Doggish Discontent
Nov. 4th, 2006 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowMurphy's dental work yesterday will take a fair bit of healing; he was clearly groggy and uncomfortable on the trip home. The vet gave me no less than four pills he has to receive once or twice a day for the next couple of weeks. This morning, therefore, was a bit of an adventure. First, I wrapped the pills in butter - my usual trick - but he refused it. The next-best option was the direct approach: I stuffed one of the pills into his mouth. He immediately spat it out. I picked it up and put it back in; he swallowed and walked away... and spat it out. Once more: I held his muzzle shut and rubbed his throat until he swallowed, then followed him around for a while to make sure he hadn't faked me out again.
That was the first pill.
The other three went more smoothly, as I went immediately to the muzzle-and-throat approach.
About five minutes later, I found the remains of the last two pills, welded together with saliva, on the rug. I washed them off and tried again, this time successfully. I think.
The vet has also instructed me to give Murphy nothing but soft food - almost gruel, she said - for the next couple of weeks. She gave me a couple of cans of food to tide him over until I can get to the store. The procedure I've adopted is to scoop a big forkful of food into his bowl, chop it up fine with fork and knife, add some water, and mash it up. He just laps it up, not even having to chew. (For this evening's dosing, I just dropped the pills in with the food, and he absorbed them without complaint.)
The problem is that I can't give him treats, or share my food with him - and if not with him, then in the interests of fairness not with Ben either. (Fairness, and the prevention of fights...) I don't think either dog is very happy with me at the moment, although Murphy looks much more chipper than he did last night.
That was the first pill.
The other three went more smoothly, as I went immediately to the muzzle-and-throat approach.
About five minutes later, I found the remains of the last two pills, welded together with saliva, on the rug. I washed them off and tried again, this time successfully. I think.
The vet has also instructed me to give Murphy nothing but soft food - almost gruel, she said - for the next couple of weeks. She gave me a couple of cans of food to tide him over until I can get to the store. The procedure I've adopted is to scoop a big forkful of food into his bowl, chop it up fine with fork and knife, add some water, and mash it up. He just laps it up, not even having to chew. (For this evening's dosing, I just dropped the pills in with the food, and he absorbed them without complaint.)
The problem is that I can't give him treats, or share my food with him - and if not with him, then in the interests of fairness not with Ben either. (Fairness, and the prevention of fights...) I don't think either dog is very happy with me at the moment, although Murphy looks much more chipper than he did last night.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-11-05 01:54 am (UTC)