How to give your pet medication without the fuss
If you’re in the unfortunate position of having to give your pet pills and they won’t have it - one of these methods are bound to do the trick.
Whether your pooch is a master of the dramatic spit-out or your cat is a professional food sniffer, these three clever tricks will help you sneak that pill in without the drama.
1. Hide in food
Here are three highly desirable treat options to sneak a pill into:
- Peanut butter: Hide a pill inside a sticky, fragrant dab of peanut butter (on a spoon) and let your pet lick it off. Or roll peanut butter into a small ball, insert the pill, and offer it to your pet as a treat. Make sure the peanut butter isn’t made with xylitol, an artificial sweetener, which is toxic to dogs.
- Sausage or polony: Insert the pill in the centre. You may be tempted to use your pet’s canned food as a substitute, but resist. Biting into it as well as a bitter pill may create a taste aversion for your pet’s regular food.
- Cheese: Most capsules and pills slide easily into a small chunk of this cheese. If not, warm the cheese in your hand and mould it around the medication.
Tip: Start with one or two plain treats, then a medicated one, then one or two more plain treats. If you do this rapidly, your pet will swallow the treats quickly without examining them.
2. Straight into the mouth
If your pooch or cat persists in spitting out the pills or if dietary restrictions prevent you from hiding medication in an appealing treat, the next step is to go down the hatch. Give plenty of praise throughout the process and offer a treat or playtime right after giving the medication to make the experience more positive.
1. Place your pet in a safe and comfortable area where he can be easily handled.
2. Hold the pill between your thumb and index finger.
3. Gently grasp your pet’s muzzle from above with your other hand, by placing your thumb behind the canine teeth on one side of the upper jaw and your fingers on the other.
4. Once you have a firm but gentle grip, carefully tilt your pet’s head toward the ceiling. The lower jaw will usually drop open. With your pilling hand, use the little finger and ring finger to open your pet’s mouth further by gently putting downward pressure on the lower lip and front teeth.
5. Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible. Your pet is more likely to swallow the pill if you place it beyond the hump of the tongue at the back of the mouth. Avoid placing your hand or fingers too far back in the mouth, as this may stimulate a gag reflex.
6. Close your pet’s mouth and hold it closed while you return his head to a normal position.
7. Gently rub your pet’s throat or blow lightly on his nose. This should stimulate swallowing. A pet will usually lick his nose after swallowing a pill.
3. Use a pill popper
A pill popper (also called a Pill Gun) makes giving tablets and capsules to your pet cat or dog a breeze. The ability to deliver the medication to the back of your pet’s mouth helps to prevent tablets and capsules from being chewed or spat out, while preventing your fingers from getting bitten!
This device is particularly useful for cats and small dogs and makes dosing much faster, easier and safer for you and your pet. This is how it works:
- Simply load the medication in the tip of the pill popper.
- Open your pet’s mouth using your free hand.
- Direct the pill popper to the back of your pet’s mouth.
- Then depress the plunger to deliver the medication at the back of your pet’s throat.
- Hold your pet’s mouth closed and tickle under their chin to make sure they have swallowed the pill.
Content by Pet Heaven.
For more on pets, visit Get It Magazine.
