The big snip!

[lovemybaroo]

I finally got Baroo in to be neutered today, and we got a microchip while he was there too. They put the buster collar on him, but failed to mention how long I should keep it on. He was very stressed out all day because of it. He wouldn't lift his head and kept walking backwards and just looked really miserable, so I took it off. He wounldn't even sit down, even though I know he wanted to. I have been watching him very closely to make sure he isn't licking himself. So far he has only tried a couple times. He is so much happier though. I know I should leave it on because he really shouldn't lick himself, but it makes the whole ordeal so much worse, and he isn't really doing much of anything right now. He is in a lot of pain, even with the meds that I gave him, and he is whimpering and moaning and shaking. He sleeps most of the time and doesn't have any energy. I know this is normal for the first day or so, but I think as long as he is like that I will keep the collar off. When he gets a little more active and wants to lick then I guess I will have no choice but to put it back on, but for how long?
Also, giving him his medication was no picnic. He isn't interested in his food, so I rolled up this tiny half of a pill in a piece of lunch meat and gave him small bites. He got the one with the pill and spit about half of it out. I guess he really tasted it, because he looked like a kid who just took some cough syrup. It is so small, and I can't believe that he found it. I tried to put the rest in some peanut butter, but he still knew it was there and wouldn't eat it, so I had to smear it on the roof of his mouth to get it down. There has to be a better way to give him meds. Any suggestions?

[JazzysMom]

I'm sorry he's so miserable. Keoki FLEW out of the vet's office, and I don't think he ever did know he'd had surgery, LOL.

My dogs did not have the buster collars following their spay/neuter surgeries. {BTW, refusing the collars saved me $15/per}. There was never a problem with licking the site.

Maybe you can smash the pills and press the crumbs into a a piece of cheddar cheese? Or must they be given whole? Either way, cheese always works best for my dogs.

Good luck; poor little fella.

[Mia]

I agree with Jazzy, Mia although a female, didn't really lick her wound site, and if she did I just gently push her head away. The vet said they can lick it just a little bit, and it would help the healing process, but keep an eye on them so that he doesn't do it too vigoriously. The pills I just put them in a small block of cheese, she usually wolfs down the cheese without even chewing on it so I knew the pill would go down like butter lol. Not quite sure if you could try this methos, but with the new pup I had to give him meds and the vet told me to dissovle them in water and then use a syringe to fee it to them. Although I am not sure if all pills would dissolve. good luck and give him lots of TLC

[Ninabeana26]

I haven't had to give Dallas any pills yet but I know with my family dogs growing up cheese was always the way to do it! You can kind of form the cheese around the pill so they never really chew it they like swallow it whole, like a pill. Haha. Good luck!

[Duke]

Also a jar Gerber baby food, pureed meat works like a charm. I smash the pill on a paper plate with the back of a spoon, then mix in a tablespoon of the baby food, hold the plate for my dog and it's licked clean in an instant. I tried relentlessly before this trick with stuffing the pill in cheese, peanut butter - the pill always got spit out. They can smell and feel the pill. My mom gave me this tip - no more wasted time and pills.
Hope Baroo is feeling better today - tomorrow will be even better.

[Quercus]

@Duke:

Also a jar Gerber baby food, pureed meat works like a charm. I smash the pill on a paper plate with the back of a spoon, then mix in a tablespoon of the baby food, hold the plate for my dog and it's licked clean in an instant. I tried relentlessly before this trick with stuffing the pill in cheese, peanut butter - the pill always got spit out. They can smell and feel the pill. My mom gave me this tip - no more wasted time and pills.
Hope Baroo is feeling better today - tomorrow will be even better.

This is what I do also. Mine never take a pill if it is whole stuffed inside something…they always spit it out. Often, if it is a really bitter med, I have to resort to pilling them, because they just won't eat it in any kind of treat.

[wizard]

Yup, smashing the pills is the way I had to do things. Even if I used a big chunk of cheese - he'd know it and phit, out it came.

[agilebasenji]

I use cream cheese for pills. Never had a problem. Of course at my house, if you don't want your cream cheese. someone else will eat it

[tanza]

I usually have to resort to just shoving the pill down their throat… ggg.... especially when they are not feeling well and don't want to eat...
You might try some really smelly canned dog food...

And all of mine flew out of the Vets office too, spay or neuter...ggg.... and very rarely had much paid after the first evening... and sometimes not even then....

[jys1011]

I hope Baroo feels better soon!!!

[lovemybaroo]

Thanks, I will try the cheese, and if that doesn't work I will have to get crafty!

[tanza]

@lovemybaroo:

Thanks, I will try the cheese, and if that doesn't work I will have to get crafty!

It really is faster and easier to just shove the pill down his throat… ggg And because there will be times you will never get them to "eat" the pill and it is necessary for them to have them, that everyone should be able to do it....

[tanza]

And thank you for doing the responsible thing and neutering him… I think all of you, including him will be happier for it....

[lovemybaroo]

I tried the cheese, and it was not working either, so I just shoved it down there and that did the job! Although, I have to say, you would not know this dog just had surgery yesterday. He doesn't seem to be in any pain even without the pain meds. He is eating great, and even stealing food. He wants to play and jump around and even did the B500 a couple times through the house. I tried to stop him, but there was just no way! The vet told me to try to keep him calm and rested for as long as possible, and I kinda looked at her like you obviously don't know anything about basenjis do you? That is never gonna happen with my dog!
I hope it makes at least a small difference. I will have to wait and see. As for today he is the same old Baroo, surgery or not, it won't slow him down!

[jys1011]

That's great news!! Try giving him some massages…my crazy boy looooves these. Start from his neck & gently rub circles all the way down his spine. If he REALLY likes he'll get down on his side & then you massage his legs starting with the thighs gently rubbing those sore muscles

[tanza]

It will help the male"ness" but will not stop the "basenji" in him..ggg, if that makes sense….
And yes they bounce back pretty quick

[MacPack]

If a pill is bitter, I coat it with butter then put it in cream cheese. If the dog is getting suspicious, I put the cream cheese in some canned dog food (a rare treat) and give each dog a bite, then the pill covered with he dog food in round 2. Once they taste a bitter pill, they will never eat whatever the pill was in again!

Anne