We’ve all been there. As pet parents, it is our job to give our dogs their medicine, supplements, pain medications, flea, and worming tablets.
While some dogs have no trouble taking medicines in the form of chews, most dogs won’t take bitter pills and tablets without having to hide them in tasty treats.
To help you give your dog the medicine and supplements she needs, we have reviewed 2024’s best foods to hide dog pills in.
OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST DOG FOODS TO HIDE DOG PILLS IN
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Best Foods to Hide Dog Pills In
IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
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Zesty Paws Pill Wrap
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Inaba Churu Bites Wraps Chicken with Salmon Recipe
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Tomlyn Pill-Masker
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Greenies Pill Pockets
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Milk-Bone Pill Pouches
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Zoe Pill Pops Peanut Butter with Honey
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Mount Ara Healthy Aging Peanut Butter with Ashwaghanda
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Nature's Logic Canine Peanut Butter Spread
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PetKind Tripett Green Beef Tripe, Duck & Salmon
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1. Zesty Paws Pill Wrap Probiotic Paste Bacon Flavor
First 5 ingredients: Oat Flour, Cane Molasses, Coconut Glycerin, Palm Oil, Dried Potato Product
This is a thick, moldable paste that is specifically made to hide tablets, capsules, and chews. This bacon-flavored paste is not only great at making taking pills less stressful for your pup, but the paste itself is a supplement for your dog’s digestive health.
Many holistic nutrition experts believe that the way to good overall health is through the gut. This pill wrap paste has clinically studied DE111 (Bacillus subtilis) and Bacillus coagulans to maintain proper gut and immune balance that may be lost from certain medications.
Probiotics improve intestinal flora. A healthy digestive system helps our dogs’ bodies absorb more nutrients.
To hide your dogs’ medication, simply scoop an amount that is enough to cover the pill/ tablet. Push the tablet or pill into it. Mold the paste into a ball or until the pill is completely covered to decrease the likelihood that your dog’s nose would detect the pill.
This tasty cheese and bacon flavored paste has been helping numerous pets take their medication without any issue. The pups love the savory flavor and its soft and chewy texture.
It has helped dog owners who have had to wrestle with their dogs to get them to take their medicines and supplements.
Pros
- Highly flavorful
- Moldable texture to conceal any size of pill, tablet, or capsule
- 2 types of probiotics for gut health and immune system support
- Very popular among fussy pets
- Suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes
- Pills stick better on the paste compared to other foods like cheese, wet dog food
Cons
- A few buyers find the paste not soft enough
- May not be suitable for dogs with sugar intake restrictions
2. Inaba Churu Bites Wraps Chicken with Salmon Recipe
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Tuna, Water, Tapioca, Egg White
If you have a sensitive pup who requires a grain-free diet, Inaba Churu Bites Wraps is the perfect treat to hide pills in. The little treats are packed with not just tasty flavors, but textures as well.
These flavorful treats are small and have a crunchy exterior that dogs enjoy munching on. Inside the crunchy treats is a soft and creamy filling. It is the perfect texture to hide your dog’s pill inside.
You can easily insert a single tablet or capsule in one piece of these treats. This dual-textured treat is perfect for hidden pills.
While called a chicken and salmon recipe, this bag of treats actually contains tuna along with chicken and salmon. Fish are great for masking the smell and flavor of medicines as they have a very strong odor and flavor. Mixed with chicken, these treats make medicine time a very tasty snack time.
Instead of wheat which is a common ingredient in pill pouches and pastes, this recipe has tapioca – a highly digestible vegetable that is also used in some grain-free dog food formulas. Its small size makes it a great training treat as well.
These are free from artificial colors and preservatives. It is also free from carrageenan – a thickener/ gelling agent made from a red seaweed commonly known as Irish Moss. Some experts claim that this additive commonly found in wet pet food may contribute to certain conditions in pets.
The packaging of the Churu Bites clearly states that it has no carrageenan. It is also not listed in its ingredients. However, this product’s page at Chewy lists carrageenan as one of its ingredients.
Pros
- Grain-free
- Free from artificial colors, preservatives
- Free from carrageenan
- Very popular even with picky dogs
- Dual texture: crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy inside
- Intense chicken and fish (tuna and salmon) flavors/ odors mask medicine’s
- Can fit one tablet or capsule each
- Great as training treats
- Suitable for all breeds and sizes
Cons
- Too small for large tablets or chews
- Too smelly for some pet owners
3. Tomlyn Pill-Masker
First 5 ingredients: Wheat Flour, Corn Syrup, Glycerin, Vegetable Oil, Stabilized Rice Bran
If you have a household with multiple dogs and cats, this product may be the best product for you. This pill-hiding paste is formulated for both dogs and cats. Each 4 oz jar of this paste can be used for up to 50 pills.
