The simplest way to give a tablet or a liquid is to hide it in a small amount of food. If your pet refuses, use a syringe calmly and never force it. For eye drops, steady the head and hold the eyelid open; for ear drops, lift the ear flap and massage the base afterwards. Always follow the dose and schedule your vet prescribed — and never give human medicines.
Key facts:
- Tablets and liquids: hide them in a small amount of food the pet likes.
- If it refuses: use a syringe calmly and patiently. Never force.
- Eye drops: steady the head, hold the eyelid open, apply without touching the eye.
- Ear drops: lift the ear flap, apply, then massage the base of the ear.
- Golden rule: stick to the vet’s dose and schedule. Never give human medicines.
- Afterwards: give a treat. It makes next time far easier.
Half the battle with medication is not pharmacological, it is psychological. An animal that associates the pill with a fight will resist forever; one that associates it with a treat will barely notice.
How do I give a tablet?
The easiest route is concealment: wrap the tablet in a small amount of something your pet loves — a bit of wet food, a purpose-made pill treat — and give it as if it were an ordinary snack. A useful trick is to give two or three identical treats in a row, with the medicated one in the middle: by then the animal is swallowing without inspecting.
If your pet spots the pill and refuses, ask your vet whether it may be crushed — some tablets must not be, because crushing destroys a coating designed to release the drug slowly or to protect the stomach.
What if my pet won’t take it?
Then you administer it directly, calmly and without force. Fighting an animal into submission works once and poisons every attempt afterwards. Work slowly, speak quietly, and if it becomes a genuine struggle, stop and ring your vet: there is often a different formulation — a liquid, a flavoured tablet, a long-acting injection — that avoids the problem entirely.
How do I give a liquid?
With a syringe (no needle), placed at the side of the mouth, in the pouch between the cheek and the teeth. Give it slowly, in small amounts, letting the animal swallow between each one. Never squirt a large volume straight down the throat: it can be inhaled into the lungs, which is far more dangerous than the illness you are treating.
How do I put in eye drops?
Steady the head from behind, tilt it slightly upwards, and gently hold the eyelid open. Apply the drop without letting the nozzle touch the eye or the lashes — both to avoid injury and to keep the bottle sterile. Let the animal blink; do not wipe the eye immediately afterwards.
How do I put in ear drops?
Lift the ear flap to straighten the canal, apply the prescribed number of drops, then massage the base of the ear for a few seconds — you should hear a soft squelching sound, which means the drops are reaching where they need to go. Then step back, because the animal will shake its head vigorously.
The golden rule
Follow the vet’s dose and finish the course. Stopping antibiotics early because “he seems better” is how resistant infections are made. And never, under any circumstances, give your pet human medicines — ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin are toxic to dogs and cats, even in small amounts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I crush my dog’s tablet?
Sometimes, but ask your vet first: some tablets have coatings that must not be broken.
Can I give my dog paracetamol or ibuprofen?
No. Human painkillers are toxic to dogs and cats. Only give what your vet prescribes.
My cat spits out every pill — what do I do?
Tell your vet. There are often liquid, flavoured or long-acting alternatives that avoid the fight altogether.
Should I finish the whole course?
Yes. Stopping early, especially with antibiotics, allows the infection to return and to become resistant.
Medication is only part of the bill. Petplan España (Petplan Ibérica, S.L.) reimburses 100% of the vet bill up to €3,100 a year, with a €45 excess, at any vet you choose. See the policy terms.
