Many older dogs require medication to help them cope with some of the diseases or discomfort that come with old age. The trick is getting your dog to take it. Before you actually administer any medication, make sure you check the label first. For example, does the medication need to be refrigerated? Should it be given on a full or empty stomach? How many times per day is the medication required? Most dogs will resist being given medication, especially when it’s in a pill form. The secret is to make it as quick and painless as possible – for both you and your dog. Five simple steps to administering pills or capsules 1. Give your dog the “sit” command. This is very important – you should never give medication to your dog while he’s laying down as he might choke. 2. With one hand placed on your dog’s upper jaw, press his lips gently against the sides of the teeth with your fingers. 3. Using your other hand, pull the lower jaw down and place the pill or capsule on the base of your dog’s tongue, making sure it’s far back in the mouth. 4. Close your dog’s mouth, and return his head back to a normal position. 5. To encourage your dog to swallow, blow on his nose or massage his throat. You can also distract him with praise or stroking. Alternatively, you can “hide” the pill in a small amount of canned dog food. Give it to your dog and make sure that he swallows it. Some dogs will try to fool you by appearing to have eaten something, only to spit it out as soon as you’ re no longer looking. If your dog is still resisting, ask your vet for a “pill gun”. This is a plastic tube that holds the pill and allows you to place it in the back of the throat without putting your hands in your dog’s mouth. Liquid medications Small dogs are often given medication in a liquid form as the required dosage is often too small for pills. Again, make sure your dog is sitting when you administer liquid medication. Using the markings on the dropper as your guide, carefully draw up the dose needed. Put the dropper or dose syringe into the side of your dog's mouth, just behind the canine teeth. Press the dropper or dose syringe slowly so that your dog can easily swallow the medication. Eye and ear medications Eye medications usually come in the form of drops or ointments. If you have a big dog, have him sit. You might want to enlist the help of another person to ensure he doesn’t run away. Small dogs can be wrapped in a towel. Rest the hand that you are using to administer the drops or ointment on the bone above your dog's upper eyelid. Then, use your other hand to tilt the head back slightly and gently pull down on the lower eyelid with the thumb of that hand. When you’re giving medication in this way, it’s important to make sure that the tube or bottle doesn’t touch your dog’s eye in the process. For ear medication, stand on the same side of your dog's body as the ear that you are treating. If your dog has longer ears, lift the floppy part and place the medication in the middle of the ear opening. Finally, rub the base of the ear to help draw the medication down into the deeper parts of the ear. If you have any questions whatsoever about when or how to give your dog medication, be sure to contact your veterinarian. |
How to give your dog medication