As a dog owner, one of the most difficult things to do is to administer medication to your pet. It is unreasonable to expect a pet to stay calm when given unnatural or bitter tasting pills that force them to behave in a bizarre manner. It can be frustrating to say the least when your pet chews or completely refuses to eat pills that are coated in food. This article introduces a recent invention which addresses this very dilemma, the Greenies Pill Pockets for Dogs. These mouth-watering snacks turn pills into tasty treats for dogs, ensuring that they eat them without any hassle. This article shifts focus on the ease of administering medication without resorting to all the unnecessary stress which pet owners had to endure. Continue reading to learn about the working mechanism of the Greenies Pill Pockets and how they are proving to be revolutionary for medication.
What are pill pockets for dogs and how do they work?
Concept of pill pockets
A Pill pocket or a medication pouch is a designed treat with a space which allows the insertion of a pill or capsule and covers its scent. The pocket for the pill is secured by pinching the powder casing which is designed to suit the taste of canine. With the hatred of taking pills animating a level of stress to the owner and the dog, these treats allow the drugs to fitting in.
Why Pill Pockets Advantages For Administering Medications In Pets
One contribution of pill pockets that I really appreciate is the way they save time when having to deal with pets that need to be given medication. Pill pockets are just a treat for your pet which they love and would eat without any fuss. When a pill is inserted into a pocket treat, it is so soft and pleasant smelling that it attracts them, so that they can eat it easily without you having to force them to. There is no mess and stress, and pets in general, enjoy taking them which makes the entire process simple while saving time. Making use of medi pockets makes sure that pets won’t dry gagging or spit out while eating, or taste the entire mound of food again and again which consumes a lot of time, making the pill taking experience pleasant for them.
Benefits of Using Pill Pockets for Dogs
Pill pockets have been the most effective medication administration trick for my dog. I have come to appreciate how easy their application is. I can comfortably and safely conceal the pill inside because of this chewy texture and my dog consumes it without complaint. It is a good feeling knowing that my dog will not expel the pill from his mouth or refuse to take it at all. Besides, any time the pocket of the pill appears, my dog’s mouth starts watering due to its better taste. For me, it has been one of the easiest and dependable methods that ensures he adheres to the medication instructions.
How to choose the right pill pockets for your dog?
Sizability aspects in terms of capsules or tablets
This refers to the dobrio capsules that can be used with Pill Pockets. To avoid one side of the capsule or tablet sticking out, the dimensions of the pill pockets must be checked on the package because the size of the packaging is required to be related to the size and dimensions of the standard tablet and the capsule. It is practical and necessary to select the size which most easily conceals the medication and is comfortable for the dog to take.
Disentangling between hickory smoke and chicken flavors
Whether to use chicken or hickory smoke come down to the nature of the dog. For instance, while some dogs prefer the lowly pungent flavor of chicken, there are indeed those who would rather chew a hickory smoked bone. To see if this is the case, you can offer a small piece of a chicken flavored treats exposed with the pill and one with hickory smoke flavor, and see how eagerly the dog The advantage of this will be recurrent. Your dog will love the picking pocket and medication time would be carefree since it will offer times when the dog will actually want the pocket.
Effect of Pill Pockets Made From Natural Meat Treats
It’s hard to argue with my claiming that there’s a specific flavor my dog prefers among the varieties available in the market. For instance, I know my dog loves the taste of chicken, along with a lot of other hickory spices that I have never used as seasoning when I tried smoking meat. With complete attention on him, I start with treating him with a single piece of the pocket devoid of any medication and try to gauge which flavor he enjoys the most. It completely encompasses me when I realize that he likes something; in this case, his inaudible voice screams because of the excitement he shows while eating it. This allowance for his preference on which flavor he loves most has proven to be effective in elongating the ease of giving him his medication as well as his constant approval of consuming the pocket.
How to use pill pockets to give your dog medicine?
Step-by-step guide to using pill pockets
- From the wide range of pill pockets available, start with picking the one your dog likes the most.
- Insert the pill or capsule in the pocket and then slightly twist the pocket in the matrix to cover the medication and seal it tightly.
- The pill pocket has been sealed shut so now you can give it to your dog as a treat. Most dogs would willingly finish it without knowing there is a medicine inside.
Hiding pills ideas in homemade form
There are certain effective homemade strategies for hiding pills that can be employed. Start with using soft foods that your dog loves: a tiny piece of cheese, a slice of deli meat, or mashed sweet potato can easily be shaped around the pill . One more method is to blend the medicine with a spoonful of either wet dog food or yogurt so that the strong tastes cover up the bitter taste of the pill. If your dog is very nosy, you may want to offer him a few fake “offering” treats without the medicine first so that he gets lured to the real one later on. The idea is to ensure that the process looks normal and exciting for the pet. Hence, it may take time to figure out what works best for the dog by trying out different foods and techniques.
What are the alternatives to pill pockets for dogs?
