HOW TO GIVE MEDICINES TO PETS

 

Veterinarians will be prescribing medications to pets.  

This can be in form of a tablet or liquid.  The form of the medication depends on the the available strength the medicine is available to the market, and also for the owner's compliance. 

Methods of giving medication to our pets 

(dogs and cats)

LIQUID MEDICATION using syringe

• We want to see that the liquid medication is taken in slowly.  
• You should be able to see that the our cat or dog is taking it.  How? when they perform the lapping movement of their tongue.
• AVOID FLUSHING INSIDE QUICKLY.  Squirting it directly can cause aspiration pneumonia.  
• You do not want to cause more harm on this situations.

TABLET 

• Gently opening the mouth and wedging our fingers between the maxilla and the jaw.
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
• This will create an opening for us to insert the tablet on the deepest part of the mouth region.  
• Place the tablet inside and apply a gentle push for it towards the back part of the tongue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Release your wedged fingers from the jaw to close it
  
  
  
• We are successful when our pet is able to lick it's nose after procedure.
• Recommend to give 1ml drinking water when administration of tablets.  Avoid Esophagitis.

Follow the prescription given to you.  Drugs have their dosing schedules usually computed by your vet according to your pet's body weight to be effective.  If there are problems encountered during medication, inform your veterinarian.

If you still find difficulty to give medication to your pet especially tablets, try using "pill pusher".  Kindly check this pill applicators

Some medications especially the veterinary-manufactured brands are "flavored" to help assist fur parents in giving oral medications easily. 

Veterinary-manufactured brands of drugs have the advantage of being easily given to pets due to their size (size of the tablets are made for the target animal) and flavored (some pets just chew on it). 

Some pets are hard to medicate with pills or liquid medication, we can use restraints and tools to be able to perform them like towels to restrain fractious cats and pet piller available at your veterinary clinic.

See also What to expect after vaccinations and drug prescriptions