I remember recently discussing how to give dogs and cats medicines somewhere on BOL but for the life of me I couldn't find the thread this am...probably because I'm one of those who doesn't really function till after 10:00am.

Anyway, I wanted to share that I stumbled across one of the best ways to give cats meds, especially things like the hairball stuff from the tube. You put it on their paw and they lick it off.

I remembered this yesterday when I was trying to force my little 5 lb, 14 yr old cat, Ice, to eat some whipped cream. She'd been lethargic for over 24 hrs. and at that weight, you can't let them go for long without liquids at least. She was fussing at my putting it on her lips so I put her down and she started to lick her paw reminding me that a vet had suggested the meds on paw long ago. Sure enough, she licked off a couple Tbls of whipped cream and is much more animated this morning due, at least in part, to the liquid and sugar in the cream.

Whew. I was worried about her yesterday. Today I'll go get her favorite canned food and entice her back on track eating too.

Truff - the paw trick is a good one! If she still doesn't want to eat, try putting down a dish of the water from canned tuna. My mom used to do that with her elderly cats when they didn't want to eat/drink. Beef broth sometimes worked, too - but you have to make sure to get the low sodium stuff.

Great idea, Truff.

We have to 'work' with our dogs to take pills. The vet suggested to give them medication in a piece of turkey hotdog. This works on all but the greyhound - we just put his in his food and it's gone instantaneously.

This is great info, Truff!!! My babies are getting older and I'm sure I'll be at this road soon enough.
Thanks!

this worked great on one cat

another cat just wiped her paw on the carpet.....couch.....bed....

I've also added water to the pets food to get them more fluids.

My cat is to the point that I give him subcutaneous fluids every few days to keep him feeling better. It isn't expensive and not hard to do, either, Truff. Some of you know that he's almost 18 and in the final stages of kidney failure...

Also, with cats, my vet had suggested putting stuff on his nose to get him to lick it off, too.

For dogs, I've used lots of tricks. One of them will just eat most pills with her food. Otherwise, canned dog food, baby food, mashed potatoes, liver sausage, cream cheese and ice cream have all worked at various times.

My dogs will eat anything wrapped in a piece of cheese or bread. They don't even slow don't long enough to figure out that something icky is hidden in it.

Ditto the cheese...woofed down without even chewing and so easy to do with the flat sandwich cheese.

Yep...my two will eat ANYTHING that is smashed into a Kraft American Cheese Single.

sometimes I will too.......if I've had enough to drink

Windy will pretty much just eat anything. I'm lucky it's that easy. For me, paw licking isn't something I want to encourage. We've worked hard on discouraging to lick her paws.. something she used to do obsessively. Now, she seems to only do it when she's anxious.

Careful with the paw trick. My vet advise that, too, but my cat Cleo (RIP, I miss you!) was too smart and just "flicked" her paw, spraying laxatone in an amazing 10 foot diameter sticky stinky mess all over my bedroom furniture, comforter, rug, floor, wall, etc. Argh! What a mess. I *NEVER* tried that again.

With hairball meds I always rub it on their nose and they lick it off. Our german chocolate shepherd (mix of shepherd and lab), Sugar, needs Benadryl from time to time. She won't take it with hot dog, bologna, or cheese...but if I take a small dog biscuit (or other treat) and hide the capsule in peanut butter, she'll wolf it right down.

Unless it involves copious amounts of peanut butter wrapped in cheese my dog knows the pill is in there!

With my cats, chicken or turkey flavored baby food always does the trick. I can hide liquid or powdered meds in there and they will eat it.

I knew I always wanted a Big Sis for a reason! Baby food is a great idea, especially for a geriatric cat. I'll have to try that next time. Mom gave her the tuna water someone here suggested earlier today. When I got home, she ate some teeny kibble dry food I got. I've got her favorite canned food to entice her with later too.

There is also a liquid product for cats that is like Ensure. It is dairy like so they generally will lap it up and has lots of vitamins, etc. Good for elderly cats who might not feel like chowing down.

I can't believe I forgot about the baby food! I used that for my ferrets when their teeth started going bad.