This is not always an easy task. I, for one, do not want medicine, especially if I don't feel well. Keep those pills, and ear drops away from me.
On the occasion when I do need medicine, my dad thinks he's cleverer than I am. He tries to hide pills or liquid medicine in tasty food treats, and I know better. If it's a nasty liquid, I won't eat the treat. I can often detect it and spit it out if it's a pill, especially if it's bitter. Once in a while, I would give in and eat the whole treat to please my daddy. But it has to be a premium treat, like meat or ice cream.
Pills
The easy way to give a pill is to hide it in a premium treat. There's peanut butter, cheese, pieces of meat, canned (really!) dog food, and my favorite, ice cream.
The hard way is to gently open your Chihuahua's tiny mouth and stick the pills at the back of its throat. Then close their mouth and wait for them to swallow. If you're Chi is like me, that will never happen. I'd just as soon bite you rather than let you put your hand down my throat.
Topical Medication
This could be anything from ointment for bites to flea medicine. I hate anyone touching my feet, especially the front ones. But I do enjoy biting and licking them myself.
The trick is to get me when I'm tired and too sleepy to resist. I may let my daddy put ointment on my feet, but he must be quick before I wake into the biting stage.
I wouldn't say I like flea medicine, and it's cold, yucky, and smells. How would you want somebody to squeeze a smelly liquid onto your back and feel it drip down? Can you blame me for hiding after that ordeal?!
Wait a few days after a bath before using flea medicine. Give the skin's oils a chance to return to normal levels to absorb the medicine. Your pet will not enjoy ruining that fresh, clean after-bath feeling with yucky flea medicine.
Ear Medication
Worse than flea medicine, when I had an ear infection, my daddies had to put COLD liquid medicine in my ears. Why that medicine needs to be refrigerated is beyond me. But it's the worst. It takes two daddies: one to hold me and one to annoy me with the drops in my ears. I know, I know. It's for my good. But I still reserve the right to bite.
Eye Medication
Try to get your Chihuahua still so you can put the drops in their eye(s). Good luck with that. I have not needed eye drops, but I'm sure I would not like them.
Human Medication Not Good for Your Chihuahua
Please doot give your Chi human medicine unless your vet says it's okay. Remember, we are little dogs, and human medicine is for big people. Don't ever overdose on your little Chi. Even a bit of aspirin can be dangerous if not given properly.
