How to give a small dog liquid medication

Wed Aug 29 15:43:54 EDT 2012

Giving a dog his medicine is rarely easy, but knowing the proper procedure and what to expect can make the process more pleasant — for you and your dog.

Many people find liquid medicines easier to administer than other types, such as pills, capsules, eye drops or injections. But it still takes patience, precision, and a bit of strength to get your dog to sit still and swallow the right amount. Here, how to make the medicine go down easier.

Liquid medications are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions. Some medicines that are usually prescribed as pills or capsules can be changed, or compounded, to a liquid formulation for easier administration. If you have trouble giving your dog pills, ask your veterinarian if compounding is possible.

It’s important to use only medicines prescribed by a veterinarian and to treat for the full length of time prescribed. Don’t stop treatment early, even if the problem seems to be resolved. You can ask your veterinarian to demonstrate how to give the medicine.

Liquid medications should come with a dropper or syringe for administration. Fill the dropper or syringe with the prescribed amount of medicine. Holding your dog’s head still with one hand, insert the tip of the dropper or syringe into a corner of the mouth, between the cheek and the teeth, aiming toward the back of your dog’s head.

• Do not tilt your dog’s head back; this may cause him to inhale the medicine. Squeeze the dropper or depress the syringe plunger to empty it.
• Hold your dog’s mouth closed and stroke his throat or blow on his nose to encourage swallowing.
• Reward your dog with a treat approved by your veterinarian.

You may need help keeping your dog still while you administer medicine. If you don’t have a helper handy, you may want to sit on the floor and hold the front of your dog’s body partially against your body or on your lap. If you have a large dog, you can stand behind your dog and have him sit back against your legs. Sometimes it helps to back your dog into a corner.

Small dogs can be wrapped in a large towel and held against your body, leaving only the head free. Be sure not to wrap your small dog too tightly.

If your dog struggles, talk to him calmly and stop administering the medicine if he becomes extremely agitated. Contact your veterinarian if you have questions or run into any problems.

This article has been reviewed by a Veterinarian.

The easiest way to give your dog a liquid medication is to mix it with some canned food. To ensure that the medication is swallowed, it is best to hand feed a small amount of food containing the medication, rather than a large portion that the dog may not completely consume. Some dogs may be unwilling to eat the food or may have dietary restrictions that prevent you from using this technique. If this is the case, you will need to administer the medication directly into your dog’s mouth.

Place your dog in a safe and comfortable area where it can be easily handled. Have the medication prepared and easily accessible. It is easiest to give liquid medication if you have a second person available to help you.

Make sure you have carefully read the prescription label and understand the dosing instructions. Most liquid medications should be gently shaken or mixed prior to drawing them into the dosing syringe.

Gently pull your dog’s lip away from the teeth and create a “pouch” along the side of the mouth.

Place the tip of the syringe in the side of the mouth, just behind one of the canine teeth and advance the syringe so that it is in the mouth just past the tooth line.

Slowly squeeze the syringe to dispense the liquid medication. Make sure you do this slowly so the dog has time to swallow the liquid and breathe normally.

Most dogs will spit out some of the medication. DO NOT re-medicate unless you are certain that NONE of the medication was taken.

Make sure you give your dog plenty of praise throughout the procedure and offer a treat or extra playtime after giving the medication. This will make the experience more positive and make it easier to give the medication the next time.

Rinse the dropper or syringe thoroughly with water and refrigerate the remaining medication if necessary.

Nobody likes taking medicine. Usually, it does not taste particularly good, and while you may understand the reason for taking a noxious tasting substance, your dog does not. When faced with taking a foul-tasting liquid medicine, the reason for which they have no way of understanding, your dog may prove uncooperative. That being said, many pet owners find liquid medication easier to administer than pills, which an uncooperative dog may manipulate out of their mouth. Some pills can be substituted for a liquid form, or sometimes pills can be dissolved in water and administered with a syringe if this is easier for pet owners. Handling a liquid medication so that the correct dosage is administered, and mess and spillage are avoided, requires some precautions, and technique. Read on for effective tips to administer your dog liquid medication.

Read the instructions on any liquid medication thoroughly. Does it need to be refrigerated? Stored away from sunlight? Can it be administered with food? Understand the dosage for your dog, and make sure that you have an appropriate applicator. Many liquid medications are administered with a syringe or dropper. Liquid medications often should be shaken before administering to ensure that they are correctly mixed, as contents of a liquid suspension can settle to the bottom of their container.

The easiest way to administer liquid medication is to mix the appropriate dosage with some canned food. A small amount of food should be used to ensure that your dog takes all the medication, and no food and medication is remaining. First, you need to establish that the medication can be administered with food. If other pets are present, you will need to separate them to make sure that only the intended recipient of the medication receives the dosage. Also, you will need to watch your dog to make sure they consume all the treated food and medication.

If your dog will not take the medication in food, or if the medication cannot be administered with food, it will need to be administered directly.

To directly administer liquid medication you will need to:

- Draw the appropriate dosage into the dosing syringe, be careful to ensure you understand and have the correct dosage in the syringe.- If refrigerated, you may want to warm medication in your hand, or put the syringe or applicator in warm water, or allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to warm up medication if your dog finds this more palatable. Do not microwave, as this can negatively affect the medication.- Put your dog in an area where they are comfortable and you have room to work. Have medication prepared and ready to reach.- If possible, have someone assist you to position your dog, and if necessary, restrain them by backing them up against a wall or wrapping a small dog in a towel or blanket.- Carefully pull your dog's lower lip away from their teeth, behind the canine teeth, so that a pouch is created.- Put the tip of the syringe into this pouch pointing towards the back of the head and behind the canine teeth, and gently insert the applicator syringe past the tooth line.- Be careful to watch for signs your dog is agitated, as this can cause them to move and medicine to be spilled. Or, because of the positioning of your hand beside the mouth, you can receive a bite or nip from a stressed dog. If your dog becomes agitated, calm them and work quietly and quickly to accomplish your task.- Depress the plunger of the syringe to dispense liquid into the oral cavity of your dog.- Ensure you advanced the syringe slowly enough to give the dog time to swallow the medicine, and avoid them spitting it out. Do not tilt the dog's head back, as this can cause them to inhale medication and choke.- Close your dog's mouth shut to avoid your pooch spitting out medication, and hold closed until they swallow. You can blow on the dog's nose, or stroke their throat to encourage them to swallow.- If your dog spits out some of the medication, do not remediate as you cannot determine the exact amount expelled and guessing could result in overdose. Most canine dosages account for some medication being spit or spilled.- Give your dog a treat afterward, if permitted with medication.- Wash the syringe between dosages to remove bacteria from the oral cavity and residual medication.

- Wash your hands after handling your dog’s oral cavity.

Liquid medications may be easier to administer to some dogs than pills are. Owners should always be sure to read all instructions with the medication to be sure they understand handling and dosage instructions. Having help, and administering medication in an environment where medication is easily accessible, and it is easy to handle your dog, will help the process. Liquid medication can often be administered in appetizing canned food, or with a syringe or dropper. If administered directly, it can be inserted into a pouch created at the rear of the dog's mouth by pulling the lip away from the gum line, and inserting the applicator past the teeth and squeezing the applicator to dispense medication. A little practice and patience usually results in successful administration of liquid medications and treating your dog afterward will make it a more pleasant experience for them.

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