How to give your dog tablets without food
If the medicine needs to be taken on an empty stomach simply get your dog to sit upright, tilt their head back and open their mouth. Place the tablet as far back on their tongue as possible and close their mouth – keeping your hands over the top and bottom of their jaw, gently massaging their throat to encourage them to swallow.
Always be calm and offer words of encouragement, followed by a treat to reward them for their good behaviour.
How to give your dog liquid medicine
If you have to give your dog liquid medicine, you should use a dropper or syringe – preferably the one which came with the medicine. Hold your dog’s head, but do not tilt it back or they may inhale and splutter on the medicine. Put the tip of the dropper into a corner of their mouth, between the cheek and the teeth, making sure that it’s pointing towards the back of their throat.
Empty the dropper into their mouth and then hold your dog’s mouth closed. Stroke their throat or gently blow onto their nose to coax them to swallow. Again always be calm and offer words of encouragement, followed by a treat to reward them for their good behaviour.
If you are unsure if your pet’s medications should be given with or without food, please check with your pet’s pharmacist or veterinarian. Many medications do not have food restrictions, but you may want to give these medications with food if stomach upset occurs. The examples above are a general guide; your veterinarian may want you to give medications differently based on your pet’s individual needs.
The conditions within the digestive tract change as it goes from empty to full. Most medications are absorbed in the small intestine after leaving the stomach. When the stomach is full, it is more acidic and medications spend more time there; this is beneficial for the absorption of some medications but reduces the absorption of others.