Strategies for Giving Medicine
Certain tricks will help your pup swallow pills more easily.
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If you can't get your dog to eat a pill encased in a piece of cheese, you'll have to drop it down his throat. Grasp his muzzle with one hand and pull his jaw open with the other. Try to place the pill as far back into his throat as you can, then gently force his mouth closed. Massage his mouth, working down to the throat, until you see his neck move in the familiar swallowing motion.
A few drops should do it, but not if you don't know how to give your dog his liquid medicine. Tilt his head slightly upward, then place a dropper or syringe filled with the correct amount of medicine behind the lip fold at the side of his mouth. Squeeze the liquid in a bit at a time to give your dog time to swallow.
When giving eye drops, use the buddy system if possible. Your friend can hold your dog's raised head still while you gently roll back the upper eyelid and drop the medication in. Don't have any help? Kneel beside your sitting dog, then cup his chin and gently tilt his head so his nose points upwards. With one hand, pull his lower lid open. Use your other hand to pull back his top lid while you slowly squeeze out the medicine.
Ears are often hit by bacteria and other invaders, so dog owners should get used to dropping medication inside. Sit your dog down, then kneel beside him as you pull up his ear flap. With the other hand, administer the medication, whether it's in a tube, syringe or dropper, making sure it goes straight into the ear canal. Bring the ear flap back down, then rub it gently to work the medication inside. For erect ears, drop the medicine inside, gently fold the ear flap down to cover the ear, then rub the flap gently.
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