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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTricking a Senile Dog into Taking His Medicine
Lately, Donald J. Trump's apparent dementia seems to have worsened. His rallies and tweets are getting more and more bizarre. That has caused me to think about something I recently started doing.
Our aging beagle/basset mix, Dude, has doggy dementia now. His tail still wags as always, but he has gone deaf and is often off his feed. Our veterinarian suggested that we give him glucosamine and chondroitin for his arthritis and melatonin for his anxiety. The latter seems to come on late at night, when he comes in and wakes us up with vocalizations and requires calming.
However, he doesn't always eat his food predictably. The arthritis pill is huge, and hard to hide in his food, to make matters worse. I can give it to him in some braunschweiger, but that means crushing the large pill and trying to conceal it, which is a messy business that leaves me with smelly fingers.
So, this Saturday, on my weekly supermarket trip, I bought a container of chicken livers in the meat department. Then, on Sunday, I cooked them in some salted water and then sautéed them in butter. I had trimmed them carefully, and made sure to keep the pieces large enough to enable pill hiding. Into a quart Ziploc bag they went, once they had cooled. I confess that I munched some of the smaller pieces, which tasted very, very good. I'm rather fond of chicken livers.
This week, I have been cutting the huge pill into four quarters. I cut slits in four of the pieces of liver and then insert the pill quarters into the slit to hide them. A smaller piece of liver gets the small melatonin pill stuffed inside.
No matter how blasé the daffy dog is about his food, he cannot resist the smell of liver. I warm the pieces with a 15-second heating in the microwave to make them even more enticing. Now, at 4:30 PM, Dude is sitting in the living room, tail wagging eagerly as he awaits his drugged treat. Problem solved.
Perhaps we could offer the current resident of the White House some much-needed medication by stuffing it into pieces of liver, just as I do for my addled pup. I'm not sure what medication that would be, but am certain a physician could prescribe something.
albacore
(2,407 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,874 posts)Phoenix61
(17,019 posts)On a different note, I put my very old cat on CBD oil for his arthritis. Worked wonders and since its a liquid easy to give.
dawg day
(7,947 posts)He will eat everything but the crumbs of the crushed pill.
Fortunately he's pretty healthy, but every time he has to take meds, it's an ordeal, and I think he gets very little.
kimbutgar
(21,213 posts)Ans brought chicken liverS for our dog. Hed cook them for the dog and chopped them everyday. That spoiled dog rarely ate dog food. Lived to 17 years. Even when The dog got senile hed love those chicken livers.
Cirque du So-What
(25,989 posts)Microwaved chicken livers. Turnabout is fair play for the individual who nukes fish occasionally.
MineralMan
(146,336 posts)Nuke that for 30 seconds to warm it up and you'll clear the lunchroom soonest. A much stronger aroma.
Cirque du So-What
(25,989 posts)I can practically taste it.
Sucha NastyWoman
(2,754 posts)packman
(16,296 posts)May Duke have peaceful days ahead
sinkingfeeling
(51,477 posts)MilkBone makes a treat to hide pils. He couldn't be fooled my the pill covers my vet sold nor the other OTC brand, but he'd take the MilkBone ones.
MineralMan
(146,336 posts)That's why I've had to get more creative.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,110 posts)In hindsight, maybe they were hiding his meds in the Jelly Beans.
MuseRider
(34,130 posts)works too but a bit messy. I have been using that the last 2 days with our dear oldest dog (but not old enough) to get her to today. So much pain. It will be over in an hour or so. She has not eaten much but always took her pills when offered in Cheese Whiz.
Not a great post but that stuff really helped get those pills in her.
Gonna miss her like crazy. Heart broken.
Wicked Blue
(5,854 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,725 posts)consider_this
(2,203 posts)I keep some grated cheddar/jack type cheese in fridge, and when I want to give his numerous pills, just put a bit in my hand, then the pills and nestle the pills in there. hold it and warm in my hand for a few min and it is a nice little warm cheese ball that he gulps in one take. I'm sure your prep is much tastier for your guy, but if you ever need a lazy way, this seems to work. My guy is also deaf and mostly blind, but he smells this enough to relish getting it.
MineralMan
(146,336 posts)He used to, but not now.
consider_this
(2,203 posts)It's sad to watch these guys decline. Glad he owns such a loving caretaker! Be well!