Our dogs are more than just pets – they’re family, and it absolutely kills us to see them suffer from an illness or injury. That’s why it’s so vital for us to ensure that they’re getting all of the proper medication prescribed by their vet.
Since it’s not as easy as just telling them to take their medicine, here are some strategies and tips on making sure that your dog takes their medicine and gets back to their normal, healthy life as soon as possible.
Put it in food
Chances are, your dog won’t even begin to notice that you put medicine in their food. They’re often so focused on getting it all down as quickly as possible that the medicine just sneaks in without a trace. However, there are still some tips that you need to keep in mind while using this tried-and-true method of giving your dog their medicine.
- Use a savory food that you can stick the medicine in the middle of. Some good examples are:
- Wrapped up deli meat
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Peanut Butter
- Hot dogs
- Meatballs
- There are even treats made specifically for hiding pills, like Greenies Pill Pockets
- If possible, don’t let your dog see you hiding the pill inside of the treat
- Watch your pet while they eat to ensure that they actually finish the food (and their medicine)
- If you have more than one pet, ensure that your dog eats from the correct bowl for the whole time
Hopefully, this method will work for you and your dog, but that’s not always the case. Some specific medicines have a bad taste that can deter dogs from taking it or even eating their food entirely. If you’ve noticed this with your dog, consider some of the other options below.
Switch between non-medicated treats and medicated treats
If your dog doesn’t take to the method above, try giving them a treat without medication, then a treat that has a pill inside, and finishing with a treat without medication again. They’ll most likely be so focused on the flavor of the first and third treats that they won’t even notice the pill in the second treat. It also works as a nice little reward for being a good boy or girl and taking their medicine.
Tempt them with competition
If your dog sees another pet (or person) receiving a tasty treat, they’ll want in on the action. The more buildup that you provide to entice them in wanting the treat, the more likely it is that they’ll just scarf it down with the medicine in it. Here are some tips on how to make the most of this.
- Give multiple treats to the “competitor”, whether it be another dog, a cat, or even a human
- Let your dog sniff the treat, and snatch it away before they get a hold of it (don’t worry – you can give them extra treats after they take their medicine to make up for this cruelty)
Give it to them manually
If your dog is unwilling or unable to eat for any reason, you’ll need to administer the pill manually.
Husky Anuko sees through his owner’s tricks and avoids his medicine
In order to do this, grab their upper jaw and open their mouth while tilting their head back. Place the pill on their tongue as far back as you can. Then gently massage your dog’s throat to try to convince them to swallow it.
Demonstrated here by Willard Veterinary
Obviously, this only work if your dog is non-aggressive. If there’s potential for your dog to bite during this type of interaction, consider using a pill gun to avoid putting your hand in your dog’s mouth.
Hopefully, your dog takes to it better than this husky does.
If you are witnessing your pet take their medicine as intended and they still aren’t exhibiting good results, call their vet immediately. Double check with the vet that you’re administering the correct amount of medicine at the correct time intervals. If you have been, schedule an appointment to have the vet check your pet again to make sure that they get better quicker and easier.
