biscuit.


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thats exactly what i do. Chester gives me no problems when it comes to eating anything :

 

We do the same. Cut into four, cover with peanut butter, then mix it into his food. Works Every time.

Then again, I'm pretty sure he'd just chew it and enjoy it with nothing on it. He eats anything we give him.

 

If I recall correctly, Trifexis can be smashed up... then you can mix it with peanut butter.

Another alternative is Pill Pockets. They're like "Combos" but mushy, and without the center filling. You put the pill in, mush the opening closed so that the pill is completely enclosed. That way, the dog doesn't smell it. Then, you give him the treat, and the dog eats the entire thing.

 

Another alternative is Pill Pockets. They're like "Combos" but mushy, and without the center filling. You put the pill in, mush the opening closed so that the pill is completely enclosed. That way, the dog doesn't smell it. Then, you give him the treat, and the dog eats the entire thing.

I think I would have to break it up into pieces and put it in multiple pill pockets (and if I recall correctly they can get rather pricey) since the Trifexis pill is so big. And just simply smothering peanut butter on it won't work for him. I tried wrapping it in cheese, feeding it with hotdogs and one other thing (forget what it is now) before I finally ended up cutting it up and serving it with a whole can of wet dog food, even then he was temped not to eat it.

 

What about sticking it in a swallowable size of hot dog and have a second piece of hot dog ready as a chaser? I can get Bear to take his glucosamine and fish oil pills dry by immediately following them up with a pill in a hot dog.


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I slather it with peanutbutter. Hank swallows it whole then licks the spoon.

 

I have a hard time feeding Lucca with trifexis. I always cut the pill into 4 parts cos' the pill looks big. The first time he ate it. 2nd time i had to use peanut butter to cover for him to eat it. 3rd time he licked off the peanut butter and spat out the pill so I had to force feed him. From them on it's force feed every month for trifexis. But i reward him with gd treats after that.

I must say the pill stinks though. It's no wonder why he wouldn't take it.

 

I coat any pill in mayonnaise. Slides right down!
Best trick I've ever learned next to the peanut butter in the tub trick.

 

Trick for giving Trifexis

The first three months Sophie ate the Trifexis without even trying to disguise it. Then she wised up and avoided it like the plague. I tried all sorts of tricks to try to get her to take it...pill pocket, peanut butter, bread, cheese, crushing it and mixing it with rice, broth, etc. Nothing worked until...

I read another post on here that advised not getting the "smell" of the Trifexis on the outside of the food you are trying to hide it in. So, I made another attempt with the pill pockets, outlined below:

1. Took out four (yes four!) pill pockets and halved each of them.
2. Cut the Trifexis into fours, and placed each one on a piece of pill pocket, then washed hands.
3. Smooshed the halved pill pockets back together, then wrapped each one in a slice of lunch meat.
4. She ate all four pieces without a hitch!

I know this sounds tedious, but I would rather spend 5-10 minutes each month to give Trifexis than giving her heart worm tablet/shot AND doing topical for fleas. Especially since she has had no ill side effects with the Trifexis. Good luck!