How to Give Medication to Your Dog
Hi! I'm Haley, a technician here at Green Valley Veterinary Care. Today, I’m going to show you different ways to give medication to a dog. I'll be using two different medications and also demonstrating with a syringe of water.
Easy Methods for Giving Your Dog Medication
1. Hiding the Medication in a Treat
One of the easiest ways to give medication is by hiding it in a treat! Here are some options:
- Pill pockets – Available at most grocery stores and online (like Amazon).
- Camo pill – Another great product designed to mask the pill’s taste.
How to Do It:
- Take a small piece of the pill pocket (or camo pill).
- Mold it around the pill so it’s completely hidden.
- Offer it to your dog like a normal treat!
Hopefully, your dog will take it willingly—just like mine! But if your dog is picky, there are a few other tricks you can try.
2. Using Peanut Butter
Some dogs love peanut butter, and it’s a great way to disguise medication! Plus, since it’s sticky, it makes it harder for them to spit the pill out.
How to Do It:
- Put a small amount of peanut butter on a spoon.
- Hide the medication inside the peanut butter.
- Spread it on the roof of your dog’s mouth so they have to lick it off.
Pro Tip: Peanut butter can be sticky, so have a bowl of water ready for your pup afterward!
When Your Dog Refuses Medication
If your dog refuses treats and peanut butter, you may need to give the medication manually.
3. Giving a Pill Directly
This method is more hands-on but can be necessary if your dog won’t take medication any other way.
How to Do It:
- Gently lift your dog’s head and open their mouth.
- Place the pill as far back on their tongue as possible.
- Close their mouth and hold it shut for a few seconds.
- Lightly stroke their throat to encourage swallowing.
Some dogs will swallow immediately, while others might hold the pill in their mouth.
4. Using a Syringe (for Pills or Liquid Medication)
If your dog struggles with pills, you can encourage swallowing with a small amount of water.
How to Do It:
- Fill a syringe with a little water.
- Place the syringe in the corner of your dog’s mouth (not the back of the throat).
- Slowly push the plunger to let the water trickle in.
- This encourages your dog to swallow naturally.
For liquid medications, the same technique applies—slowly dispense the liquid in the corner of their mouth rather than squirting it directly down their throat. This helps prevent them from spitting it out.
No matter which method you use, the key is patience and a little creativity! Hopefully, one of these techniques will make medicating your dog much easier.
If you ever have trouble medicating your pet, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Green Valley Veterinary Care! Please give us a call at the office at (937) 358-8142, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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