This vet-formulated pill paste can be used to sneakily turn medication time into a tasty snacktime. You can control the amount of paste to use to cover any size of pill, capsule, tablet, or chew. The paste is bacon-flavored to entice pets into taking the concealed pills.
The Pill-masker contains spray dried liver, dried cheese, and rosemary extract to further enhance the palatability of this special treat.
The brand recommends that owners try to give the dog or cat small morsels of the paste without the pills to introduce them to the product. After the introduction, scoop out a small amount of the paste and use it to wrap around your dog’s pill.
Add more paste until completely covered then give your dog her special treat. Make sure your dog eats the whole thing and does not spit the pill out.
This is another paste that has allowed dog owners to successfully give their dogs and cats their medicines and supplements. The rich flavor of the paste makes the pets happily take their pills. The paste sticks well to the pill so it is harder for pets to spit them out.
However, as many cat owners know, it can be a hit or miss among our feline friends. That being said, a lot of the buyers said that their fussy cats liked the paste and were also successful in getting them to take their meds.
Pros
- Highly palatable
- Suitable for both dogs and cats
- Suitable for any size of pills, tablets, capsules, or chews
- Bacon flavored
- Contains spray dried liver, dried cheese, and rosemary extract for extra flavor
- Sticks to pills well
Cons
- Some cats are not fans
- Not suitable for pets sensitive to chicken (contains poultry liver)
4. Greenies Pill Pockets Chicken Flavor Treats
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Glycerin, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Vegetable Oil
Greenies Pill Pockets is made precisely to turn capsule types of medication for dogs into tasty “treats”. The size and shape of these malleable treats are perfect for capsules of all kinds, including gelatin capsule types. These delicious chicken-flavored pill pockets are also available in tablet size forms.
This product is probably the most popular brand and flavor of pill pockets. With chicken as its most plentiful ingredient, these treats are packed with so much meaty flavor that will get your furry friends’ tails wagging.
To administer pills using this tasty treat, simply place the capsule into the pocket, then pinch the ends close until the capsule is completely covered. Your pup will think it is treat time instead of pill time. Most of them don’t even notice the pill inside as they chew on the yummy treat.
These pill pockets are a godsend to many dog owners. After struggling with messy peanut butter and cheeses only to have their uncooperative dog spit the pills out, they have finally found a solution in this bag of malleable pockets.
Pros
- Highly palatable
- Very, very popular among dogs
- Pills stick well to the pocket
- Perfectly shaped to hold a capsule
- Malleable, chewy to completely cover the pill
- Made of natural ingredients
Cons
- Can become dry and hard if not kept in an airtight container
5. Milk-Bone Pill Pouches Hickory Smoked Bacon Flavor
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Glycerin, Soy Flour, Cane Molasses, Wheat Flour
Another very popular product in the pill pocket category is this one. More affordable than other dogs’ pill cover brands, these chewy pouches make treatment for dogs taste like actual treats.
Made with chicken and flavored with natural hickory smoke flavor, these pill pouches get dogs excited as soon as you open the bag. The smell of its smoky bacon goodness masks the odor of the pill inside.
Suitable for any type of pill, tablet, or capsule, the pliable pouches can also be used to hide supplement chews which are typically larger than tablets.
Just put the pill or chew into the hole in the pouch. Pinch the edges together or mold it until the pill is completely covered and give it to your pet.
Dog owners are loving this brand of pill pouches. It makes treatment time mess-free and very easy to do. Dogs love the smoky bacon flavor of the chewy treats and come with tails wagging when it’s time to take meds.
Pros
- Highly palatable
- Strong bacon smell to mask pills
- Pliable
- Suitable for capsules, tablets, larger chews
- Affordable
- Sticks to the pill well
Cons
- Not suitable for dogs with chicken allergies
- Texture too sticky for some
6. Zoe Pill Pops Peanut Butter with Honey
First 5 ingredients: Barley Flour, Vegetable Glycerin, Molasses, Whey Protein, Peanut Butter
If you have a dog that is sensitive to proteins such as chicken or beef, these pill pops may be the perfect way to give her pills. Free from corn, wheat, or soy, these chewy treats are great for dogs with food intolerances.
