When Your Dog or Cat Rejects Their Medication

Do you find it difficult to give your dog or cat medicine? If you find your pet’s medication on the floor instead of in their mouths, it may be time for other options. Your pet may need medications at one time or another during their lifetime. Whether it be medicines to treat an illness or injury, relieve pain, prevent infection, or manage a disease, knowing how to administer medication to your dog or cat is important. We have put together a few tips for giving your pets a pill that will make the process more pleasant for everyone involved.

Cutting, Splitting, and Crushing

Depending on the type of medication, splitting, cutting, or crushing can make pills easier to give or hide in food. Some tablets or caplets are scored with a visual marking which makes them easier to split. Using a Pill Cutter or Pill Splitter to slice medications is not only easier but also keeps the task clean and contained. It’s important to ask your pharmacist or veterinarian if your pet’s medication can be crushed, split, or mixed with food. Some medications may become less effective if they are altered or not given whole. Also, some medications require an empty stomach or are given before meals.

Hide The Pills

One of the most popular methods for giving pills is to hide them in human food or treats. This especially works well for pets who readily accept treats or have favorite foods. This hands-off approach creates less stressful for everyone involved. A variety of pill treats designed to hold medications.

Advita Critter Cups at VetRXDirectAdvita Critter Cups

Advita CritterCups are a tasty probiotic supplement and pill masking treat all in one!  Give CritterCups as a daily treat or to hide medications. They contain live probiotic cultures and prebiotics to support proper digestion and overall health in dogs and puppies.

Frenzies Pill Treats at VetRxDirectFrenzies Pill Treats

Turn your dog’s medication into a tasty snack with Frenzies Pill Treats. Frenzies Pill Treats hide most tablets and capsules in a chicken-flavored soft chew, making oral medications easier to give to your dog. These pill treats are wheat-free, BHA free, and made in the USA. 

Wonderbars Shapeable Treats at VetRxDirectWonderbars

Wonderbars are tasty, shapeable treats that can be molded around any pill medication. The Wonderbars have a low allergen formula and are made without corn gluten, wheat or soy. They contain no sodium and have low-calorie content to help meet dietary and weight concerns.

EZ-Med Pill Holes at VetRxDirectEZ-Med Pill Holes

EZ-Med Pill Holes are soft chew, pill pods that hide the odor and taste of capsules, tablets, or other pills. Dogs enjoy the hickory smoked flavor, and forget about the medication!

 

Camo Pill Masking Paste at VetRXDirectCamoPill

Camo Pill is a soft, easily-shaped paste that wraps
around any size pill or capsule. The bacon-flavored paste masks the smell and taste of medications and contains no wheat flour or corn syrup. Use Camo Pill for dogs or cats.

 

Some dogs and cats refuse to be tricked by medicated food or have finicky tastes. It is common for pets to spit out pills after eating medicated food or treats or just reject it completely. Dietary restrictions may also limit the use of treats or foods. If your pet falls in this category, there are still a few more options.

Pet Piller at VetRXDirectPet Piller, Pill Gun, or Pill Popper

These pill devices are designed to deliver capsules and tablets directly into your pet’s throat. The top holds the medication, and the other end has a plunger to push the pill into your pet’s mouth. Pet Pillers also help keep your hands farther away from the mouth to prevent possible bite injury.

 

Compounded Transdermal and Liquid Medications

Compounded medications offer an easier alternative for pets that hate taking pills, and for owners who hate giving them. To completely avoid the mouth, a compounded transdermal gel is applied to the skin and the medication absorbs into the bloodstream. A compounded oral suspension can be made in a variety of flavors including unflavored to help make them more appealing to your pet. Talk with your veterinarian and pharmacist to determine if your pet’s medication can be compounded. Learn more about compounded medications on our blog.

Change Your Technique

Dogs and cats constantly observe our actions and behavior and are quick to associate them with certain situations, especially negative ones. Additionally, our pets adapt quickly to daily routines. Stay positive and reward your pet after pill time with a favorite treat, toy, petting, or playtime. Ask your veterinarian or your clinic’s veterinary technician to show you methods to administer medications and how to handle your pet if they are difficult to handle. Proper restraint can make medications easier to give and reduce the risk of injury for both animal and owner.

