I feel like a bad mommy

[Barbie]

Hercules won't take his pain meds, but he knows he won't get fed until he takes them. I feel like I've just tortured him because I fed Zeus and Hercules laid on the floor watching ... and drooling. I've tried over 15 times to get him to take his pills, but he won't do it. He's so good about taking his cancer treatment meds, but not the pain meds - I guess because they're tabs and not capsules like the other meds. He's whined four times for his dinner, and I keep grabbing the pill pocket and offering it to him, but he just snares at me - yah, teeth and all. So, I'm just sitting here ... waiting for him to let me know when he's ready to take that one lousy pill pocket. I know he must be starving right now, but if I give in, I'm afraid he'll stop taking his cancer meds also. It just breaks my heart that my baby is hungry and feel like I'm a bad mommy for not feeding him.

[Roy Henderson]

a lot of good ideas here, basicly put it inside of any food he likes...like a hot dog etc... you can even crush it into a powder and mix it with something. I know they sell empty capsules for meds too but I have no idea how you fill them...good luck.

[Barbie]

Awe, thank you, Laurie. HUGS!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Barbie, This is a lot to deal with for anyone. Your dogs know you love them. Sometimes, crying helps get the bad out and then we can start over again. I hope Hercules gets better, but if that doesn't happen, it sure sounds like he is with someone that loves him a whole bunch and sometimes that is all we can do. Good luck to all of you!

[Barbie]

Thank you all so much for your help and sweet cheer-me-ups. It’s nice to know that someone actually cares. I really needed that. You guys are awesome! I guess the stress has gotten to me lately. I don’t know. Two days ago, I replaced some floor tile in my kitchen, sat down to sort through lawn mower parts I’d ordered online, then just started crying. I thought, “What’s wrong with me?” I just let the tears roll, trying to figure out why it was happening. Then I wiped my face and was all cheerful again, continuing with my chores and laughing at Zeus while he humped his bear. Am I just a freak? I’m on break from school right now, so I hope my basket-case crisis is over when I start back next week. I wonder if it’s my hormones. I’m at the age that the perimenopause fairy tends to whack women on the head with her wicked wand. If that’s the case, does anyone know of an herbal supplement that might help?

 

It just broke my heart last night when Hercules kept coming to me with his sad face and whining for food, and I wouldn’t feed him. Then I started thinking that if he died right then, he’d leave this world feeling I don’t love him or that the new puppy is more special to me than him. That really tore me up. I took him to PetsMart today for a bath. When they asked if I wanted him trimmed, I replied, “What’s there to trim? He left here practically bald on his last visit, which wasn’t supposed to happen.” They said, “So, you’re the one who made us all cry.” I said, “Huh?” I was told that when I called the manager last month to complain about the unauthorized shaving, he explained to the staff why I was so upset and that Hercules’ hair might not grow back before his death, and they all started crying. Awe, Herc is so loved.

 

Zeus went to PetsMart with us to get his paw pads and pee-pee trimmed. This was his first commercial outing. He was quite the attention-getter, but boy I have some serious leash training to do. I initially had the boys on a coupler, but Zeus thought he was the horse and we were the wagon, pulling Herc’s collar up to his ears. So, I stopped and hooked them up separately, then kept getting tangled while juggling two leashes, car keys, wallet, and a bottle of shampoo – all while trying to walk in Crocs clogs with a dislocated toe. I looked like a waddling mummy on a merry-go-round.

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Poor Hercules and you too!   Someone told me about the peanut (or any other substance you can shove a pill into) and it has worked really well for Brady when he was on antibiotics.   Aw gee my heart goes out to you ... please don't feel like a bad mommy!   Prayers for hercules....please get better!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Oh...I am so sorry :( Poor H.  I hope he gets better!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Oh, that must be hard to see him be so stubborn, glad you got some good ideas and I hope he feels better.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

With peanut butter, I often use a spoon and smoosh the pill pieces into it and my guys will lick it off the spoon.   If the dog really doesn't want to eat (our Springer had CCL surgery and would not eat or drink) we made little pill bombs with the peanut butter and I did get pretty messy.  We use Skippy peanut butter which isn't the refrigerated kind. I like peanut butter so messy peanut butter hands is ok with me, but I HATE mayo and could NOT do mayo hands so I feel your pain!

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

Liverwurst helped the medicine go down for one of my dogs.  Peanut butter is also a great suggestion as most dogs adore it.  You are not a bad mommy........taking care of a dog with cancer is not easy (especially in the mouth) and Hercules is blessed to have you as his "Mommy"....you are doing what is best for him.  Take care of yourself!

[Kyoko]

So Happy to hear that cream cheese worked!!