Multiple Dogs, Medications and Pill Problems
Do you have a multi-dog household? If so, you will especially relate to meeting the needs of each dog, and challenges that arise from your dogs having behavioral issues. Talley is anxious and deals poorly with changes in her environment. Doobie was afraid of everything when rescued from a puppy mill and training is ongoing. Bridget is, well, determined to do what Bridget wants, a true escape artist, has pancreatitis, and throw in some separation distress for good measure. And yeah, neurotic. While there are many adventures and stories to share, it seemed timely, given recent events, to discuss medications and problems encountered in the dispensing.
How many of you turn into public enemy #1 when the pills come out? Dogs bolting, looking for hiding places? Sound familiar? Yup, nice isn’t it, when your dog runs away from you? This was not acceptable to me, and I had to find a way to convince Talley that taking pills was a happy happy event. Stepping up the appeal of the delivery vehicle is a logical first step. Many of my face book friends contributed remedies: cream cheese, peanut butter, and wrap in ham, pill pockets, and various others. Lately beef flavor Natural Balance food roll is appealing to Talley. You can easily form it into a ball around the pill. They can also easily eat around the pill and spit it out, as Talley did once, before I began making larger pill balls. Not stupid is she!
This step got Talley taking the pills, but still looking hunted. I often had to track her down where she had gone to ground in a favored closet cave. Pitiful, I know, and distressing for myself and my dog. She was slinking around believing at any next moment I might have a pill for her. She has not had a lifetime of taking meds, as Bridget has, with her pancreatitis and seizure disorder. Backtrack to Talley being an anxious dog not dealing well with change. Lately, bouts of colitis saw Talley on regular pill regimens for the first time in her life. In addition, her ears have been problematic, necessitating frequent cleaning and drops,(needed antibiotics) and a skin allergy requires a topical spray. Not to mention the anal glands needing expressed. She is not feeling the love! Oh, I forgot to mention blood work was just done for possible hypothyroid.
Well, moving on, I began to experiment with behaviors Talley had on board, those of jumping up to target a hand, and twirl (circle to right) on cue. She adores targeting and twirling; this is quite the happy happy routine I have used in the past with her. Both engaging in a cognitive task, plus positive association of pills with the happy happy routine changed the emotional response for Talley. We now engage in the happy happy before and after pill delivery, which has resulted in Talley entering the kitchen when she hears me rustling for the natural balance. Hand targeting ensues immediately. It makes me happy that she is happy; it kind of hurts when your dog runs away from you! I also do take care that we perform the happy happy during non-pill taking times, lest she associate those behaviors exclusively with medications.
I find it ironic that I left a job as a Certified Medication Assistant to train dogs full time, yet still begin every morning and end my days, dispensing meds to the dogs. This was great experience in that I am very comfortable with medications. Life experiences often have carry over I find, into new ventures. I feel fortunate to be a dog trainer with knowledge of medications, and have also been to see Dr. Karen Overall, for a seminar on canine pharmacology. Good luck to those of you giving meds routinely in a multi-dog household. Although I hope it all goes smoothly, I would love to hear about your challenges and solutions. Until next time, Leslie and the Look What I Can Do! Labs.
