Hematoma

[BillGraves]

Well, My boy went in for surgery today for a lump on his left side that has been there for almost 1.5 months. I had him into the vet a couple times for it and she stuck needles in there and tried to get some samples but only came up with blood and some skin cells. She figured it was just a hematoma and thank goodness it was. He came home today and is very sore. Has two drains sewn in to help the rest of the blood drain out and he'll go back on Monday to have the drains removed. I tried clean around the sutures tonight and he just seems so sore. I know I have to keep it clean. He has a lampshade on his head and hopefully he'll get the hang of walking around the house with it on...he keeps running into things with it. I had to hand feed him because he just wouldn't eat out of his bowl (yes, I took the lampshade off before I tried to feed him )

One question I have is this. If he doesn't feel like swallowing, how do I get him to take his pain meds and his antibiotic? I opened his mouth and put it down his throat pretty far, but still spit it back up.

Thanks,
Bill

[jlp8cornell]

some of those meds taste pretty darn bad. I have a bunch of pill pockets samples that I use to wrap around them. Also, in a pinch rub the pills in butter- they slip down easily. Pill him right down the side of his mouth, over his tongue. If you don't push them down far enough, it's easy to spit the meds up. I find is easier to go right down the side, not the middle of the mouth.

Good luck!

[PrairieGoat]

I've haven't found anything dogs won't take if I coat it liberally in peanut butter...if your dog will eat food at all, I bet it will take them hidden in a small peanut butter sandwich....never met a dog, mouse, rat, chipmunk, groundsquirrel, or whatever that didn't like peanut butter (all but the first on this list to their demise)!

[slistoe]

We put the pill in a small piece of hot dog. If the dog chews without swallowing the pill we try wrapping the pill in a processed cheese slice in as small a ball as we can. If that doesn't work then I coat the pill with oil and use my finger to put it to the very back of his throat, hold the head up and mouth closed with fingers under the chin and stroke the throat to force swallowing.
We tried the peanut butter but found most dogs would just lick it off and leave the pill. Never tried it inside a piece of sandwich though - that might work well.

[wems2371]

I've had good success with hotdogs, and some of the best success when two dogs are standing next to each other. A little bit of perceived competition makes the hotdog disappear fast!

I also have a plastic pill syringe, that I bought from my vet, that has worked great over the years.

[mcbosco]

fold the pills in american cheese

[birddog1968]

Ive always just controlled the muzzle, drop pill in back of throat and push it down with my free thumb....hold mouth closed gently and rub their throat till the try to lick their lips.

My mother used to put the dogs pills in a small wad of butter.

[sully511]

Coating the pills with a little butter or something is the best way and just putting them down the hatch, my dogs always bite into it and make the situation even worse if I offer it as a treat. Also, around the drain openings you can put a little bit of vaseline, that will help keep the drainage from sticking to his skin. Don't get it in the drain hole, just around it.

[PrairieGoat]

We tried the peanut butter but found most dogs would just lick it off and leave the pill. Never tried it inside a piece of sandwich though - that might work well.

Try it in a quarter of a peanut butter sandwich sometime.....I've never had a dog that didn't chomp it once or twice and then down the hatch. If the pill is a large one, I'll break it into small pieces in the sandwich.....works every time....

[jcorcoran]

I am glad to hear he is doing well. About a month ago I noticed a huge lump on the side of my young brittany, right at the back of her rib cage. It just came up quickly out of nowhere and seemed to be getting bigger. A trip to the vet and a biopsy revealed some blood, fluid and lots of white blood cells. Luckily 10 days worth of antibiotics made it disappear. The vet said it was probably a big bruise as a result of some trauma. Not sure how that happened, but she was in heat at the time and was locked up in the kennel all day. Did your vet have any ideas why the hematoma wasn't absorbed and needed to be removed surgically?

Usually a tiny piece of hot dog or meat will work great for pills, but if the dog doesn't want to eat, just open his mouth and toss the pill way back in there, behind the tongue. Coating them with butter is a great idea, less likely to stick on the way down.

[Sprig]

man, i feel for ya on the hematoma, i have had to deal with that a few times over the years.

[Georgia Boy]

Not really sure where I learned this but it works. Take the pill and put it as far back in the throat as you can, close the muzzle, hold it shut and blow in their nose for a few seconds. Something about that makes them swallow.