Effortless strategies for administering pet medications
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Some pets take medications willingly, while others resist, making the process stressful. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Understanding that every pet is unique and may require different approaches to taking medications is essential. This guide outlines easy tips to help you make the pet medication process easier.
Hide Medications in Delicious Treats
- A simple and successful way to handle your pet’s medication is by hiding pills in tasty treats. Pets that are highly motivated by food will often eat the treat without realizing there’s a pill inside. Some pets may be more cautious and might detect the pill unless you find an irresistible treat like tuna for cats or liver sausage for dogs.
It’s essential to be creative with treats, but always avoid using harmful ingredients, such as chocolate or xylitol. Alternatively, you can explore commercial options like pill pockets and wraps designed specifically for this purpose.
Mix Medications into Wet Food
- For pets that resist swallowing pills, an easy way is to mix medications into wet or creamy foods like canned pet food, applesauce, or peanut butter. If the pills don’t have a bitter taste, you can crush them into a powder using a pill grinder or open up powdered capsules to blend the medication into their meal.
This method often makes it easier for pets to consume their medication without noticing it, ensuring your pets get the treatment they need.
Opt for Liquid Pet Medications
- Liquid formulations provide a simple alternative for pets that are picky about taking pills. They are particularly suitable for smaller pets since administering large volumes through an oral syringe can be challenging for larger animals.
While not all medications come in liquid form, you can often create a liquid by mixing crushed pills with water. This approach mimics the convenience and ease of administering standard liquid medications, ensuring your pet gets the treatment they need without the struggle of swallowing pills.
Use Positive Reinforcement for Pet Medication
- Encourage your pet to consider medication time positively by including rewards like praise, treats, grooming, or extra affection both before and after giving medication. Positive reinforcement helps pets associate medication with enjoyable experiences, making them more cooperative during the process.
Over time, many pets even expect their treats during medication time and may remind you if you forget. This approach results in a stress-free routine for administering medication and strengthens your bond with your pet.
Opt for Gentle Pet Restraint
- Effective pet restraint ensures safe and stress-free medication administration. Use a towel or blanket to wrap your pet gently, approach from behind rather than head-on, or ask a family member to provide a comforting hug. These methods help you manage your pet’s movements without causing anxiety or discomfort.
If you’re unsure about administering medication correctly at home, take your pet to a veterinarian. Experienced professionals can teach you gentle restraint techniques tailored to your pet’s needs for administering eye, ear, topical, and oral medications effectively.
Use Compounded Pet Medications
Compounded pet medications involve changing a medication from one form, typically a powder or capsule, into another form, like a chew or liquid. This process is beneficial when a pet needs medication that is not commercially available or only available in large doses.
Compounding can also create dissolvable tablets, transdermal gels, or palatable chews, which are useful for pets that are challenging to medicate. Keep in mind that compounded drugs are customized and not routinely tested for potency, potentially affecting their effectiveness compared to standard medications.
At Autumn Trails and Veterinary Center, we provide the best urgent care services to save your pet’s life during an emergency. We offer our veterinary services in Charlottesville, VA. To book an appointment, contact us at (434) 971-9800.
