As a vet when I prescribe oral treatment to a pet the first question I get from their owner is: How can I give my dog or cat their medication easily? and my answer always is: it depends.
And I know, I know that’s a very annoying answer and not what you want to hear from the vet (or me) but it’s true.
There is a variety of pharmaceutical forms (chewables, tablets, capsules, syrups…) even within the same compound and they might also come flavoured (specially if they are made for veterinary use) or unflavoured, you might need to cut or dilute them altering their palatability and there may be requirements regarding the time of day they need to be given so there isn’t a general easy answer for all cases.
Like human patients, not all furry patients will take their medicine easily but, although it is not the most enjoyable activity, it’s important we do everything in our power, as vets and owners, to make sure our patients end up getting their complete treatment causing as little stress possible (to everybody).
General considerations on medicating your pet
In this post I will try to give you all my tips on how to give your dog or cat their medication and trust me when I say I’ve seen it all, in the clinic and at home. I assure you I have used, or at least tried, every single tip and combination of them with my pets and patients. Each pet is different so no option is better than another one, the best one is the one that works for you and your pet!
Here’s a few things I’d like to remind you before digging into the actual tricks:
Ask your vet about the characteristics of the medication
- Is it flavoured for pets? (most vet specific medications are while human are not)
- Can I cut it into pieces?
- If it’s a capsule, can I open it and dilute the content or spread it on food? or it needs to be kept whole?
- If it’s liquid can I mix it with water or a liquid treat?
- Does it have to be given with or without food?
Not all dogs or cats have the same aversions
Although it is true that usually cats are more difficult to medicate than dogs and that, in general, bigger breeds tend to be less prone to finding pills hidden in wet food than tiny dogs or cats, it’s still impossible to generalize on what is the best way to give medication to your dog or cat. Every patient, no matter what species, size or age will have their particular preferences and aversions and will be triggered by different things.
Believe it or not, I have witnessed a 60-pound labrador spit up the tiniest pill hidden in the yummiest juciest ball of stinky wet food while an 8-pound pomeranian that I know very well will swallow any medication (no wrapping needed, straight out of the package) as long as you get her excited for it and reassure her that it’s a treat.
In the end, you are the one who knows your pets’ preferences best and with the right information about that specific medication and some ideas on options to try, you are probably the one to come with the best plan to administer it.
Another pharmaceutical form may be an option
If you’ve given your dog or cat medication before and know their preferences don’t hesitate to ask your vet if the same medication comes in a different pharmaceutical form that you know they’ll take easier.
For example, sometimes we prescribe medications for cats in a liquid form because most patients like it better but some cats hate it and will much easier take a small pill or a part of a bigger one hidden in some wet food.
If you know that’s the case ask your vet if the treatment your pet needs is available in that presentation and the vet won’t mind prescribing one or the other.
Imagination is power
The best example is all those videos I’m sure you’ve seen of people dropping the pill and acting as if they dropped a crumb while eating or cooking and their dog eating it right away, no coating needed and with zero effort. It makes for a funny video and might not work with all pets but it really is a brilliant idea!
What I mean is, this post will help you get some ideas you might never have heard of but feel free to adapt them to your possibilities and your furry friend’s preferences.
The do’s and the don’ts of how to medicate your dog or cat
1. Training and anticipation is key
DON’T: Wait until you have to give death-or-live medication to learn how ot do it
If your pet is not feeling well and specially if they have a reduced appetitite, it will probably be even harder to make them take their medication so if you know what method usually works best you’ll safe yourself so much hustle.
Plus, in that situation you are more likely to get frustrated easily and be less imaginative to make a plan since you feel the pressure of having to give them the treatment no matter what.
DO: Get comfortable with different tecniques and train them to tolerate certain manipulations
The best moment to learn how to give your dog or cat their medication is always when they don’t actually need it urgently. Let me explain:
For example, from when they are puppies or kittens and all during their adult life pets need to be dewormed and protected against external parasites regularly so that is one of the best times to practice: The timing doesn’t need to be as precise (if you are not successful you can try again tomorrow), most of the drugs come as chewables or flavoured, there’s usually different options available regarding pharmaceutical phorms and you have an opportunity to try different tricks every month (or whatever the manufacturer recommends) so take advantage of that.
Find out:
- What treat hides the medication better and your pet will eat without hesitation, maybe even when they are not feeling their best.
- Weather they will find hidden pills inside food or treats because they chew even on the smallest meatball or they’ll just swallow it straight when it’s something they like.
- If they tolerate liquid medicine or pills better.
Try tecniques that might be more daring:
Even if you know your cat takes their deworming pill easily with a certain wet food go ahead and try if they will have it covered in a liquid treat, or even practice the “liquid chased pilling tecnique” so you both are familiar with it. This might sound silly or unnecessary but if your pet is sick one day, won’t even eat treats and they need treatment having options is key. Moreover, even if your pet is “the easy kind” taking medication you might be able to use your knowledge with another pet who is not as tolerant!
