How to give pills to your dog

Getting your dog properly diagnosed and treated is only half the battle. Not all of our pets are ready to meekly take medicine, especially pills. Some desperately resist, while others strive to hide the pill in their mouth and secretly spit it out. However, there are several ways to give the pill quickly and effectively.

Disguise

The most pleasant option for the dog is to hide the medicine in something tasty. A ball of canned food is perfect. At the same time, crushing the tablet is undesirable: for some drugs, this reduces the effectiveness. You can give a treat with a “surprise” as a reward for the executed command.

True, there is a nuance. This method is only suitable for drugs with a neutral taste: the dog will spit out a bitter pill when it bites through. And he will also remember her smell, and the trick will never work again. True, there are still drugs that must be given before or after meals, and not during. In this case, a tablet dispenser may be useful.

tablet giver

A simple, reusable device, also known as a sheath or piller. You can find it in almost any veterinary pharmacy. It is similar to a syringe, but instead of a needle, there are grippers at the end that hold a tablet or capsule. If the dog spits out the pill, open its mouth with one hand, and with the other hand push the introducer inside so that the medicine is near the root of the tongue. By gently pressing the plunger, the grippers will open and the tablet will fall out. Next, you need to remove the tablet dispenser, close the pet’s mouth and, slightly raising his head, stroke his throat, stimulating swallowing. 

Without improvised means

If there is no tablet dispenser at hand, you can follow a similar algorithm without it.

1. The dog must stand, sit or lie on its stomach. If it resists, ask someone from the family to hold it.
2. Take the tablet in your right hand (or left hand if you are left-handed).
3. In order for the pet to open its mouth with the thumb and forefinger of the second hand, lightly press on the gap between the teeth.
4. Put the medicine on the root of the tongue and immediately close the mouth
5. Point the muzzle with the nose up and hold with your hand so that the dog cannot open its mouth.
6. Release the dog when it swallows. This will happen faster if you stroke the throat area between the head and neck.

Can I give my dog ​​human pills?

Humans and dogs have different physiologies and only a few human pills are suitable for our pets. At the same time, many pills for people to give to dogs are not only useless, but also extremely dangerous. This can lead to the most severe consequences. Under strict prohibition:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Advil);
• medicines containing paracetamol;
• antidepressants, sleeping pills and sedatives;
• drugs for the treatment of attention deficit disorder.

And most importantly: any medications (including tablets for worms and allergies) should never be given to a dog without permission. Medicines are prescribed only by a qualified veterinarian, and the owner must strictly follow all his recommendations for dosage and duration of administration.