Giving medicine to animals

Many of my clients have animals who are sick and need to take medication.  Their stories are often very similar . . . their animals spit pills out, no matter how creative their guardians get in hiding the pills in tasty treats, their animals run and hide as soon as they see the medicine come out, or their animals fuss and fight any time someone is trying to give them medication.  

I personally believe that most of the time, the problem is that the animals doesn't understand what they are being given or why.  I always encourage my clients to talk to their animals and help them understand more about the medicine.  Here are some 'talking points' that I give my clients when they talk to their animals:

- Tell them what the medicine is and why they are giving it to them

- Explain how it will help the animal feel better in terms they understand ("You know how you have been having pain when you try to run?  This will help make the pain go away." or "You know how your skin has been itchy and irritated?  This will soothe your skin so you will feel better.")

- Tell them how long they will need to take the medicine.  They are often much more willing to be cooperative when they know it's only a ten day course of antibiotics or just something they have to endure for a few weeks.  If it is a medication they will have to take for the rest of their life, explain that to them.  (refer to the point above, making sure they understand how it will help them).

In most cases, this type of open communication with the animal will help them be more cooperative when taking medication.  Most of my clients tell me that after talking to their animals, all the previous behaviors (spitting out pills, hiding, resisting) have subsided.  

In some cases, animals who were being cooperative for a while, will suddenly start refusing the medication again.  When this happens, I encourage my clients to 'listen' to their animals.  I believe animals know what is helpful to them and what isn't.  If your animal is refusing medication, it might be because they don't need it anymore or because they need something different.  It can't hurt to go back to the vet to find out if the medication is still necessary or if there is something else that might help more.  

Animals are such intelligent beings and if we are willing to work with them, giving them the opportunity to understand what we are giving them and why, I believe they have the ability to get on board with what we are doing.  I also believe they can partner with us and let us know if what we are giving them is actually helping them.  If we just force them to take medication without telling them why, often all we create is resistance.  Animals are not much different from humans that way . . . we often resist that which we don't understand.  So, talk to your animals, help them understand what you are giving them and my guess is, you'll find a much more cooperative recipient of medications.