Take advantage of training and positive reinforcement:
Training sessions are important not only to teach them safety or convenient tricks but also to desensitize your pet to some uncomfortable manipulations like ear cleanings, nail clippings or dental checks. In those cases you are teaching them to be patient and to not react to uncomfortable handling by making it worth enduring in exchange for a treat (or positive reinforcement of choice). You can do the exact same and teach them to let you put something in their mouth or stay still while getting an insuline injection if you give them a tasty treat afterwards.
And I know, it sounds wounderful that your dog or cat will take any medication easily just for a treat and you wish it’d always go that smoothly but it takes practice so it’s important to put in the effort before your dog or cat ever needs medication, specially with wary dogs and cats who are usually more difficult to trick.
2. When preparing the medication
DON’T: Let the preparation of the medicine to be associated with negative experiences by your pet
You shouldn’t be keeping the ongoing treatment in a “medication cabinet” or where “bad things” like the nail clippers or hairdryer are. They know nothing good can come from there so they’ll be warier.
Try not to let them hear the sound of the pill blister or see you prepearing the syringe. I’m not saying they know what the actually blister or syrup bottle is but they might have that sound or box associated with bad taste or having been forced to eat something during previous treatments. Even if the medication is different this time and they could like its taste they have already associate it with negative past experiences.
DO: Make it look and feel like a treat. Trick the mind, not the mouth!:
And I don’t only mean wrap the pill with something your pet likes but go further:
- Recreate the situation where you usually give your pet treats (training sessions, after a walk, make the treat’s bag noise before offering it…)
- Preparate the pill pocket or wrapping of choice before they see you, that way they won’t suspect there’s something weird about that treat you’ve been preparing for 5 minutes while they usually just come from the bag right away.
- Get them all excited and tell them it’s a treat: If you have a very excitable dog (like Olivia pictured) just telling her “do you want a treat?” (in the silliest voice of course) and asking her to do a couple of her favourite tricks will be more than enough to turn the nastiest tasting pill into the yummiest treat. You can do the same if you are hiding a pill inside food so they are less likely to calmly research the whole ball and find it.
- Give one or two empty treats first, then the one hiding the medication (or just the bare pill). Follow with another empty one and they probably won’t even notice the change. This one simple tip has been the only change needed for so many patients!
- Store the ongoing treatment where you keep the treats (as long as it’s safe and out of reach for pets and children obviously).
3. If you are cutting or altering the pharmaceutical form
DON’T: Assume any tablet can be dusted and any capsule can be opened
The way each specific drug is produced has to do with how and where it should be absorbed in the GI system, if and how it may be cut, if it has to be given with or without food, weather it’s effect is supposed to be inmediate or sustained-release etc so don’t alter it without veterinarian instructions to do so.
DO: Most of the times, keeping it whole is better than crushing it into dust
Ask your vet if you are planning on not giving a tablet or capsule whole and keep in mind that it’s not always easier to give it that way.
Specially with pills that are not made for pets in particular, it’s very common that the only thing protecting the bitter taste is an external coating. If you give them whole that bad taste is still hidden and they are easier not be noticed if mixed with food but if you mince them in small pieces everything will taste horrible and you pet will most likely not eat it.
4. When mixing the medication with food
DON’T: Mix the medication with the whole portion of their regular food (specially wet food):
Although there is an exception with dogs that devour their food no matter what’s in it, most of the time presenting their whole meal with the medicine mixed in it will result in them not taking their treatment. You will have to discard a whole meal, plus, your pet will probably not want to have that kind of food anytime soon.
Additionally, even if they eventually have the camouflaged medicine, you won’t be sure when they’ve had it during the day won’t be meeting the prescribed treatment schedule.
DO: Start with the simplest option and always keep it small:
When hiding any medication, before trying any intricate 3-layer cheese-and-ham ball the size of an orange, it’s usually best to try putting it in their regular treat or special food.
Take advantage of meal times, if it matches the treatment’s schedule give the medication always right before a meal when they’ve worked up an appetite and maybe won’t be as picky as when they have a full tummy.
If you are putting a pill inside a ball of wetfood or liquid treat it’s always best to keep it the smallest possible that will fit the whole pill inside. Bigger balls cannot be swollowed whole and the munching
usually results in finding and rejecting the pill.
For liquid medication, a good option is to put it in a dish or syringe mixed with some salmon oil, liquid treat or wetfood. Do a small amount so you can make sure they eat it all.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: Some dogs (usually bigger breeds) just take most of their pills easily if you mix them with their regular biscuits or wet-food, you can add a few drops of salmon oil on top to desguise them.
