Medicating your dog is a serious thing and should not be taken lightly.

Get an Official Diagnosis

Whether you choose to give your dog conventional or alternative dog medicine, always check with your vet first to make sure you are treating your dog for the right thing. Signs can be misleading and there may be things you are missing from an observational standpoint. Whatever you do, do not give your dog over-the-counter medicine that is made for people.

Forms of Medicine

Dog medicine can come in several forms. Don't try to be sneaky and add the medicine to his food though. If you are giving the dog a pill, cup his mouth with one hand and gently tilt the head back, placing the pill at the back of his throat. You may have to firmly pet his throat to work the pill down until he swallows it. Liquid medicine may be a little easier to swallow. Put the medicine between his cheek and teeth using a medicine dropper.

Once you have an official diagnosis for your dog's health problems you can choose between conventional medicine, alternative therapies or a combination of both. Home therapies are often less expensive, can ward of bigger problems in the long run, and are safe for the dog to use. Start by setting up a dog medicine box that includes a few staple products with multiple uses like APIs, Ipecac, Echinacea and Chamomile.