Dog Medicine: How to give a dog a pill, injection, or liquid medicine.
If you’ve ever tried giving pills to your dog, you know how difficult they can be about taking medicine. They’ll run away, hide, cower, and when you finally have them cornered, either flatly refuse to open their mouths, or spit out whatever you give them.
Why, oh why, you find yourself wondering, don’t they make these things in chewy steak flavor?
We’ll until they do, here are some tips for giving dog medicine to your reluctant canine.
Dog Medicine: Giving Pills
- Never call the dog to you. The course of medication will probably have to be given over a number of days. If he associates being called with taking his medicine, you’ll have a difficult time. Go to him instead.
- Give the sit command. Open the mouth with one hand and drop the tablet in with the other. Try to get it as far back as you can (over the “hump” of the tongue if possible).
- Hold the dog’s mouth closed with the head tilted slightly back. With the other hand stroke the throat.
- When the dog swallows release your grip. Praise the dog after he has swallowed the pill.
Of course, some dogs are more stubborn that others when it comes to taking medicine. If you have one of these difficult characters, here’s what you do.
- Stand behind the dog and hold him firmly with your knees just behind his shoulder blades.
- Hold the snout in one hand and lower jaw in the other. Open the mouth, being careful that the dog does not snap out.
- Drop the pill in, then hold the dog’s mouth closed and massage the throat. Keep the head tilted back until the dog swallows. Remember the praise!
Still not taking it? Okay, on to the last resort – hiding the medicine in a piece of food. Most dogs will take a pill hidden in a piece of meat, bread or cheese. Make sure that the pill is totally incased in the treat and it will normally go straight down the hatch.
Make sure that you hand feed the treat, rather than putting it into the food bowl where it may not be eaten.
Important! Be sure to check with your vet before giving food with pills because some foods should not be given with medicine.
Dog Medicine: Giving an injection
Normally injections will be given by a vet, but some conditions – like diabetes – require daily injections, so you’ll have to learn how to do this at home. The procedure is fairly simple, but you should only do this after discussing the procedure with your vet.
- Prepare the syringe as instructed then get the dog to sit.
- Lift the scruff of skin at the back of the neck and insert the needle in sideways ensuring that it does not protrude from the other side of the scruff.
- Slowly empty the contents of the syringe into the skin
- Carefully remove the syringe from the skin
Dog Medicine: Giving Liquid Medicine
The best way to give liquid medicine is to use a syringe (without the needle).
- Give the sit command. Open the mouth and place the syringe in the mouth ensuring that the dog does not bite down on it.
- Empty the contents of the syringe with a quick depression of the plunger. Ensure that the dog swallows the medicine.
Follow these easy steps, and administering dog medicine will be a breeze.