Made with barley flour and flavored with peanut butter and honey, the soft and chewy treats are designed a bit differently from your standard pill pouches.
Inside the bag are individual packs containing two pieces of treats. The individual wrapping ensures that the treats do not dry out or clump together into one giant ball.
To hide your dog’s medication inside, take one piece of the chewy treat and stick the pill, tablet, or capsule in the middle. Take the second piece, put it on top of the one containing the tablet, and press together until the tablet is completely covered. For smaller tablets, you can use just one piece.
Some dog owners are baffled by the individual packs containing two treats, but they are actually one pill pop split into 2 so you can easily mold them together to cover capsules or larger tablets. You may need to open 1 or more individual packs for multiple pills.
Many of the buyers of this product have dogs who have various food sensitivities such as chicken allergy. They find that the ingredient quality of these pill pops is much better than that of the more popular brands. Dogs who love peanut butter are sure to love these chewy treats.
Pros
- Chicken-free
- No artificial flavors, colors
- No corn, wheat, soy
- High-quality ingredients
- Individually wrapped pairs to prevent clumping
- Popular among PB fans
Cons
- Meat-free – may not entice meat-lovin’ pooches
- May not be suitable for diabetic dogs
7. Mount Ara Healthy Aging Peanut Butter with Ashwaghanda
Ingredients: Ashwaghanda, Blueberry Antioxidants, Healthy Vitamin Blend
If you have a senior pup who needs to take a few pills every day and you feel that the pill pouches and pastes are too high in sugar for her, then a PB-based treat may be the best option for your dog.
Formulated to help keep senior pups healthy, Mount Ara Healthy Aging Peanut Butter with Ashwaghanda is a tasty PB blended with vitamins and antioxidants.
Made with only natural ingredients, this PB for dogs is packed with superfoods such as blueberry pomace, ashwaghanda, coconut oil, and cinnamon. These ingredients are high in antioxidants that help fight free radicals and boost the immune system.
This tasty PB treat is loaded with vitamin C for overall health support. It is also formulated to support aging dogs’ joint health.
To hide pills, you can simply cover the pill completely with the PB and give it to your dog. You can also squeeze a small dollop of the PB onto a small piece of soft bread.
Put the pill on the dollop and fold the piece of bread to seal it shut. Smush the piece of bread into a small ball to completely hide the pill and give it to your pup.
While the product is relatively new, buyers of this PB blend are quite happy with the results it has given to their pooches. According to them, they have observed increased energy in their dogs.
The pups also appear to have better mobility since being given this PB treat every day.
Pros
- Specially formulated for senior dogs
- Packed with antioxidants and vitamins
- Joint support
- Immune system support
- No artificial ingredients
- Ideal for sensitive dogs
- Easy-squeeze pouch
- Highly palatable
Cons
- Not widely available
8. Nature's Logic Canine Peanut Butter Spread
Ingredients: Peanuts, Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil
If your PB-loving pup is on a limited ingredient diet, try using this PB Spread to hide her pills in. Made with only 3 ingredients, this PB is ideal for sensitive pups of all ages.
Aside from peanuts, this tasty PB has chia seeds and coconut oil. Chia seeds are a superfood that is packed with omega 3 essential fatty acids, calcium, and protein.
They help support dogs' skin, coat, immune system, bones, muscles, and overall health. Coconut oil helps aid digestion, improve skin health, and increase the energy levels of dogs.
As with most natural nut butters, the lack of additives usually makes the oil separate from the PB. Upon opening the jar, mix it well to get the oil and PB to combine again. Store it in the refrigerator after mixing. Keeping it chilled will also help thicken its consistency for easier pill-masking.
Aside from keeping it chilled, you can also use a small piece of soft bread or even a piece of banana to make an all-natural, healthy pill pouch. Push the pill into the piece of banana and smear with PB until completely covered. This will help keep the pill inside.
If using soft bread, put a dollop of PB on the piece of bread and place the pill into the dollop. Add more PB if needed then fold the bread shut to seal. Smush it into a small ball and give it to your pup.
According to reviews, pups of all ages go nuts for this lickable PB treat. The natural and limited ingredients are much appreciated by the buyers. However, other dog owners who did not refrigerate the jar found it a bit too runny.
