ADMINISTERING MEDICINE 



given and the operator is an amateur, it is always best 

 and safest for the latter to avail himself of the services of 

 an assistant, and even of two, if the patient is a powerful 

 and untractable animal. At the same time the less fuss 

 that is made over the matter the better, as a dog is an 

 emotional creature and very easily upset and frightened, 

 the natural tendency to struggle being intensified when he 

 has unpleasant substances forced upon him. The best way 

 to proceed in the case of a large or medium-sized dog is 

 for the ow^ner to sit down and place the dog with its back 

 towards him, and its head securely held between his knees, 

 and the assistant close by to hold its feet, and, if necessary, 

 its head. In administering liquid medicine there is no 

 necessity at all for forcing open the mouth ; all that 

 requires to be done is to pull out the lips with a finger 

 at the back where the upper and lower ones join, and 

 then to pour the liquid either from a spoon or bottle 

 into the pouch or funnel which is thus made between 

 the skin and the teeth. The head should be held a 

 little upwards and the medicine poured in well at the 

 back of the pouch, so that it can find its w^ay into the 

 throat ; and if the dog's muzzle is released afterwards, so 

 that he can move his tongue, he is sure to swallow the 

 draught, provided he is unable to shake his head. When 

 pills or boluses have to be administered, the mouth should 

 be held open and the dose should be placed at the back of 

 the tongue. The mouth may then be closed, and if the 

 dog declines to swallow the pill or bolus the throat may be 

 rubbed, w^hich will usually cause him to do so. Powders 

 may often be simply placed upon the tongue, and even if 

 mixed with water very seldom cause difficulty, as they are 

 usually small things ; but many dogs possess a vexatious 

 habit of retaining a dose in their mouths for quite a long 

 time, and spitting them out when released. Others often 

 return the medicine by vomiting, thereby causing them- 

 selves and their ow^ners increased trouble ; hence the value 

 of such preparations as Spratt's tasteless aperient biscuits, 



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