Other pill treats and pill pouches
If your furry friend does not want a pill pocket, there are several other options that you can try. Many other brands manufacture pill pockets, which are pill pouches, and other types of medications with the scope to be tucked away. Some of these products come in flavors like chicken, peanut butter, or bacon, which are usually a hit among dogs. Make sure to evaluate the ingredients for any possible allergens and additives that may irritate the stomach of your dog. Alternatively, you can fabricate a pill pouch at home using soft food such as peanut butter, cream cheese, or some bread. Soft foods can be suitable for dogs’ digestion. Simply roll the pill with the food and give it to your dog. These alternatives can be as effective as pill pockets in regard to making the experience of swallowing the medication a pleasant one.
Using Cream Cheese, Dog Treats and Bread To Hide Pills
In my experience, using soft dog-approved foods are the best homemade pill hiders. For example, in my home we have peanut butter, which helps a lot because it’s sticky and my dog enjoys the taste. I am having to avoid using xylitol but that’s not a problem. Additionally, cream cheese is another option that works great, as it can easily be shaped around a pill making it quite hard to notice. At times, I will also have a small piece of bread or even a soft dog treat where I push the pill into, then shape it where the medication is out of sight. These home made techniques are cheap, easy and have been able to help me in making my dog take his medications without any complaints and in such a manner that, Am using ingredients which I believe my dog loves and I know he can bear with, all this gives me peace of mind.
Are there any side effects or risks associated with using pill pockets?
Allergies and sensitivities
Pill pockets are considered easy to use but there are several risks that need to be addressed especially if your known dog suffers from allergies and food intolerance. Some of the common ingredients added to the pill pocket product have wheat, soy or dairy that may lead to adverse reactions which can range from difficulty in breathing to itchy skin or even serious allergic reactions. Also, some brands contain artificial flavors or preservatives that may not be tolerated by dogs with sensitive stomachs. To avoid these concerns, check the ingredients on the package and call your doctor in case of queries regarding a certain item or product. In cases where dogs are known to have certain allergies or are intolerant to specific ingredients, it is better to use hypoallergenic products or try making the pocket at home instead. Whenever a new product is used, make sure to keep an eye out for unusual symptoms so you can report it in time to the veterinarian. This will help your pet to remain healthy.
Concerns regarding the caloric content and weight control
When incorporating new components into my dog’s diet, be it pill pockets or otherwise, I have always opted for caution. To those fearful of allergies or food sensitivities, I would suggest starting from small portions and monitoring for adverse reactions as follows: rashes or in some cases, vomiting. Reading the list of the ingredients has saved me a great deal – steering clear of fillers that I am sure would upset him, such as wheat and artificial substances, has been greatly beneficial. In cases where I was unsure, I have also depended on my vet so that I make the right choices. As for the dogs with such allergies, I have had great success with using salt free or even making my own homemade pill pockets. What has worked for me is being attuned to what my dog’s body language is telling me and this has helped for the most part in ensuring my dog is happy and healthy.
Reference sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are pill pockets for dogs?
A: Pill pockets for dogs are basically special treats that replace your dog’s treats with their pills. Pill pockets are soft, hollow treats that you can stuff the medicine of your pet inside so that you can give it to your dog without any problem.
Q: How do the pet owners serve medication in the form of a pill pocket to their dogs?
A: The concept of pill pockets is to supress the scent and taste of the medication. You simply place the pill inside the pocket, pinch the top close, and treat your pet out with it. Therefore, both you and your pet finds the whole exercise of giving out medicines more fun and easy.
Q: Which dog pill pocket flavor is the best?
A: Well chicken flavor is one of the most common but there are various dog pill pocket flavors available in the market. Some brands make them with real peanut butter which we all know dogs tend to go crazy after. Flavors are also quite useful to help out with the medicine taste.
Q: Are pill pockets safe for dogs?
A: Yes, most capsule pouches like the greenies are created with a focus of being able to be consumed by dogs whilst also being relatively healthy for the dogs. Thus they can be considered safe to be given to them.
Q: Can all pills be given to a dog in the same capsule pouch?
A: It’s interesting to know that dog owners seem to find it easier to give pills in the form of a capsule as it can approximately conceal the bitter taste certain tablets may have or the hard texture certain tablets have along with the size and shape, so yes most types of medications can be given but the right size of capsule to cover the medication must be selected.
Q: Can pill pockets be replaced with human food while giving medication to my dog?
A: Food meant for humans can serve as an avenue to camouflage your pet’s medicines, however, there are pill pockets available that serve that purpose, and in most cases they are a better option. They are designed to be nutritious for dogs and will often cause fewer problems with the digestive system than some human foods.
Q: How is a Dog Pill Pocket utilized?
A: Dog Pill Pocket is easy to use, place the pill or capsule in the center of the treat, pinch the top of the treat to close it and feed it to the dog. The treat is now good to go as it has become a wrapper around the dodged medicine which can be gulped down by the puppy without it tasting any medicine.
