My puppy gets aggressive with liquid medicine. How can I give it?

Unfortunately there is not much you can do about it. Syringe would be better than the spoon. Depending on the medication you could put it on top of food as well. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

By fighting Sadie to try to give the liquid meds, it will be very hard to give them now! Just by holding a syringe she may run away. If possible, I would talk to your vet about switching this particular medication to a pill form, since that is easy to give her, or use a different medication. Many liquid medications have a bitter taste, or use a flavor that is unpalatable to dogs. If this particular liquid medication is necessary, you may talk to your vet about compounding it into a different flavor. If you still want to try to give this medication, you can try to wrap Sadie snuggly in a blanket (think doggie burrito) and quickly give it in her mouth, or even place it in small amounts in her cheek.

It is very nice of you to care for homeless dogs. Under the pet info, it indicates "cat" but I am going to assume it meant dog based on what you wrote. Usually the best way to administer medications to dogs is by sneaking them into some food or a treat. This can be done with both liquid meds as well as capsules and tablets. Do not try to stick pills into Pillu's mouth, as he may have an unknown vaccination history and you would be at risk for a contracting a disease.

I understand! Medicating cats can be very challenging in some cases. I'm not sure what type of medication he is taking, but some options would include mixing in some canned food, tuna, or other special treat. If he won't eat it this way and won't allow you to medicate him by putting the medication directly in his mouth, you could ask your vet about having it compounded into a tasty treat or liquid suspension that might be easier to give.

Poor pup. If your puppy isn't eating and taking medicine by mouth, then she may be too sick to be treated at home. Also some medications, such as antibiotics, require a full meal to avoid causing stomach upset in your pet. In this scenario, I would highly recommend getting injectable medicines done for her at your local vet clinic, that way you can ensure she gets the medicine she needs. Discuss this option with your vet. I am unsure what your pet is being treated for, but if the situation is dire, then your pet may need to be hospitalized in order to give the injectable medications repeatedly. I hope your puppy gets well soon!

I usually recommend that the medicine be directly given in the dog's mouth instead of mixing in the food. Some dogs are very good at avoiding the medicine in their food and may spit it out. In these cases you may not know if he got the medicine or not. Coating the pill, or mixing liquid medication with something tasty is the best way to get them to eat it. Pills can be covered in butter, ghee, or peanut butter to help make them more tasty. Liquid medication can be mixed with liv52, or other supplements that taste good, but avoid giving more than is recommended on the bottle. Below is a link to a good demonstration of how to give a dog a pill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3yHgItqGmo I hope that helps and all is well with Bruno.

It sounds like you will have to try and hide it in something that is strong smelling such as tuna juice. If that still doesn't work, then ask your vet to prescribe this in pill form. It may need to be sent to a compounding pharmacy in order to get the pill version. And typically if a pet spits out the medication there is no harm for aspiration. ONly when the pet chokes on it, which usually happens when we try to force the medication down. Also when a pet vomits it back up, there is small risk of aspiration. Just continue to monitor for any coughing, fever, or decreased appetite if you have concerns about this. I hope that you are able to get Chutki's medication down her soon. Best wishes and take care.