How To Administer Drugs To Animals
When our dog or cat has a disease or a health problem, the vet prescribes a specific treatment, in pills or drops. In any case, giving drugs to animals is not an easy task. In this article we tell you how to do it.
Tips for administering drugs to animals
Does your dog or cat need to take medicine, but you can’t get them to swallow it? It is rather complicated to “fool” him if the pill is very large or if the drops have a bitter taste, but thanks to some techniques we can easily administer drugs to animals and emerge victorious from this mission. Let’s follow these steps:
1. Relax
This first step is very important, as animals are able to read our body language and perceive our emotions. If we are nervous or agitated, therefore, the animal will notice it immediately.
When you need to give your pet a medicine of any kind, we recommend that you first of all relax and calm down. Act gently if, for example, you have to open his mouth to put a pill or slowly lift his muzzle to make him swallow the drug.
2. Hide the drug in food
In most cases, the pills for animals can be broken in half or quarter; it is a wonderful thing, since it will be easier to hide the various pieces in the middle of the food.
You can prepare a cheese ball with the drug in the center or wrap it with a slice of ham, mix it with pate or put it in a piece of meat. In any case, it must be a small portion that does not require too much chewing and that is easy to swallow.
3. Play
Another way to administer drugs to animals is to make this moment a fun experience, as if it were a game. Before administering the medicine, we suggest you spend a few minutes with your dog or cat.
Taking the previous example of the food balls with the drug inside, you can prepare several empty ones and throw them for him to catch them on the fly. Distracted from the activity, the animal will not notice the ball that contains the medicine.
Remember that this practice can be done at different times, not just when the dog or cat has to take a medicine; in this way they will see it as a natural attitude and will “hold the game” for you.
4. Take advantage of the characteristics of the animal
If your dog is very greedy or is constantly asking for food, you can take advantage of this characteristic of his personality to give him the drug. An effective technique is to give him two balls of food: one with the pill and the other without.
Sit him down and show him both, then give him the first one – with the pill – while showing him that there is already another one ready. He will devour what he already has in his mouth to be able to enjoy the food that awaits him!
5. Medicines with flavor
Since it is sometimes difficult to administer drugs to animals, laboratories have long been producing some remedies that taste good for their palate.
Consult your vet to find out if these medications are also available for the treatment your dog or cat needs. This will make it much easier to mix the medicine with food and even put it directly in your mouth without spitting it out.
6. Ask for help
To administer a syrup or a drop remedy, you must use a syringe without a needle to be placed on one side of the animal’s mouth, then close the mouth and inject the contents. With powders it’s easier, because you just need to dilute them with food or water.
While one of the two holds the animal still, to prevent it from escaping or moving, the other can apply the remedy. Remember to stay calm so as not to cause problems.
