How To Administer Medicine To Your Dog

At some point in your dog’s life, there will be times he needs medications either for temporary or chronic illnesses. During which you will need to administer medicine or apply treatment to your dog so that he can regain his health. It is not usually difficult to give a dog medication provided you do it the proper way. Most dogs are cooperative and they will learn to accept this process without much struggle at all.

Whatever form your dog’s medication may come in—pill, liquid, or ointment—it is essential to follow the instructions given for the medication to be effective. Another important factor is hygiene. If you are giving pill to your dog using your fingers, make sure you washed your hands thoroughly before giving it to your dog. If the medicine requires an applicator to administer—syringe or dropper—be sure to wash/wipe it thoroughly before and after the application. Unless it is disposable within one use, do not reuse the applicator immediately after coming in contact with your dog’s mouth or open wounds.

How Do I Give A Pill To My Dog

Although there are pill guns designed for this purpose, I do not find them any easier than giving a pill directly to dogs. If you are not comfortable putting your fingers inside your dog’s mouth, you may want to consider getting a pill gun from pet stores and veterinary clinics. Of course, there are other ways to give a pill to your dog without having you putting your fingers inside his mouth. You could either hide the pill within or crush the tablet and mix it with some tasty treats like peanut butter, cream cheese, meatball, or canned dog food. Unless you are absolutely certain that your dog has swallowed his medication, I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way. Some dogs, mostly adult, will outwit you by splitting it out later. And if you would to crush the tablet, be very sure that you mix it in your dog’s favorite treats as crushed tablets taste very bitter.

1. Place your non-dominant hand on top of the muzzle with thumb on one side and finger on the others and gradually tilting the head slightly upward.
2. Using your dominant hand to hold the pill between the your thumb and index finger, then grasp the lower jaw with your remaining three fingers to open the lower jaw farther.
3. Place the pill near the side of the mouth and push it as far back as possible before closing the mouth.
4. Still holding the mouth shut, gently stroke the underside of the lower jaw to encourage your dog to swallow the pill.
5. Offer a treat for his good behavior.

How Do I Give Liquid Medicine To My Dog

Liquid medicine is the easiest way to give medicine to dog. It is done by using a plastic needle-less syringe or a dropper. If you do use the dropper that’s attached to the bottle lid, take care not to touch your dog’s mouth as to avoid contamination. I prefer using a plastic syringe as it’s easier and effortless.

1. Draw up the appropriate amount of medication into the syringe
2. Open the dog’s mouth as if to administer a pill, place the syringe at the cheek pouch and carefully squirt small amount of the medicine at a time into the back of the mouth. Squirting too much at once will cause your dog to choke and spit out the liquid.
3. Slowly release the syringe while holding the lips closed until your dog swallowed the medicine.
4. Offer a treat for good behavior.

How Do I Apply Eye Drops or Ointment On My Dog

Usually this can be done within a couple seconds without any help from others. But if you (and/or your dog) are nervous having object near his eye, you might want to have someone hold your dog’s head while your apply the drops or ointment. Remember to reward your dog with treats afterward.

Eye Drops Application

1. Hold your dog’s muzzle with your non-dominant hand and tilt his head upward.
2. With the other hand hold the bottle and squeeze the prescribed number of drops to the corner of the eye.
3. Shut his eye for a second to allow the drops to distribute around the socket.
4. Wipe any excess drops around the eye with a clean tissue.

Ointment Application

1. Hold your dog’s head and tilt it slightly upward.
2. With the same hand, gently pull the lower eyelid downward with your thumb to form a pouch.
3. Use your dominant hand to hold the tube, squeeze small amount of the ointment into the lid pouch. Although the tip of the applicator is quite smooth, be careful not to poke it in your dog’s eye.
4. Release the eyelid and gently massage the surface of the closed eye with your thumb.

Must-haves applicator and helper recommendations.

• Liquid Medication Oral Dosage Syringe or Easy Feeder Syringe Set: Although you will be given with the necessary syringe along with your dog’s medications, it is best to stock up various types of syringe for any unforeseen cases or your homemade remedies.
• All-in-One Pill Splitter & Crusher: You certainly can use any kitchen knife to cut up big tablet but you won’t always get the correct size you wanted. Also, avoid sharing your personal pill splitter with your dog’s medication.