Pros
- All-natural PB
- Limited-ingredient – ideal for sensitive dogs
- Contains superfoods chia seeds and coconut oil
- High in omega fatty acids
- Highly palatable
Cons
- Oil separates from the PB – needs mixing to combine
- Can be too runny for pill masking if not refrigerated
9. PetKind Tripett Green Beef Tripe, Duck & Salmon
Ingredients: Green Beef Tripe, Water, Duck, Salmon, Guar Gum
If you are looking for wet dog food that can double as a pill-masking treat, we highly recommend this canned dog food.
This pate is not only packed with so much nutrition and health benefits, but it is also teeming with rich, savory flavors that pups love.
Every animal ingredient in this rich pate is loaded with strong flavors. Green beef tripe may be one of the smelliest things in the pet food world, but dogs absolutely love them – making it the perfect ingredient to mask the smell of pills.
This superfood for dogs helps improve their digestive health, stimulates their appetite, and contributes to many aspects of their overall health including skin, coat, and brain function.
Duck and salmon are two of the most flavorful protein sources you can give to your pooch. Rich in iron and amino acids, most dogs enjoy the taste of duck meat. It is also a great alternative to chicken.
Salmon is not only high in omega 3 fatty acids that promote healthy skin and coats in dogs. It is also highly digestible and full of distinct fish flavors that pups love to eat.
To use this pate for treatment time, scoop out enough pate to cover the pill entirely and feed it to your dog directly or serve on her food dish. You can also chill the pate to harden it a little bit and make it easier to form into balls.
It is no surprise that picky pooches come running as soon as a can is opened. It just gets them so excited for mealtimes. Dog owners must try not to run away from it as green tripe is not known to be appealing to human noses.
This pate has been quite popular among owners of picky eaters and those with sensitive stomachs. The lack of additives gives the buyers the confidence that they are feeding their dogs only high-quality natural ingredients.
Pros
- Limited-ingredient wet food
- No artificial enhancers
- Low-glycemic
- Strong odors and flavors from beef green tripe, duck, and salmon
- Popular among picky eaters
- Has multiple health benefits
Cons
- Very strong odor
Tried and Tested Ways to Give Pills to Dogs
From medicines for high blood pressure and heart disease to daily supplements and allergy meds, we have had to trick our dogs into taking them. Depending on the type of medicine, there are many ways to get your dog to take meds.
While many dogs will wolf down a piece of bacon-wrapped pill and swallow it before realizing you had tricked them, some can easily spit out the pill and still get to keep the bacon.
Give your dog a few treats or pieces of the pill cover without the meds at first, as sniffing a new food may alert your dog’s sense of smell that something is up. After a few pieces of pill-less treats, try giving your dog one that has the pill inside.
Yes, she may feel betrayed, but a lot of dogs enjoy the taste of the pill covers so much that they don’t even notice. And even if she does, she may not mind as long as it involves a tasty treat.
Here are some tips that help make medicine time less stressful for you and your pup.
Ask Your Vet For Advice/ Demonstration
Some pills are meant to be taken whole and not crushed into powder. If your dog is one of those who can masterfully take the treat and spit the pill out whole, ask your vet for the best way to give the medicine.
Your vet will let you know if a crushed pill mixed into wet food or water is a viable option. You can also check the instructions printed on the pill bottle or pill container.
If the vet says the tablet must be taken whole, ask for a demonstration on how best to give the pills to your uncooperative dog. If you are leaving your pup with a dog sitter, it is advisable to demonstrate to him or her how to get your dog to take her pills.
Pill Pockets
One of the easiest ways to get dogs to take pills is to hide them in treats that are specifically designed to disguise medicines. Pill pockets or pouches come in many forms and flavors. Because most pooches love bacon, you’ll find that many brands make these types of pill covers in this flavor.
Pockets are typically made to be soft and pliable so you can place the pill into the pocket and then pinch it shut to seal the opening. If the pills are small enough, you can tuck more than one tablet in a pocket.
You can buy pill pouches designed for tablets or capsules. Make sure that you check with your vet first if you can use pill pouches with the medicine, as some medications are not supposed to be taken with any food.
Pill Wraps and Pastes
Pill wraps and pastes are also designed to hide your dog’s pills. Wraps can be soft, thin rolls of tasty treats that you can use to wrap around tablets to disguise them. More popular is its paste form which comes in many flavors.
The malleable pastes are more versatile compared to pill pouches as you don't need to buy a separate bag for each medicine if your pup is taking both tablet and capsule medicines. You can control the shape and size of the special treat that your pup will get.
These versatile pastes can be used for tablets, capsules, liquid or powdered form of medicines. If your dog takes meds in liquid form, double-check that the paste you wish to buy can indeed work well with liquid drops.
