Giving your dog medicine can be a stressful experience for everyone involved. But, there is one simple trick that’ll make this difficult task much easier: give them treats. Here are a few tips that’ll help you skip the syringe and administer medication effortlessly.
Choose the Right Food
Giving your pet an enticing treat is essential to getting them to take their medicine willingly. Because liquid medication is often bitter, choose a treat with a strong scent and taste. Foods like peanut butter, cheese, and canned meats are great ways to hide medicine. You can also soak their favorite treat in the liquid mixture until it is fully absorbed.
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Be sure that you give them the correct amount of liquid as prescribed by your vet. If one treat isn’t enough to hide all of the prescribed dosage, feel free to split the medication between many pieces of food.
Get Them Excited
Make this time with your dog feel like a fun bonding experience. Before giving them the medicine-treated food, get your pet into a good mood. A great way to do this is by giving them a few extra treats first. Giving them untreated food will make them less likely to notice when they’re actually eating medicine. After they’ve become distracted, give them the medicine-covered treat.
If your dog seems hesitant at first, take a short break to keep them light and happy. Pushing your dog too far will make them anxious and unwilling to take their medicine, so go slowly.
Make Sure They Eat
Make sure that your pet eats all the food treated with medicine. If your dog completely refuses to eat their medicine, try placing the food directly in their mouth and hold their mouth shut. Wait until you hear them swallow before letting them go. This may make them less willing to take their medicine in the future, so avoid doing this if possible.
Mix Medicine With A Little Milk
Disguise the medication by mixing it with a little milk and serving on a small plate, this has worked well for us in the past. Dogs like milk, however, it’s best to serve it only occasionally. Some dogs can be lactose intolerant and milk may need to be substituted with another drink like goat’s milk.
Talk To Your Vet
If at any point your dog shows aggressive or violent behavior towards you when trying to administer medication, talk to your veterinarian. They may provide more detailed advice for your specific case. Your vet may also change your prescription to make administering medication easier for you.
