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Giving Your Pet Medication
by Heidi Stonehill
You've just been told that your pet will need to take medicine. You know how much to give that's appropriate for your particular animal and how many times per day. You understand all the instructions from the vet and have read all the instructions from the medicine manufacturer. But, now that it is time to actually give it to your pet, just how do you go about it?
Individual cats and dogs can be as good or as bad about taking medicine as individual people are. It's very frustrating when a pet will run away and hide, squirm out of your arms, or try to bite while you are attempting to pop a pill into his or her mouth. Why is it that it looks so simple when the veterinarian does it, but it's impossible to do at home?
My previous cat, Fluffy, had diabetes, heart trouble, and later, a host of other problems. Fortunately, he was a very calm, understanding animal. He would let me give him his insulin shot while he was working on the food in his bowl. Pills he wasn't keen about, but the particular pills he had, I could crush and add to his food, which he tolerated. Liquid medication was fairly easy with him, as he accepted my squirting it into his mouth with a dropper.
My current cat, Tig, is not so cooperative. He's very nervous and picky. Crushed pills in his food are not to his liking. And I have a very hard time keeping him still if I have to give him a pill or liquid medicine directly. It's amazing how strong a 17-pound cat can be when he wants to get out of your arms. Do you have a pet like that?
There are several techniques that may help you to administer medication to a pet. One method is to hide the pill in food. This is a popular method with dogs, but doesn't usually work with cats, as they often eat around the pill. You can try hiding the pill in a moist niblet. This sometimes works for cats. In fact, there are even moist treats specifically designed to hold a pill in the center; these come in dog and cat sizes and are offered online or at pet supply stores.
If food doesn't do the trick (or, if the medication is not to be given with food), then you'll need to give the medication directly to your pet. This is when it can get difficult.
Here are some helpful videos from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine that you can view online. They are just a minute or so long. The first focuses on how to give a cat a pill, from putting it in food, to giving it directly with you fingers, to using a "pill gun" (available from your veterinarian).
The other video is how to give a cat liquid medication. Sometimes you can use liquid medication as an alternative to pills if your cat might handle it better. Some medications only come in liquid form.
How to Give a Cat Liquid Medication
The Cornell site also offers videos on other cat health topics, such as how to give insulin to a cat.
Here are instructions (no video) from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine about how to give a pill or liquid medication directly to a dog, if s/he doesn't eat it in his/her food:
How to Give a Dog a Pill or Liquid Medication
Hope these help! Good luck, from one pet owner to another!
Reader Comments
Comment from rachel kipka on May 19, 2008
My 17-year-old kitty, Madeline, takes a pill for thyroid twice daily. We've found the moist treats called "Pill Pockets" to be most helpful. Each treat is soft and has a hollow center to place the pill. She loves the treats and she doesn't even know she's taking her medication. Thanks for the helpful tips!
Comment from R F on June 5, 2008
Pilling cats can be very hard but there is a sure fire way to get it done. First get cat on a table or counter and place your dominant arm over the cat. You want the cat to have all fours on the counter so when they push they push up into your armpit. Apply only enough pressure to keep her/him in place, we don't want to hurt her/him. Hold the pill in your un-dominate hand between thumb, index and middle finger. You are going to have to be quick (or be willing to be bite), so the further out you can hold the pill the better. Now for the hard part. Rap your dominant hand around and under the chin of your cat. Cats (actually most mammals) have pressure points right at the jaw joint. With your thumb and and index finger begin gently squeezing the cat's jaw joints. It helps to start just in front of the joint. Slowly increase pressure it really should not take that much pressure. I can't stress this enough, it is finding the right spot that will cause the jaw to open NOT the amount of pressure (we don't want to hurt your cat). When you hit just the right spot the mouth will open and you need to quickly (very quickly) place the pill in the cat's mouth and at the same moment release the pressure points and cup a hand around her/his muzzle. So, now the pill is in the mouth and you are holding her/his mouth shut. I know it sounds harsh, but in a second or two of trying to escape and/or spit the pill out your cat will swallow and down goes the pill. This is an extremely effective method, but if you are like me it makes your heart break a little. I suggest giving kitty a super treat after the pill is down. If you are consistent and ALWAYS and Immediately reward you cat after the pill is down most cats will become at least tolerant of being pilled. Again I am describing firm and respectful handling. I am absolutely not advising or advocating hurting your cat, the holding down and pressing of pressure points needs to be firm but not harmful. f you are even approaching the force needed to bruise an animal you are doing it wrong.
Comment from Della Nation on July 21, 2008
ask the vet for liquid form and a syringe using the same holding method and reward with treat there's no problem as RF my cat is 11 and he knows what's coming and simply stands still of course not liking the taste he looks for the treat!
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