Does your pet reject medication? Share your tips, tricks, and comments below!

Seasonal Allergies in Dogs and Cats

Some of the reasons we enjoy seasonal changes are also challenges for allergy sufferers. And just like us, dogs and cats can be allergic to substances, allergens, in the environment or airborne. When your dog or cat comes in contact with an allergen, the immune system releases histamine and the itching, swelling, and irritation begins. Dogs and cats usually come in contact with allergens by inhaling from the air or by direct contact with the skin. Reactions can be severe and occur immediately after exposure or be delayed. Allergies may come and go with the seasons, or persist throughout the year. Listed below are some of the common allergens and warning signs:

Common Allergens:

  • Fleas or flea bites
  • Pollens
  • Grasses, Weeds, Trees
  • Insect bites or stings
  • Molds
  • Mildew
  • Medications
  • Household Cleaners & Products

Here are some of the signs of allergies:

  • Scratching skin or ears
  • Licking & chewing of the paws
  • Rubbing the face & eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Shaking ears
  • Reoccurring ear infections
  • Red or inflamed skin
  • Coughing or wheezing

If the scratching becomes intense, your dog or cat may damage their skin while trying to relieve the sensation. As a result, this can leave the skin with open wounds, and vulnerable to infection and potential for hotspots. You may also notice hair loss, scabbing, and crusting due to excessive scratching, chewing, or rubbing. Because the symptoms of allergies are similar to other disorders, it’s important to speak with your veterinarian if you notice these behaviors. For example, persistent coughing and wheezing can be a warning sign of asthma in cats. In order to determine the source of the itching and, or rule out other skin problems, your veterinarian will need to examine your pet. This may also include allergy testing to determine the exact allergen your pet is sensitive to.

What Can I Do to Relieve My Pet’s Allergies?

Your veterinarian may prescribe an antihistamine or anti-inflammatory medication to help relieve your pet’s symptoms. They may also recommend bathing with a medicated shampoo to wash allergens away from the skin and reduce irritation.

Avoidance and prevention are key methods for controlling allergic reactions, but it may be difficult to completely avoid allergens, especially for pets adapted to the outdoor lifestyle. Making some changes to daily habits may also help managing exposure:

  • Provide a flea and tick preventative recommended by your veterinarian
  • Keep yards maintained and lawns trimmed to discourage insects and to manage pollen.
  • Change furnace filters and perform regular house cleaning to prevent the buildup of allergens in the home.
  • Consider an air purifier, which helps reduce airborne allergens including dust.
  • Regular bathing or spot cleaning helps remove allergens collected while outside. Once inside, wash or wipe down the paws and other skin areas that may be affected.

There are a variety of different treatments, medications, nutritional supplements and topical products designed to help control seasonal allergies. Talk with your veterinarian about the best product or solution that meets the needs of your dog or cat. VetRxDirect has a wide selection of allergy care products for both dogs and cats. We have included some of the most popular below.

 

Douxo Calm for Allergies at VetrXDirectDuoxo Calm

DUOXO Calm is a line of topical products that provide soothing relief of skin allergies in dogs or cats. The product line includes a shampoo, mousse, gel, and micro-emulsion spray. Duoxo Calm may reduce itching, inflammation, and may help restore the skin’s barrier function.

 

Dermoscent Atop 7 at VetRxDirectDermoscent Atop 7

Dermocent Atop 7 helps calm itching, irritated, dry, and allergic skin types in dogs and cats. Made with all natural ingredients, Atop 7 is ideal for relieving atopic dermatitis and allergies and comes in 4 convenient, soothing formulas: Shampoo, Mousse, Spray, and Hydra Cream.

 

Redonyl for Allergies at VetRXDirectRedonyl Ultra Soft Chews

Redonyl Ultra is a dietary supplement for dogs with allergic skin conditions. It contains ultra-micronized Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), beneficial essential fatty acids. PEA is a natural lipid that helps support the skin’s barrier and immune defense from allergens and irritants.

 

Atopica for Allergies at VetRxDirectAtopica

A prescription medication containing cyclosporine which suppresses the response of the immune system to allergens. Licking, biting, itching, odor, and hair loss can be the result of skin allergies caused by an overactive immune system.

 

Does your dog or cat have seasonal allergies? Leave us a comment below!