Is It Ok To Melt My Dog’s Pill Meds In Water?

Is It Ok To Melt My Dog’s Pill Meds In Water?

If you’ve ever had to fight your dog to open up so you can give them a pill, you may have considered an easier route, like dissolving the pill in water first. This article explains whether that is a good idea and what could happen if you try to dissolve the pills.

 

Should You Dissolve Pills In Water For Dogs?

There are a lot of different ways you can feed your dog pills, including:

 

• Wrapping the pill up in cheese or covering it in peanut butter
• Using pill pockets, pre-made treats designed for this purpose
• Putting the pill on the back of your dog’s tongue yourself
• Using a device, such as a pill launcher, to get the pill to the back of the dog’s mouth.
• Squirt it into their mouth using a syringe
• Crushing it up and sprinkling it into their food
• Dissolving it in water

 

The optimal method is based on the type of medicine and your dog. If you are going to dissolve the pill in water, double-check with your vet to make sure that won’t effect the medication’s efficiency.

How To Liquify Pills For Dogs?

Non-dispersible pills do not dissolve in the water on their own. Use a pill crusher or some instrument to grind the pill into a powdery form, then add the crushed pill to some clean water (about 10- 30 milliliters, depending on the size of the pill). Mix thoroughly.

 

Some recommend using a syringe to give your dog the liquified pill because they have measurements that can help you figure out how much water to use and how much of the solution in the syringe you should give your dog. You could use tablespoons or your dog’s water bowl, but you might spill some in the process.

Can I Crush My Dog’s Medicine And Put It In Water?

Depending on the type of pill, crushing it could alter how the body absorbs and responds to the drug, which can prevent the medicine from working properly or worse, cause severe side effects. You absolutely should not crush a pill unless you are told to.

 

You should always check with your vet before deciding to dilute a pill in water. Many pills are available in liquid form, so they might just prescribe that instead if your dog is struggling to swallow their pills.

Can You Dissolve All Pills In Water?

Some pills are meant to be dissolved in water, and they are referred to as “dispersible tablets.” However, pills that come in the form of coated capsules are supposed to be swallowed in full.

How Long Does It Take For Pills To Dissolve In Water?

The length of time it takes for a pill to dissolve in water depends on a number of factors, including the temperature of the water, the size of the pill, and what ingredients the pill contains. A pill will dissolve faster in warmer water, and a smaller pill will dissolve faster than a larger pill.

Does The Pill Take Effect Faster Through Pill Or Water?

The point of taking a pill orally is so that it can be absorbed once it’s in the stomach. The stomach’s environment affects how quickly this happens. Sometimes, the water can help speed up the absorption process. However, if the water is too cold, the pill won’t be absorbed as quickly.

Does Diluting Medicine Make It Less Effective?

For some medicines, yes. Diluting the medicine will mean stripping away the outer coating of the pill, which serves its own purpose. In some cases, for example, it protects the active ingredient from stomach acid so that it can be absorbed in the intestines.

Does Dissolving Pills In Water Have The Same Effect?

Some medicines will be less effective if they are dissolved in water, or if they are crushed. Some medications, however, can be dissolved in water. You should talk to your vet before trying to dissolve the pill in water, since that might not actually be the best way to give your dog the medicine.

Do Tablets Dissolve Faster In Hot Or Cold Water?

Tablets dissolve faster in hot water than cold water. However, the water shouldn’t be too hot, since you can end up burning your dog’s tongue or destroying the pill altogether.

Can Canine Medications Be Dissolved In Water?

It depends on the pill your dog needs to take. Some pills are meant to be absorbed later into the digestive tract, in which case dogs should swallow the pill instead of having it dissolved. In general, it is safe to dissolve pills in water for your dog, though you should ask your vet if this is the right course of action.

What Is The Correct Term For Medicines That Can Be Dissolved In Water?

Though this article has previously used the word “dispersible” for pills that can be dissolved in water, the official term is effervescent tablets. Effervescent tablets, or carbon tablets, are designed to be dissolved in water.

Can You Open Capsules And Mix With Water?

Opening the capsule and mixing it with water would change the rate at which the medicine is absorbed into the body and the amount of the active ingredient that gets absorbed. This could have an number of consequences, including the loss of the active ingredient, degradation of the active ingredient, and exposure to the active ingredient.

 

For pills with a gastro-resistent coating, which are designed to protect the active ingredient from stomach acid, opening the pill would render it obsolete. Opening it would expose the active ingredient to the gastric acid.

 

This usually leads to underdosing, but can also lead to overdosing in some cases, mainly when the drug in question has a narrow therapeutic index. This means that the helpful plasma concentrations are close to the toxic plasma concentrations, such as in phenobarbital. Because of the close difference in concentrations, even a small difference in plasma concentration can lead to severe consequences.

 

Overdosing also occurs in modified-release dosages. Modified-released drugs are designed so that the active ingredient is released and absorbed into the body gradually. If these pills are opened, the active ingredient is absorbed all at once, leading to an overdose.

 

Opening the pill is never a good idea, since it could result in either an underdose or an overdose.

How Do You Dilute A Pill In Water?

If you want to dilute a pill in water, you should take these steps:

 

1. Consult your vet about diluting the pill. Make sure that it would be just as safe and just as effective for your dog. If your vet has concerns, don’t dilute the pill.
2. If your vet is okay with the idea, you’ll need to grind down the pill. There are several ways to go about this, including using a pill crusher, a mortar and pestle, or a pill splitter. However, do not just put the pill in a bag and hammer it repeatedly, since you might end up losing some fragments.
3. Put the pill powder in water and serve it to your dog.

What Pills For Dogs That Can Be Dissolved In Water?

Some pills are better dissolved in water. One such pill is sucralfate, which is used to treat ulcers. Marbofloxacin, which treats skin infections and UTIs in dogs, is also soluble in water.

 

However, it is better to ask your vet before dissolving pills in water for your dog.

What Pills For Dogs That Should Not Be Dissolved In Water?

You should not dissolve pills in the following categories:

 

• Enteric-coated drugs, which are coated to protect the active ingredient from stomach acid so it can be absorbed in the intestine. One example of an enteric-coated tablet is aspirin.
• Modified-release drugs, which are meant to be aborbed gradually rather than all at one. They might also be known as sustained-relase drugs, controlled-release drugs, delayed-action drugs, or extended-release drugs. One example of this is leveitracetam, a medication meant to control epileptic seizures.
• Opioid drugs, which are meant to be released at a steady rate to offset the risk of an addiction or an overdose. The most common form of opioids are painkillers.

Pros And Cons Of Dissolving Pills In Water?

Dissolving pills can be efficient if it’s difficult for you to get your dog to take their medicine. For older dogs who have trouble swallowing, it can be a convenience for them as well as for you. However, there can be dangers to dissolving the pill in water. The drug may not work as effectively diluted, or it may be absorbed too quickly, causing an overdose.

 

So, it is important to consult your vet before you decide to dissolve your dog’s pills in water. You may not be doing them a favor.

 

References:

 

Effervescent tablet – Wikipedia

Crushing tablets and opening capsules – what can go wrong? — Veterinary Prescriber

Tablet Crushing – Information For Patients (rosemontpharma.com)

How to Crush Pills Safely and Correctly (verywellhealth.com)