Akon Jesicia
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When your pet is sick, you want to do whatever you can to make them feel better — like giving those extra hugs and kisses or cuddling up with them in bed. But battling with them to try to get them to take their medicine is probably not one of your favorite feel-better strategies.
When your pet is sick, you want to do whatever you can to make them feel better — like giving those extra hugs and kisses or cuddling up with them in bed. But battling with them to try to get them to take their medicine is probably not one of your favorite feel-better strategies.
I am familiar with the stress that parents (and pets) endure when it’s time to give medication, particularly with an unwilling pet. Over the years I have learned some tricks that will help get that medication “down the hatch” both safely and effectively.
Offer Them A Treat: A little bribery can go a long way in this instance. Give your pet a small but special prize in return for taking their medicine. Indestructible chew toy or a biscuit might help with the “control” issue.
Hide It In Food: It’s helpful to disguise a medication’s taste by mixing it with a yummy snack. Some medications cannot be given during meals or with particular foods, so it’s important to ask your pharmacist or veterinarian if there are any restrictions with particular medications.
Place On Paws. This is a great trick for cat parents. As cats especially do not like to be dirty and groom them often. If you place something on their paws, they will usually lick it off. Usually it’s not a clever trick that works on dogs, but sometimes it does.
Place liquid medicine directly in your pet's mouth: Occasionally, a liquid medication will be given to your pet that cannot be mixed with his food, so you will need to give it directly to his mouth-but you can only do so if your pet is willing to be handled around his mouth. Following are the steps that might help you.
• Prepare for the right dose in the syringe
• Stick your finger through your pet's ear, avoiding his eyes, at the corner of his mouth, making sure his head remains in its usual position.
This will create a pocket in the corner of their mouth, allowing you to slip the syringe in the side of their jaw without having to pull their teeth apart. Don't let your pet's head tilt up at this point, as this can result in the inhalation of the liquid.
When you have given your pet their medicine, appreciate them a lot and, if possible, give them their favorite treat.
Work with Your Veterinarian: If none of the above approaches work, then call your vet for assistance. They might be able to give you advice to help the process go more smoothly.
They also might change the prescription that your pet could take easily. For example, certain drugs are available in more than one form; if your pet does not like taking liquid medicine, your vet might be able to call the pharmacy and have them prepare the medicine in tablet or a capsule form.
Learning how to give medicine to a pet that refuses is more of an art than a skill. You have to understand your pets’ temperament and what works for them.Try to test out a few strategies above and see which one works for you and do let us know in the comment section below!a
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