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My Pet World: New tactics could make taking pills fun for your pet

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on

Q: I read your recent column on pilling cats. What I need to know is how to give pills to my stubborn dog, who spits them out. I've tried rolling a pill inside peanut butter and lunch meat, to no avail. Is there a secret trick? -- D.N., Anchorage, AK

A: Cats often seem like magicians, able to determine if there's a pill within a mile of their food bowl, and dogs can be pretty adept, too.

First, stop hiding pills inside peanut butter or lunchmeat. The problem is, your dog is on to you. She's figured out that where there's peanut butter or lunch meat, there's likely to be a bitter-tasting pill. Substitute another treat. You have lots of options, including liverwurst, baby food, cheese, or tasty Pill Pockets. Check with your vet on the best choice.

If you want to try liverwurst, for example, start on a day when you have some time. Early in the morning, roll the liverwurst into three little balls. Make a big deal of this, then as you hand each ball to your dog, say something like, "Here's your special treat!"

Now, repeat the same process two more times. The final time around, roll FOUR little liverwurst balls. Inside the third ball, hide the dog's pill. By now, your dog will be conditioned to know that liverwurst balls are wonderful.

Start again by saying, "Here's your special treat!" so your dog is excited about what's about to happen. Confidently, pop her the first three balls and hold the fourth at her nose, ready to go. For dogs, smell overtakes taste. Be smooth, confident, upbeat and quick - and this "secret" trick will work.

 

(By the way, if you do use lunchmeat or peanut butter to entice your dog, low salt is preferred.)

Another solution might be to simply buy moist dog food and hide your dog's pills in that. "Hoover dogs" who inhale their food may never realize there's a nasty pill there.

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Q: I saw a TV segment recently about over-vaccinating pets. This may be a genuine problem, according to my veterinarian. She wasn't sure if my dog really needed the vaccine for leptospirosis. Living in Chicago, my pet hangs out at dog parks and I take her for walks. Based on that TV segment, it may make sense not to vaccinate. Do you think I should skip the leptospirosis vaccine? -- C.L., Chicago, IL

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