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Picture it. You're at the vet and they say the dreaded words- "Your dog needs to take this medication"- and you know your dog hates taking medication. This could be anything from a short course of robaxin or amoxicillin or a longer term medication like apoquel, pimobendan, furosemide, or Previcox.
Your first step is to ask the crucial details while you are at the vet- what is this medication going to do? What side effects should I watch out for? What form (liquid, pill, powder, etc) is this medication in? How should this medication be stored? How much of this medication should my dog get, and at what intervals? Another question I always ask is the interval safety, especially if it is a drug that dog will get multiple times a day- what is the safety margin if Doggie gets the medication at 10 hours instead of 12 hours apart?
Now you've gotten the medication home and it's time for the real work to begin. If you are lucky, your dog takes it like a champ with no fuss and you can ignore the rest of this blog post- but if you're like many of us, keep reading.
Why is this so relevant to small dogs?
Small dogs, on average, live longer than their larger counterparts and, as such, frequently need medication as they progress into their teen years. They can also be tricky to medicate because of their size; their lilliputian nature can make pills daunting to hide.
Pills
Depending on your dog, pills can be among the easiest or the hardest to administer.
In the Food
Some dogs will eat pills in their food, either ground up or even whole. If you are absolutely sure your dog will eat their food with the medication, this can be an easy route to try.
Peanut Butter
My first go to is administering it in peanut butter. If this doesn't work, try different brands of peanut butter. Sometimes the thicker, more natural grainy peanut butter is great, but it may not "stick" enough to the roof of the mouth, so an option like a creamy Jif could be better. Remember, with anything, make sure there's no xylitol added- it is toxic to dogs.
In my experience, I have had more luck with small pills in peanut butter than large pills or capsules.
Pill Pockets/Pill Paste
If the peanut butter isn't working, try some of the dog based treats that hide pills, like pill pockets or pill paste. Both are great options and have multiple flavors. I have switched off between them in the past so the dog never gets too used to one, and I always try to occasionally sneak in an extra "treat" of that pill hiding device- sans pill of course- to throw them off the scent.
Wrapping in High Value Snack
If your dog has a high value treat like chicken or beef, try wrapping it in that. I leave this as a last resort, and avoid it except as a very short term solution as it can be problematic for long term administration in terms of logistics and health.
Pill/Tablet Syringe
This differs slightly from the other methods because it involves just taking the pill and putting it on the end of this specially designed syringe (it "grabs" the pill and you draw up water in the syringe, when you squirt the water in, it releases the whole pill with it so the dog swallows it). As a note, many people have said that the hard tip has scratched their pet's throat and the device is technically single use which could get expensive.
Crushing it
Before you attempt to crush the pill, talk to your vet to make sure that the medication doesn't need to be swallowed whole and it's okay to crush.
I recommend a pill crusher that is linked below, but in a pinch, a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon in a small bowl also work.
After crushing the pill, you have three options:
Add to the food
As it sounds, simply mix it in with your dogs food, if its dry food, add some water to make it stick, or some canine-safe "gravy" found at many pet stores or online.
Add to a sticky substance
One of the best ones is peanut butter, but basically, make a treat with the powder mixed in with something they will want to eat. This works well for "pill spitters"- also known as dogs who like to get all of the treat and then spit the pill back at you.
Mix with a liquid and use a syringe to make it a liquid medication
This is probably my favorite for BIGGER pills (some of the medication can be left behind in the bowl or syringe, so I avoid this with the teeny tiny pills unless I have no option) and very resistant dogs. We have a short video we've posted in this blog to show you how to mix it up, but after you have it crushed, get another small bowl with water in it. Use the syringe (link posted below) to pull up some water, and then slowly add water to the bowl of the pill crusher and mix it around until you have a consistency you can draw up in the syringe. Once it's mixed, draw it up and syringe it in the mouth (more about that later).
1 cc Syringe for Oral Administration
Capsules
Capsules can have many of the same challenges as pills, except they are already crushed. They are usually larger than most pills, and easier to be ejected from the mouth. I've had one or two medications in capsules that the vets wanted given whole, but most can be emptied onto the food, mixed with a sticky substance, or mixed with water to make a liquid.
Liquids
Love them or hate them, it really depends on the dog and the owner. Many owners and canine caregivers recoil at the thought of giving liquid meds- and I used to be one of them! Now, it's my go to, because it's a solid way of making sure that these tiny dogs get all of their meds. That being said, when I was interviewing pet sitters once I had one decline the job because it involved liquid medications! Many liquid medications have more sensitive storage requirements (check with your vet and the label- if it needs to be refrigerated, make sure you refrigerate it) and probably shouldn't be heated up.
Add to their food
If you are sure they will eat their food with medication, this can be an ideal way to do it. Make sure if you need to heat their food that you do that before you add the medication.
In the Mouth
The administration that leaves most owners recoiling- and my first comment here is safety. If your dog is aggressive or bites, don't get hurt (there was a time I used gloves that couldn't be penetrated while medicating a particularly sassy chihuahua). I like to follow up with a high value treat, like the ones that will be headed your way in your Bits and Paws subscription box, and some playtime (if appropriate) after administration. When you go to give the liquid medication, be confident, and ask for help- especially the first several times. I am right handed, so I usually hold the dog on my left and put my left hand on the left side of their face to stabilize it. I then put the syringe in the right corner of the mouth towards the center back- not so far back that you risk them choking, but not on the teeth line or the outside of the teeth- you want it on the tongue.
A Final Note on Medication
Successful medication administration is a commitment but can make a massive difference in the quality and quantity of your dog's years. Make sure you have honest conversations with your vet about the requirements around their needs and what is feasible for you so you are setting everyone up for success. If you are uncomfortable with one kind of administration, let them know, and they might be able to suggest an alternative drug or have it dispensed in a different form. Talk to them about the timing of it as well and how practical it is, and ways to schedule it so it works for everyone.
I also find that making a schedule is helpful once you start handling multiple medications. It allows you to keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done. I also couldn't live without a pill organizer- spend the $7 or so to get one, and make your life easy. There is nothing worse than trying to figure out what medication is needed when you are bleary eyed. I put the pills in weekly and I'm set!
Also, make a medication master list so if anything happens to you, someone can take over.
My final thought on medication is to get help. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors, and your local dog walkers. I've had the best success hiring a dog walker comfortable with medication to come in and help me when I need to be gone during the evening medications or if I had to be at work. Make sure to show them exactly what to give and where it is and don't assume they will be able to figure it out. Medication is a commitment for an owner and a dog, and successful and consistent administration is crucial. Having help on your team can make you feel less burdened and overwhelmed by the responsibility.
