Open up a jaw full of sharp teeth, shove a pill in and pray it doesn’t get spit out…pet owners know how tricky it can be to administer medicine to a squirmy dog or cat.  However, sometimes it is vital for the health of your animal that they successfully take medication.  Here are a few tips for helping the medicine go down with pets.

Pills or Capsules
Dogs:  Insert a pill to the back of the tongue to prevent your pet from spitting it out. Close your pet’s mouth and 1) massage or rub the throat to promote swallowing or 2) gently give a puff of air in the pet's face (nostrils) that causes a reflexive swallow.

Cats:  To comfort your cat and protect yourself from scratches, wrap it in a towel like a burrito or in a feline restraint bag – available in pet stores - so that just the head is exposed.  Try a “pet piller” product which is a syringe-like device that is placed in the corner of a cat's mouth.  The pill is released with a flow of water, which provides easy administration without having to open up the cat’s jaws.  These can also be used for dogs.

Here are a few more methods to try:

• Ask your veterinarian if the medicine comes in a flavored, chewable tablet that your pet will happily consume.
• Try a pill gun, which quickly and safely shoots a pill down your pet’s throat.
• With the tip of a sharp knife bore a hole into a cube of cheese, insert the pill inside and give to your pet.  Follow up with a couple of non-medicated cubes of cheese to ensure the medicine stays down.

Liquids
Liquid medicine can be put into food or easily administered with a syringe or dropper.  Try flavored liquids from compounding pharmacies - most cats will happily lick these from the spoon.  Pills are often time-released, so they shouldn’t be crushed and put into food.  Also, pets don’t seem to find this method particularly tasty. 

For dogs, liquid medicines are best administered into a pouch between the molars and the cheek - hook your finger into the mouth and gently pull the skin away from the gum line. Use a dropper or plastic syringe for easy and quick administration.  Raise your animal’s muzzle slightly as you dispense the medicine - lifting too high can cause your dog to choke.  Remove the dropper or syringe and hold the mouth closed.  As with pills, gently stroke the throat or give a puff of air into the nostrils to promote swallowing.

As cats do not have jowls like a dog, the process is a bit different. Wrap your cat in a towel or restraint bag and insert the end of a syringe or dropper into the corner of its mouth, using the tip of the dispenser to create the pouch instead of your finger.  Administer the medicine with the dispenser, using the same methods as for a dog to promote swallowing.

Pets can bring joy and companionship to their owners, so it is important to keep them healthy.  Take the frustration out of medicating your animal.  Use the tips above to ensure a long and healthy life for your cherished pet!