5. Who is giving the medication might be important:
DON’T: Assume only you can be successful in medicating them
If you have a dog or cat that’s very attached to you or you are the one that does the main feedings, walks and care in general, you might think you are the one to be in charge of giving them their treatment when they are sick, and you are right in a way but also missing an important point.
Your pet knows your routine so doing something out of the ordinary may look suspicious.
DO: Ask for help
On the contrary, if someone else who usually just gives them a treat here and there or even sneakily gives them food off the table (and I feel you, it’s so annoying when they do it after all your work to avoid table whining) the smartest move might be to use that in your advantage and have them give the medication because let’s face it, your puppy would never even consider that daddy or even worse… grandma would trick them like that!
6. If your pet starts salivating after taking their medicine
DON’T: Be alarmed and stop their treatment
Some patients will start salivating a lot after taking their medicine. It’s very common in cats taking syrups of pills diluted in water that taste bad.
The saliva might be quite abundant and even look foamy but it’s usually just your cat trying to get rid of the disgusting taste. They may even shake their head or scratch their mouth.
Don’t be alarmed and don’t assume it’s an allergic reaction to the medicine. Although that’s a possibility, if you don’t see any swelling or a rash-like reaction it usually isn’t the case.
DO: Take pictures and ask your vet
If this happens, keep calm, take a couple pictures and make sure your pet is breathing fine and their lips and gum don’t look inflamated or change color. Ask your vet about it the soonest possible and try giving your pet a treat or some water with a syringe to wash it all off. This reaction may be very exagerated sometimes but if you don’t see any other alarming signs you just need to find another way of medicating them next time.
Of course if you are unsure of what’s going on, it’s their first time taking a certain medicine and/or see any changes you are worried about take your pet to the vet’s.
7. Learn advanced handling techniques from a professional
DON’T: Give up and leave your pet untreated
Some pets are easier to medicate than others and even if you are finding it impossible to have them take their medicine, not giving it to them and letting the days go by until the next check-up is never the answer not what’s best for your friend’s health or what your vet wants you to do.
I can’t emphasize it enough, please put in the effort and try anything you can think of and of course ask your vet for help to make sure your pet gets the treatment they need. There’s always an option and it always is better than the alternative of your dog or cat not getting the treatment they need.
DO: Be willing to learn advanced tecniques
If none of the tips mentioned above have worked, you might need to take it a step further and learn some tricks yourself. The best option is to ask your vet or vet-tech to teach you more advanced techniques such as:
- how to give your dog their medication straight in the throat
- how to use a cat piller and liquid chaser
- how to make a kitty burrito to give your cat oral medication or perform eye/ear cleanings or drops.
It sounds daring but with a good teacher and a bit of practice you are probably more than capable of using tecniques like putting the medication in your dog’s throat or pilling your cat with or without a piller and using a liquid chaser.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, it’is not only way quicker than some other options but also less stressful for you and your pet who, yes, will have to endure an invasive and uncomfortable situation but in just a second they’ll get the medication they need on time and followed by a treat.
I will be posting in-depth blogs on “Best tips to medicate your cat” and “Best tips to medicate your dog” but until then, here are some of my favourite videos if you want a first quick lesson:
Making a burrito and pilling a cat – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNolEyL3pWI
Pill your dog without food – https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G0iqPsDnSjQ
8. Once your dog or cat has (or has not) taken their madicine
DON’T: Punish or shout at your pet for not taking their medicine
I know it sometimes might be frustrating to have your pet refuse to take their medicine (specially if you need to rush out the door to go to work) but your pet doesn’t understand that taking it is for their best interest and scaring them will only make things worse.
If you have reached that point, take a step back, let both of you take a break or even ask somebody else to give it a try.
DO: Use positive reinforcement
Always, and I mean ALWAYS praise your pet after the successful attempt, even if you’ve had to end up putting the pills down your pet’s throat after trying 4 different techniques, wasting one hour and 4 very expensive pills. If the struggle is worth their favourite treat, they might be willing to make it easier next time!
Your vet is your best ally
Lastly, always remember: your vet is your team-mate in this, not your enemy. And I don’t say this in a mean way, I just want to make sure you understand that us vets don’t find any joy in forcing your four-legged baby to eat something they don’t want to or in making you spend money, time and sometimes cause you frustration .
We will only prescribe what’s necessary for your pet’s wellbeing and just want a good prevention or quick recovery so you can enjoy life together the soonest possible. Of course we’ll be more than happy to try make things easier for you if we can so tell us your worries and suggestions and we’ll do our best to help you find the best way to give their medication to your dog or cat.
I hope you got some ideas from this post, if you still have questions on how to give your dog or cat their medication I promise I’ll make more in-depth posts on “Best tricks give medication to cats and to dogs” separately. Until then, please leave a comment on your favourite tip mention and tell us any other tricks you use to give your pets their medications! I’ll add them to the list!
And remember, your vet won’t bite but your pet won’t speak either so ask any questions you may have and we will always try to help!
