After 20-plus years of dog ownership, I think I have just met my Waterloo.
I've been popping pills down canine throats for the better part of that 20 years, but all of a sudden I can't get tablets down Haifisch anymore.
(Heck, even bite-first-ask-questions-later Psychocollie was a doodle compared to this little guy.)
The problem is that Haifish is going through a phase (we hope) of anorexia, and consequently is refusing to take tablets wrapped in food - something he has done readily for years. So I need to do the old 'pry-open-mouth, stuff-pill-down-back-of throat, hold-mouth-closed, stroke-throat' routine. A routine I've done successfully with a whole covey of canines much larger and far more toothful than Haifish.
But usually placid Haifish, doG love him, has quite the chomp reflex when his mouth is pried open. He may only have 4 teeth, but those back molars are mightly sharp, and the pound-force per square inch the little critter is capable of is unbelievable. I still have all my fingers after a week of this, but only just...
Any way, the point of my post - have any of you used a pill dispenser like the one shown here, and if so does it do the job? Anyone know where to find such a thing in Switzerland, or even what the correct German name would be?
Not at all the same but thought I'd share this. I have had a lot of experience getting medication down horses throats, and for the difficult ones that wouldn't eat it mixed with feed, we had to use this like plunger appartus, similar to your photo but much larger and made of steel. Essentially a hollow tube that allows you to drop the tablet it, keep it in their mouth without biting through it, and raise their mouth so that it drops in at the back of the tongue, it worked. Perhaps a simple tube, wide enoough and solid enough to protect a bite, might work with a dog.
We found one at Qualipet. It works better than anything else we have tried. I think it was CHF 5. The only problem we have had is that small pills don't stay in the tip very well so they sometimes fall out before you get it into the dogs mouth. Also, we have found coating the pill in a bit of bacon grease or peanut butter helps it slide right down.