Giving your pet a pill doesn't have to be a pain

Whether your pet is on oral medication for life or receiving it as part of a treatment for a short-term illness, trying to convince your pet to take a pill can be torture - especially if that pet is known to spit pills out even when you hide them in food! Many animals come through the shelter in need of medication and our medical staff members have had to learn the fine art of administering medication to animals that are less than thrilled about having to take it. Below are some of the methods they use to help medicate the dogs and cats that come through our doors.

Step-by-step:

1) Lift your pet's head so they are looking up at the ceiling.

2) If you do not have a helper, hold the pill in your fingers. Use the hand holding the pill to pull down on your pet's lower jaw the other hand to lift the upper jaw so your pet's mouth is open.

3) When your pet's mouth is open, put the pill in the side of his mouth as far back as you can.

4) Close your pet's mouth and gently hold it shut.

5) Blow in your pet's nose and rub their throat - this will encourage them to swallow.

6) When you believe your pet has swallowed, be sure to offer them lots of praise and a treat!

Other options:

Some animals are very difficult to medicate and, no matter how hard you try, they always manage to spit out the pills you give them. For these animals, we rely heavily on pill pockets and peanut butter.

Pill Pockets

Pill pockets are treats that form a case around pills. While dogs are typically happy to eat just about anything, we've found that pill pockets are especially helpful with cats that need medication, especially since cats tend to be pickier about what they eat. Just mix the pill pocket in with a couple other treats and many pets will happily gobble it up without thinking twice.

Peanut Butter

When all else fails, peanut butter can usually save the day. Some pets will eat their pill right from a glob of peanut butter. You can also make an inexpensive version of pill pockets using peanut butter. There are many recipes available, but most of them are just a simple mix of milk, peanut butter, and flour. If your pet is on medication for life, making your own pill pockets will save you a lot of money.

Remember that our pets can get easily stressed out, especially if you're repeatedly trying to force them to swallow a pill. Be sure to always offer your pet a treat and lots of praise when they take a pill so they find the experience more enjoyable. Giving your pet a pill will also be easier if you utilize the same method you use for pills for giving them a treat on a regular basis. Try gently opening your pet's mouth and putting a treat in their mouth instead of a pill. Or offer your pet a Kong toy filled with peanut butter so he understands that peanut butter is a treat, not just something you use to hide a pill. The less attention you can draw to the fact that you are giving your pet a pill, the easier the process will be for both you and your pet!

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, a cockatoo, two cats, a bearded dragon, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org. To learn more about Cocheco Valley Humane Society, go to www.cvhsonline.org or call 603-749-5322.