Peanut Butter
One of the most popular ways to give medicines to dogs is with the use of their favorite peanut butter. PB can be used similar to how pill pastes are used. You can also use a piece of banana as a pocket, and smear some PB to cover the pill
These days, there are nut butter products specifically made for dogs. Many of them have added benefits such as gut, joint, and skin support for dogs.
If you wish to use PB that is made for humans, make sure that it has no artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or xylitol. These can be toxic to dogs. Opt for natural peanut butter that is smooth in texture and is not too high in sugar.
Thin Slices of Meat and Hot Dogs
If you don’t have a pill wrap, you can also use food items like thin slices of meat to hide the pills in. In general, high-fat foods like bacon are tastier and are more likely to entice your dog to take the “treat”.
Try not to use highly processed human food or lunch meats like ham or cured bacon that are full of preservatives and other artificial enhancers. Use unflavored bacon or other meats that are free from additives.
Hot dogs are one of the most popular deli meats used for dispensing meds to dogs. Small hot dog pieces can work just like how pill pockets work. The soft processed meat of a hot dog makes it easy to push any type of tablet, capsule, or chew in, and dogs always love them.
However, prolonged use of hot dogs for this purpose is not advisable as they are usually full of preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. For long-term daily medication, it is best to find healthier alternatives.
But if you find yourself in a pinch and your dog needs to take her meds, a hot dog with the pill hidden inside is the way to go.
Dairy
A bit of cream cheese or some plain yogurt can also be used to hide pills. The thicker consistency of cream cheese may stick to the pill better compared to yogurt.
Always remember to ask your vet if the particular medicine can be given with a bit of dairy or other calcium-rich foods.
Wet Dog Food/ Raw Food
You can use your dog’s food or even raw dog food to hide her pills in. However, not all foods can be used to cover pills. Thick and dense pates work best for this purpose.
If your pup is on a raw food diet, you can make a small meatball out of her raw food and stick the tablet in the middle. Small cubes cut from chilled rolls of wet dog food can also be used to keep a pill hidden inside.
Pill Guns or Dispensers
Pill dispensers look similar to syringes. They are designed to help pet owners administer whole pills quicker and to protect their fingers from getting bit by dogs.
To use a pill gun or pet piller, simply pull out the plunger and load the pill into the chamber. Place the plunger back and place the dispenser on the back of your dog’s mouth and push the plunger quickly to dispense the pill. Massage the neck and ensure that your dog swallows the pill.
How to Give a Whole Pill to Your Dog
If the pill is not meant to be taken with food or needs to be taken on an empty stomach, then you have no choice but to make your pup take it in a less tasty way. This is where your vet’s demonstration of how to administer a pill will come in handy.
We have provided step by step instructions on how to give your dog a pill:
- Refer to the instructions given by your veterinarian, and make sure that you have the correct amount of medication.
- If allowed by your vet, lubricate the tablet or pill with a tiny bit of butter to prevent the pill from sticking to your dog’s throat.
- Have your dog in a sitting position. If needed, get another person to hold your dog while she sits.
- Place your hand over the dog’s muzzle.
- Place your thumb and forefinger behind the large fang tooth.
- Hold the pill between the thumb and index finger of your second hand.
- Open your dog’s mouth with the fingers of your second hand.
- Place the tablet as far back over your dog’s tongue as possible without stimulating a gag reflex and close your dog’s mouth.
- Rub their neck and ensure that the tablet has been swallowed.
- Reward your pup with pats and affection. Give plenty of praise and provide a bit of playtime to make the experience more positive.
The use of pill dispensers can also make this process quicker and safer for the pet parent’s fingers.
Takeaway
There are many ways to make treatment time more enjoyable for dogs and less stressful for pet owners as well. You can even make homemade pill pockets out of bananas, cream cheese, meats, PB, or plain yogurt. Pick flavors that you know your furkid can’t resist.
Make sure that whatever you pick to use as a pill masker or pill pocket is approved by your vet to be used with the specific medicine your dog needs.
This is due to the fact that some medicines need to be administered without food, or the pill masker may have ingredients that your dog is not supposed to have.
Once approved by your vet, introduce your pill cover of choice to your dog without adding the pill. This will help your pup associate the flavors of the pill cover or mask with treat time and will eagerly take the covered pill next time. Always ensure that your pet eats the whole thing and the pill is not spat out.
The best pill cover for your dog depends on her flavor preferences and needs. We hope that our review of the different types of foods that you can use to hide pills helps you find the product that works best for your dog.