Pets Are Smart - But You Can Outsmart Them During Medicine Time

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting pets to take their medicine is a challenging task – and can seem near impossible if you have a finicky dog or cat. Placing a capsule or tablet within a pet's mouth can cause unneeded stress and could damage the trust between pets and pet parents, while crushing medicine and adding it to wet pet food can be messy and cause concern that pets may not be consuming all of their medication. And while pet parents often turn to "hiding" medication within human food, this practice may not be ideal for pets' health. That's why the GREENIES™ Brand team created PILL POCKETS™ Treats, which offer a smarter solution to help pets take their medicine. 

GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats are all-natural treats that feature built-in pouches to help conceal medication or supplements, as well as mask the smell that often times alerts pets to their presence. At only 3 to 23 calories per treat, GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats are the #1 vet-recommended choice for giving pills* and offer a healthy alternative to using human foods to hide medication. For instance, just one tablespoon of peanut butter contains more than 400% more calories than one PILL POCKETS™ Treat (based on caloric information outlined by the USDA**).

"It is critical that patients receive the medicine they need, and that it is easy and convenient for pet owners to ensure the proper administration of medications," said veterinarian Joshua Shepard, Chief of Staff of BANFIELD® Pet Hospital's Murfreesboro, Tenn. location. "One of the ways we do this is by recommending GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats to our clients—not only do they help make the experience more enjoyable for the pet, but pet owners report that it's easier as well." 

Provide Your Pet with a Positive Medicine-Giving Experience

GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats offer several great varieties that pets will love – including a formula designed for dogs with food sensitivities. Flavors such as Chicken, Hickory Smoke, Real Peanut Butter and Salmon taste so good that your pet will soon begin to enjoy taking their medicine, and won't even notice the medicine inside. Additionally, several size varieties allow pet parents to choose the best option for the size of their pet's medication.

"We know that giving medication to your pet can be a frustrating and stressful experience for everyone involved," says Anna Rudeva, GREENIES™ Marketing Director. "By developing a product that easily and effectively helps the medicine go down and adds ease to an experience that can otherwise be frustrating, pet parents can rest assured that their pets get what they need to stay healthy."

GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats are available in the following varieties and sizes:

• GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats for dogs are available in two sizes – capsules and tablets – to fit most pill sizes, and in flavors dogs love such as Chicken, Hickory Smoke, Duck & Pea and Real Peanut Butter.
• FELINE GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treats for cats are available in Chicken and Salmon flavors.

Three Simple Steps for Effectively Giving Capsules [or Tablet or Medicine] to Your Pet

Using PILL POCKETS™ Treats to administer pets' medicine is easy. By following three simple steps, pet parents can ensure pets take their medicine without eating around it or spitting it out:

• Fill: Hold the PILL POCKETS™ Treat using your thumb and forefinger; insert medicine into pouch.
• Pinch: Using the same hand to hold the PILL POCKETS™ Treat, squeeze the top half of the pouch closed.
• Give: With the pouch now fully sealed, the PILL POCKETS™ Treat can confidently be given to your dog or cat. Note, to prevent transfer of the medicine's smell and taste, be sure not to touch the Treat with the hand that held the medicine.

To learn more about GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ and other GREENIES™ products, visit www.greenies.com or the GREENIES™ Facebook page.

*Data on file, The Nutro Company 2015

**Based on USDA Handbook #8, the caloric content of peanut butter is 5.98 calories/gram; one tbsp. is the equivalent of 32 grams, therefore containing 191 calories. By comparison, one capsule size PILL POCKETS™ Treat is 23 calories. The % increase calculation equals a 730% increase in calories from using peanut butter when compared to a capsule size GREENIES™ PILL POCKETS™ Treat.

About GREENIES™ Brand
GREENIES™ treats are the #1 vet-recommended treat brand*, offering products specially designed for oral health care and to help ensure pilling compliance. Created by world-class scientists, vets and nutritionists, GREENIES™ quality treats help dogs and cats live healthy lives. The GREENIES™ Brand family includes Dental Chews, Hip & Joint Care Chews and PILL POCKETS™ Treats for dogs, and FELINE GREENIES™ Brand includes Dental Treats, SMARTBITES™ Treats and PILL POCKETS™ Treats for cats.

About Mars Petcare
Mars Petcare US is the U.S. operations of the world's largest petcare company at the privately-held Mars, Incorporated. Mars Petcare US produces some of the world's most beloved pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Food and Treats for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, IAMS™ Pet Food, SHEBA® Entrees for Cats, WHISKAS® Food for Cats, GREENIES™ Dental Chews and PILL POCKETS™ Treats, NUTRO™ Pet Food, EUKANUBA™ Pet Food and TEMPTATIONS™ Treats for Cats, as well as exclusive brands and products for some of the leading retailers in the U.S. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., more than 3,700 Mars Petcare US associates make, sell and distribute its high-quality pet food from 20 manufacturing facilities located in communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

®/™ Trademarks © Mars, Incorporated and its affiliates 2015.

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SOURCE Mars Petcare

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