Dr. Marty Becker
Universal uClick
Less than one in five pet owners are successful in giving medications to their pets as directed by their veterinarians. It's difficult to give medication to an animal who absolutely doesn't want it, so a lot of prescriptions end up in the cupboard (or on the floor) rather than in the pet.
Are you in the majority when it comes to pill problems? If so, read on.
When you let your pet sense that you're reluctant to give medication, and then you reward her for resisting by letting her off the hook, you actually are teaching her that medication is bad, scary or otherwise unpleasant -- and that she can get away with refusing to take it. And that means your pet is progressively less likely to get the medication she needs to get or stay well.
You can turn things around by admitting that you need help. You may just need a lesson in pilling your pet, or you might need another plan entirely.
Many pet lovers are unaware that there are alternatives to bad-tasting pills. Your veterinarian may be about to provide you with medications that are in meat-flavored tablets that seem like a munchy, not a medication. Many parasite-control and pain medications, and even antibiotics, are available in these tasty formulations. Or you may not have to give medication at all, as in the case of Convenia -- an antibiotic given as an injection at the veterinarian's that lasts up to two weeks.
If you're being given a medication that's not offered in a chewable or injectable form, you may find that a compounding pharmacy can help. These pharmacies mix medications into savory liquids or pastes that pets will lap up eagerly, or into transdermal medications that can be applied inside the ear. With any of these alternatives, your veterinarian will be able to help, so ask!
But even plain old pill-popping can be made easier. Most pet owners are familiar with tricks such as hiding a pill in a bit of meat or peanut butter, which works for many pets, but not all. I like to recommend Greenies Pill Pockets, which make it easy to stuff the pill into a yummy treat, or pill guns that pop the medication safely past the teeth, over the tongue and straight into your pet's throat. Both may be available from your veterinarian, or can be purchased from pet-supply retailers.
When you're hiding the pill, try using three treats to fool your pet. (Think of the street game of three shells and one ball.) The first bit of cheese or treat has no medication and is called "the promise." The second contains the medication and is called "the dead." The last treat also contains nothing and is called "the chaser." Work quickly and stay enthusiastic, and your pet will be more likely to stay in the game until the medication is swallowed.
Whatever you do, don't give up. If your pet doesn't get medication as prescribed, you're wasting money and risking your pet's health. Your veterinarian wants your pet to get the medication as often and as long as it's been recommended. If you can't do that, ask for help -- there's plenty of it out there.
Q&A
Nail trimming
better at home
Q: Our veterinarian retired and sold his practice to two young women. They seem to be good veterinarians, and they do love animals. But one thing that surprised us: They don't want to cut our dog's nails. -- via e-mail
Our old vet used to do that on request. I've never liked trimming nails, and all dogs hate it, so it seems better for the vet to do it. Our new vet says it's better for us to do it. Why? -- via e-mail
A: Dog owners hate trimming their pets' nails. So they put it off. And then they botch it, which means the dog pitches a fit, there's blood everywhere and there is no way on God's green earth they are ever going to do that again.
So they figure their veterinarian will do it. Once a year.
Every veterinarian has seen dogs with nails so long the dog can barely walk, or with dewclaws -- the nails that are the equivalent of a thumb in dogs, but up their leg and not very useful -- so long that they loop around and dig into the flesh. Ouch!
But here's the problem with dumping the problem on your veterinarian: Your dog will hate your veterinarian for the pain she or her staff has had to dole out. Since your veterinarian will have to cut way back to make you happy, that means she'll have to make your dog hurt and bleed. This is not a good way to build a positive relationship, and it may make your dog so vet-phobic over time that he'll be horribly stressed out when he really needs help.
A better solution: Learn to do nails at home after seeing it done by your veterinarian, a tech or a groomer, and do them often. Your dog won't be hurt, and your veterinarian won't become his enemy.
One exception to this rule: If your pet is scheduled for a procedure that requires anesthesia, such as a dental visit, your veterinarian may be OK with "quicking" the nails while your pet's unconscious. Your pet's paws will still hurt, but he won't blame the veterinarian or the techs for it. And once the quick recedes, you can keep them short more easily. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.
THE BUZZ
Children must be
watched with dogs
-- Children under the age of 5 left unattended with a dog have the highest chance of being bit. A study conducted by the University of Colorado, Denver looked at data of 537 dog-bite cases from 2003 to 2008. Children under 5 accounted for 68 percent of dog-bite cases, and most of the bites were by a familiar dog. About half the bites came from the family dog, 15 percent were a neighbor's dog, 13 percent were a friend's dog and 10 percent were from a relative's dog. In about half the attacks, the child provoked the bite, either by petting or playing with the dog too forcefully, surprising the animal, or falling or stepping on it.
-- While dog parks seem like they've been around forever, the idea of setting aside a public space for off-leash recreation is actually only about a generation old. The first official dog park opened in 1979 in Berkeley, Calif. The idea was a popular one, with more than a thousand dog parks now in use across the United States.
-- Livability.com has come out with another of those lists ranking cities for their pet-related amenities. The website says Portland, Ore., is the best place to have a pet, taking into account dog-friendly parks and trails, active animal welfare groups, high-quality veterinary care and a large number of pet supply stores. After Portland, the top cities are: Colorado Springs, Colo.; Rocky Mount, N.C.; Boulder, Colo.; Santa Cruz, Calif.; Eugene, Ore.; Asheville, N.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Louisville, Ky.
-- The shortage of veterinarians practicing large-animal medicine promises only to get worse. A survey conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that only 2 percent of graduating veterinary students in 2010 planned to enter practice with large, non-pet animals. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker
ABOUT PET CONNECTION
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.