Getting dog to take cough syrup--need ideas/help!

[Calvincrowe]

Sorry for the multiple threads here, but Wee Pom (he had no name/shelter dog, but we’re going with Tucker–he’s not so sure about it;)) is NOT thrilled with his 4 daily doses of cherry-flavored cough syrup. And, at $50/bottle, I’m reluctant to try a variety of methods to get it down him. Right now we are syringing it into his mouth, with moderate success.

How do you do it? He’s fairly food oriented, but since cherry isn’t really a dog-friendly flavor–what do you mix it with to get him to eat it up??

[RacetrackReject]

HHmm, my dog loves the cherry chewable benadryl…lol. He did not, however, love the liquid benadryl. For that, I had to suck it up in a syringe and shoot it in.

[Claddagh]

First, I’m so sorry to hear that your new boy has medical problems (saw your previous thread about him), but hopefully they can be treated/controlled so that he remains happy and playful.

I have found that a baby aspirator is perfect for getting liquids into a dog show really doesn’t want take said liquid.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OTK6JG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001B9SJX4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=175SZ472TF5M34FYRVAK

I’ve used these for meds and also for water/electrolytes when someone isn’t drinking enough when ill (also have used regular syringes for this but the bulb seems to be better, especially for small mouths since the end is soft and flexible.)

You can get them at just about any pharmacy.

Sending jingles that your boy does well and the meds do the trick for him.

[threedogpack]

mix it in with a small amount of stinky canned cat food?

[MunchingonHay]

When I had 40+ dogs at a boarding kennel get kennel cough it was easiest to just syringe it in. Less painful for everyone; you know he will get it, he will feel better, and you won’t waste money trying to figure out what combination catfood/dogfood/yummy treats it will take for the Wee Pom to get said meds down.

I think that cough stuff works better when it gets to “coat” on the way down anyway, that does not happen with food.

[Calvincrowe]

He ate his bubble gum flavored Clavamox mixed into a bit of wet food–Yay! one less thing to squirt down him.

I just wish I could syringe the cough stuff by myself…still a 2 person job. Since he has to be on it for life, essentially, I’m hoping I can find a better method or type of medication.

[bits619]

I’m not sure of the medication you’re using, but we’ve used liver flavored cough syrup from the vets every time with kennel cough. Not sure if that can help your situation but almost every dog we’ve had on it loooooves the liver flavor. We also have had another medication liver flavored from the vet, so I wonder if that flavoring by itself is something that can be found at your vet.

[Calvincrowe]

Bits–this is human cough syrup designed to stop his tracheal collapse coughing fits. Hydrocodone in it (wee! our Wee Pom is high as a kite!:lol:), so not from the vet sadly. If only it were cat food flavored…

[Simkie]

If he’s food oriented, you may be able to make things easier by giving him a yummy high value treat, dosing him with the nasty stuff, and giving him another yummy high value treat. I was able to get a CAT better about piling using this method, so I think it would work on a dog.

A curved tip syringe may make things easier, as I’d think it would get into the corner of his mouth a bit better, but your syrup might be a little thick. Could be worth a try, though.