Tablet administration
Even the healthiest horses need medication in the course of their lives, such as a regular worming treatment. Sometimes it is quite easy to administer, especially if the medication contains lactose and therefore tablets, solutions or pastes have a slightly sweet taste. But is your horse one of those that spits out everything they don't like? Then the following tricks may help.
Tips and tricks for administering tablets to horses
Above all, your own calmness is transferred to your horse. If you remain relaxed and calm, the horse will also relax and the administration will work more easily.
The right technique:
- If you want to administer tablets directly, it is best to stand to the side of your horse and carefully open its mouth by applying gentle pressure to the corners of the mouth. If you pull your horse's lower lip downwards, you will see that it has no teeth in one place. This gap is called a diastema. If you apply gentle pressure here, you cannot be bitten. Place the tablet as far back on the tongue as possible. This makes it more likely that your horse will not spit the tablet out again.
- Gently stroke or massage your horse while giving the tablet. This can distract your horse and cause it to swallow the tablet unconsciously.
"Camouflage" tablets:
- You can mix tablets into the concentrated feed (e.g. horse muesli). Your horse will usually not even notice the unpleasant taste. A look in the feed trough will help you to check whether it has really eaten the tablets.
- Alternatively, you can hollow out a ripe banana, apple or orange and hide the tablets inside. As the fruit tastes quite aromatic, the taste of the tablets is simply masked.
- You can pulverize many tablets. You can get suitable tablet mortars from the pharmacy. Mix the powder into some apple sauce, for example, and give it to your horse either directly or using a syringe. You can simply inject it into the side of its mouth (without a needle, of course!). Powdered tablets can also be easily mixed into a small amount of mash and "smuggled in".
- Water-soluble tablets can simply be dissolved in water and the liquid injected into the mouth using a syringe (without a needle).
Reward:
- Reward your horse after getting a tablet with something it really loves - be it an extra treat or a cuddle. This reinforces positive associations and makes future medication administration easier.
Sometimes it takes a while for horses to get used to tablets. Remain gentle and patient, even if it doesn't work straight away. However, if your horse cannot be persuaded despite your best efforts, raise the issue with your vet. There may be alternative dosage forms or preparations.
