Help the Medicine Go Down
Simple tricks for giving pets pills, capsules, liquids, and drops...
Okay, you know that medicine is good for your pet. But Snowball has "told" you--in no uncertain terms - she's not opening her mouth for anything short of a freshly caught fish. How can you get her to take her medicine without getting your eyes clawed out in the process? Here's some expert advice for giving cats and dogs what's good for them.
Pill popping tips--Some drugs work best on an empty stomach, so you don't want to hide them in food. (Clever pets always seem to eat around them anyway.) Here are better tips: Place the palm of your hand over the bridge of your dog's nose. Your thumb and middle finger should circle the muzzle and fit behind each upper canine (long) tooth. Then gently press her lips against her teeth to make her drop her jaw. With your other hand, quickly poke the pill to the back of her tongue. Then, hold her mouth closed and stroke her throat until you see her swallow. When she licks her nose, you'll know she's done.
To give your kitty pills or capsules without getting scratched, first wrap a towel around his chest so his feet are blocked with the towel. Put your hand on the back of his head, with your thumb on one side of his jaw and your fingers on the other. Gently rotate his head until it's tilted back. The lower jaw will drop by reflex, although you may have to keep it open with your thumb and forefinger. Then drop the pill in and poke it back with your index finger. Don't try this technique with your cat's head in the normal position.
Trying to push pills uphill doesn't work. If your cat is a real wiggler, you may find that a second person can help simplify the process. To make sure that your kitty will not spit out the pill, blow in his face, this will surprise him, and he will reflexively swallow the pill.
Advice on administering liquids--If you are giving your pet a liquid dosage, wipe the outside of the dropper so the dropper itself isn't a source of the bad flavor. Point the dropper far back in the pet's mouth so the medicine doesn't hit the taste buds on its way down.
The lowdown on eye drops and nose drops--If your pet needs eye drops, wrap her in a towel and hold her head back as you put in the medicine. This will keep her under control, if not terribly happy. To give nose drops, gently tip your pet's head back with one hand while holding the dropper in the other. After you've placed the recommended number of drops in each nostril, keep her head elevated for a minute to give the drops time to trickle back and do their work.
