How to Safely Medicate Your Dog

Not all medications can be given at home but for those that can it’s sometimes tricky. The dog will squirm, you’ll prick yourself, and sometimes you have to go to the vet anyway because there was no way of getting it in your dog. While there will always be a dog out there that will need vet help, if you know how to calm your dog down it can be a lot cheaper and easier to do it yourself.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Prepare the vaccination. Most vaccines come with two bottles: one is a sterile saline, the other is the actual medication. Stick the needle into the saline bottle and pull it into the syringe. You may need to move the needle closer to the opening to make sure you get it all in. Put the bottle aside and stick the needle into the medication bottle. Push all the saline into it. With the needle still in the bottle gently tap the bottle with your finger to mix it all together. Pull it all back into the syringe.

2. While it is best to have your dog leashed and prepared before you do this it’s not always possible. When you go to find your dog make sure to put the cap back on the needle. DO NOT PUT THE CAP ON WITH YOUR HANDS! This can cause you to be pricked and sometimes for medication to be pushed out. Instead, slide the needle into the cap while it is on the countertop. Once the needle is fully in gently push the cap the rest of the way until it snaps on. Leave the needle there while you retrieve your dog. Medicine will only stay active for 15 minutes outside of the fridge (hence why it’s better to have your dog prepared already).

3. Once you have your dog it is best to make sure its mouth gets nowhere near your hand, even if it’s not normally a biter. Take your leash and wrap it snug around your dog’s muzzle. Leave enough for you to pull back and hold it tight against the dog’s chest or leg to make sure he doesn’t move. If your dog gets panicky it might also help to gently wrap a blanket around its head so it doesn’t spook as easily. Do not suffocate or strangle your dog!

4. Grab the scruff of your dog’s neck and carefully pop the cap off your needle. As calmly and quickly as possible, insert the needle into the dog’s skin and push the medication in. Pull the syringe out, recap, put back on the counter, and release your dog. Let your dog know how good it was with treats and praise.

Tips & Warnings

• When you’re done with your syringe don’t throw it away with your normal trash. It is a biohazard and needs to be treated as such. Ask your vet how to dispose of it properly.
• Self-medicating is NOT for everyone. You have to trust yourself and your dog to be able to do this properly without anyone getting hurt. If your dog tends to be more squirmy when it gets medication at the vet’s it’s probably best to continue taking it to the vet or asking the vet to personally show you how to medicate. This is only a good idea for those with calm dogs who don’t mind shots or older dogs that can’t travel easily.