Any pet owner who has had to try and give their pet medication they don’t want to take knows how headache-inducing the experience can be. On one hand you know that it’s important for them to take their medication, but on the other hand, you feel terrible pinning them down and trying to force them to take in. To make matters worse, you know that your pet has no idea that you’re only doing it for their own good!
Fortunately, we are experts when it comes to giving pets their medication. To make your life easier, we’ve put together a list of our favourite tricks to easily give your pet their medication.
PILL POCKETS AND OTHER TREATS
This neat little invention is pretty much exactly what it sounds like – a hollowed out treat that is designed to hold a pill. There are a few different brands with pill-hiding treats on the market, but all do essentially the same thing. With fewer calories and sodium, these all-natural treats make a great alternative to using human food to hide treats. Plus they come in a variety of great flavours: chicken, real peanut butter, and hickory smoke for dogs and chicken and salmon for cats. Your pet will be so thrilled with the taste of the treat they won’t even realize what’s hiding inside it.
TRY A DIFFERENT FORM OF MEDICATION
If your pet absolutely won’t take their pills, no matter how many treats you hide them in talk to your vet about whether or not another form of medication is available. What many pet owners don’t realize is that some medications actually come in a liquid form as opposed to pill form. This means you can squirt it right in their mouth or on their food for them to take it. Just make sure you’re monitoring to ensure they eat all their food or they may not be getting the necessary amount of medication.
FLAVORED PILLS
Another lifesaver when it comes to giving your pet medication is the availability of flavored pills. There are countless types of medication today that come in flavors your pet loves, such as beef or chicken. In fact, some of these medications are formulated with actual beef and chicken, not just flavoring!
OPT FOR LONG-LASTING MEDICATION
If giving your pet their meds is an ongoing battle, talk to your vet and see if there is an option for a longer-lasting medication. If you can get a medication that only requires you to give it once a day as opposed to three or four times a day, think of how much time you’ll save. If you think that sounds good, you’ll be thrilled to hear some medications are available in doses that last up to two weeks!
If you’re having trouble giving your pet their medication, the best person to talk to is your veterinarian. Whether they suggest you try pill pockets, switching forms of medication, or something else will depend on your pet and their specific medical needs, but together you will be able to come up with a solution that reduces medication-related stress for both you and your pet!