setting your dog up for success with oral medication
Does your dog resist oral medication? If so, you are not alone. Most dogs (like people) don’t enjoy swallowing pills. However, if you open your dog's mouth forcefully to push a pill down his throat, you may lose your dog’s hard-earned trust—and he may not allow you to touch his mouth area any more. How do you make administering oral medication a positive experience for both you and your dog?
In this video, KPA CTP Rosalie Benitez demonstrates her trick for getting her dogs to take pills happily. Prior to teaching her dogs to accept medication, Rosalie worked to get them comfortable with different foods, flavors, and textures (including fake pills) so that they would be used to the experience. By covering the pills in something tasty (peanut butter often works well), the pills are transformed into a tasty treat. Note how she uses a happy voice, which sends a message to her dogs that pill time is happy time—no pill-pushing necessary!
For more tips on how to prepare your clients' pets for successful vet visits, check out our Better Veterinary Visits course!
Happy Training!