Oral administration, also known as gavage, is a method of administering drugs to dogs by pouring them into the stomach through the mouth. As long as the dosage of the drug is not large and there is no obvious irritant, this method can be used regardless of whether the dog has an appetite.
Before administering the drug, the drug is mixed with a small amount of water to form a paste or slurry. During the administration, the dog is held in a standing or side-lying position, and the assistant holds the dog’s upper and lower jaws apart while the person administering the drug scrapes the paste onto the base of the tongue with a blunt bamboo stick, or pours the slurry into the deep part of the mouth or onto the base of the tongue with a small spoon, then slowly releases the hand to allow the dog to swallow it on its own.
If the dosage is large, the assistant can tighten the collar and fix the upper and lower jaws, and the person administering the drug can hold the drug bottle or metal syringe with one hand, open the corner of the mouth from one side with the other hand, then slowly pour the liquid into the mouth from the corner, let the dog swallow it, and then administer more.
For capsules or tablets, the drug can be sent to the base of the tongue in the deep part of the mouth with a medicine spoon or bamboo stick after opening the mouth, then the mouth is quickly closed and the lower jaw is gently tapped to promote the dog to swallow the drug.
It should be noted that when administering drugs orally, the dog’s head should not be lifted too high, and the mouth should not be higher than the ears. The administration should be slow and patient, and avoid being rough to prevent the drug from entering the trachea and lungs. Irritant water-based drugs, especially when the dosage is large, are not suitable for oral administration.
