My pet's Azodyl pill is too big. Can I cut it? Will it still work?

Ideally it has to stay in the capsule as most of them are resistant to oral (saliva) and gastric digestion to be then directly absorbed in the first part of the intestine. If you open the capsule the medication may be useless as ineffective.

As long as she is getting the full dose, there is no cause for concern. If breaking them open and pouring out the contents works, then so be it. You are not doing anything wrong. You can try Pill Pockets, which can be found in the local Petco or you can hide the capsule in a piece of hot dog.

Hello, thank you for your question. As a general rule I try to avoid breaking open capsules and spreading them on the food as this could mean that your dog doesn't always get the exact amount of medication. For example, if your dog didn't finish all of his meal how would you know exactly how much of the pimobendan medication he had received. To help your dog with the larger capsules you could try hiding it in a slice of deli meat/cheese or could try some peanut butter. Another option would be to try creating a small meatball of canned food with the capsule in the middle. Hope this helps!

You certainly can. Make sure the food is mixed well as the medication can have a bitter taste. If your dog detects it, he may not eat the food. If he will allow it, slide it as far back in his mouth as you can then hold his muzzle closed as you stroke his throat. Once you see him lick his nose, you'll know he swallowed the capsule. Praise him and offer a small treat afterwards.

Hello. Azodyl is a probiotic/prebiotic that the company claims to work by "enteric dialysis". This means a waste product called urea is cleaned up in the gut thus making less available for circulation. This supposedly makes it easier for the kidneys to function by reducing azotemia & uremia in chronic renal failure. There is little clinical evidence at this time to support the companies claims. This product will not harm the kidneys, but you will not see significant changes in Tony's overall condition or blood work. I think you may see more benefit from the omega 3 supplement than anything else. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Doxycycline should be taken whole or immediately before food to ensure it is swallowed into the stomach, it should then be followed by a drink to ensure it is washed down. It can cause painful ulcers in the upper GI tract if it lodges here and is not taken directly to the stomach

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cutting a pill into 1/5 has got to be very tricky even with a pill cutter! I would recommend consulting with Meg's veterinarian about getting her on a different medication that is easy to dose and doesn't require splitting the pill into small pieces. There are a variety of pain medications out there and available for arthritis that are much better and safer to use than paracetamol such as Rimadyl, Galliprant, or Previcox. I would ask your veterinarian if Meg could be transitioned over to a better alternative. I hope this helps!