How to Give Medicine to Your Pet by Mouth

 
 

How to Give Medicine to Your Pet By Mouth

Giving medications to your pet by mouth is almost never enjoyable, and almost always requires a significant amount of effort.  However, there are many tips and tricks for making this a process that you can both survive!  Below are some points for you to consider with your veterinarian, your veterinary technician, and your family.

1.      LIQUID vs. PILL vs. CAPSULE
Did you know that many (but not all) oral medications come in different forms?  As veterinarians, we try to provide the form that comes in the strength (size) best suited to your pet, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other options.  If you know that you can hide a pill or a capsule in a piece of cheese better than a liquid, please tell us!  If you think you can squirt liquid into your pet’s mouth more easily, we need to know!

2.      FLAVORED MEDICATION
Many medications for pets can be made into flavors that they should like (just like little human children should like bubblegum flavored antibiotics!).  Even if medicines for pets are not routinely flavored like tuna, beef, or pizza, we can ask that they be compounded to be flavored that way, and it is not hard for us to do that if we know that it will help.  Sometimes, we can ask that medicines be made into a chewable tablet, or into a liquid form.  Some medicines can even be made into a ‘treat.’  There are even special ways to mask the bitter tastes of medicine for animals.  The world is our oyster (literally – we can flavor medicine to taste like oysters, too).  We just need to know if this will help.

3.      HIDING MEDICINE
Some cats and dogs will let you hide medicine in small pieces of deli meat, or rotisserie chicken.  Some will let us hide medicine in a piece of cheese, bread, or cream cheese.  Some will be fooled with ice cream, frozen yogurt, chunky peanut butter, or a meatball.  When hiding liquids, you can attempt to soak a very small piece of bread with the liquid.  Our recommendations are as follows:

  • Small amounts are always best – when you use large amounts of anything to hide medicine, animals will always eat the ‘treat,’ and find the medicine.

  • Cold food and thick/sticky food tends to hide medicine the best.

  • NEVER use a food that is poison to an animal (refer to the ASPCA poison control guidelines, if necessary – no onions, chocolate, raisins).

  • ALWAYS ask your primary care veterinarian’s permission, first.

4.      PILL POCKETS
This is the food grade version of meat flavored play dough, and most animals love it.  Use the smallest amount possible (often only PART of a pill pocket) to cover the pill or capsule.  Offer the pill pocket like a treat.

5.      PILL GUN
This can be purchased through your veterinarian’s office, or through many online retailer’s.  A pill or capsule can be loaded in the very tip, and the gun is loaded in the back corner of the mouth.  Medication is administered with a point and shoot approach.

6.      ORAL DOSING SYRINGE
Used for liquid medication, this is directed into the back corner of the mouth.  Syringes may allow liquid medication, if unflavored, to be mixed with a small amount of tuna juice, clam juice, beef broth, or chicken broth at home, to help create a more palatable flavoring.

The most critical part of administering medication successfully to your pet is attempting to make this process a positive one.  Help your pet to look forward to medication time, if possible.  Hopefully, oral medications are a short-term necessity for your pet, or else a long-term enjoyable task.  However, with the help of your veterinary healthcare team, this process can be made minimally stressful on all ends.  Never hesitate to ask for help if you are struggling!

Teresa Black