Really Need Ideas For Administering Eye Drops

[BluegrassGrey]

Hi,

 

I know there are lots of you out there with greys that are receiving eye drops for Pannus. Well, Kippy is my second foster to have this, so I am not new at giving eye drops, but she is a spit fire wild girl. She is young and very easily excitable. She bounces and runs around- I can't get her to hold still.

 

I have tried:

 

1. Holding her head, collar and body, but she gets more excited and jerks her head.

 

2. Giving them while she is laying down- same thing- she jerks away.

 

3. Giving them while she is sleeping- this works best for now.

 

4. Today I tiried smearing peanut butter on the counter and let her lick it off while I did the eye drops. It worked for the first set, but then she figured out what I was doing and ran off to find something better to do.

 

Please help me. It is very upsetting to me (which I know she picks up on), and I feel like crying because I am failing her. She is supposed to be going to her new home on Saturday, but I have got to figure out something for this family- who has never given eye drops as far as I know.

 

Please help me!

[Houndtime]

I am not sure if this will work for you, but, some of the drops also come in ointment formula. The ointment might be easier to use. You just need to make a line across the eye. It is thicker and doesn't drip.

[Guest LynnM]

Straddle her while standing, hold her muzzle with one hand, put in eye drops with the other.

 

Lynn

[silverfish]

Find whichever position she is happiest in - for Jack it's lying down - and when you put the drops in, don't bring the bottle straight towards her eye, bring it behind her and hold it over the top of her head. She'll still see it, but it's less threatening.

 

Here's what I do. Place a hand on the muzzle to steady the dog (not around the muzzle, that isn't well tolerated by some, just under the chin or at the side, whatever works for you). Bring the hand with the dropper bottle around behind her neck and rest the heel of the hand on top of her head, to further steady her and make sure that even if she flinches, you won't jab her in the eye with the end.

 

Without taking moving either hand from their position, reach forward with the thumb of the muzzle hand and pull the eyelid down gently. Draw the heel of the dropper hand gently backwards to pull the skin of the head back and open the upper lid. You will need to make sure you place this hand far enough forward so that the dropper is still over the eye, but you'll get the hang of that very quickly. Now just squeeze gently until the required number of drops come out, talking quietly to her as you do so.

 

Approaching a dog head on and staring into their face is an aggressive gesture in 'dog speak', so bear this in mind when you take the eye drops to her. It's very hard not to just grab their head and stare into their eyes as you do eye drops but this IS a threat to them, so if your girl is at all shy, try not to make direct eye contact. Do everything from the side and slightly behind. Remember also that it's instinctive to a dog to use the messages s/he gets from the vibrissae (whiskers). If you are approaching with a dropper bottle, staring into their eyes and you brush the end of these sense organs with your hand, it's natural for them to jerk their head away. See if you can avoid light brushing of the whiskers, a firm touch is better.

 

Straddling as Lynn suggests can be a good thing as it does give you some control and avoid the 'head on' thing, but you'll need to be prepared to have her back away, so you might need to choose a corner - and try your best not to make her feel trapped.

 

Remember to offer a tasty treat afterwards. Some dogs perk right up at the sight of the dropper bottle after a while because they know it means Treat Time!

[heartdogs]

When Patches started his eye drops he acted like your foster & the doc said to teach him & all the other dogs to let me check their eyes by gentle rubs around the eye & across the lid so that he would get used to having me put the drops in. Some dogs are like many people & just don't like things near their eyes. It took awhile but worked & I rub all the fosters this way so if they every need eye meds or to have something removed from their eyes they don't freak. Try to stay calm & work quickly & the dog will adjust-Patches has had Pannus for over 10 years so now I just ask him to come to me to do his eyes & he does or if he's resting I just lean down & medicate him. My problem is all the other dogs want me to do them too.

[Guest laceyj]

I can imagine how frustrating this must be. I've found that the tighter you hold them or confine them the worse it is. I think it's a balance, just enough 'force' to 'win' with enough freedom for them to willingly comply, as they have no choice.

 

You could try making the routine a very rewarding thing. Get some cooked chicken or smelly liverwurst, something she REALLY likes and give it only at eye drop time. You could start by having someone help you by feeding it to her while you do the drops. Eventually she will gladly submit to the drops knowing the really tasty treat will follow.

 

This worked like a charm for Scott and nail clipping, he was THE WORST EVER for having nails done. Used it too with Shelby who has chronic ear problems.

 

edited to add: Do the drops after a nice walk or a romp when she's likely to be a little calmer, establishing a routine time to do it may help too. Find her 'spot', you know the one spot that sends her to the 'zone'. Maybe a finger in her ear, gently wiggling in there, or a scritch on the butt. Whatever it is that does it for her.

Edited January 1, 2008 by laceyj

[Chicocat]

Straddle her while standing, hold her muzzle with one hand, put in eye drops with the other.

 

Agree. Be confident. You are in charge!

[ahicks51]

1) Feed first, and wait for the protein coma to arrive.

 

2) Put the peanut butter on the NOSE, not the counter. This can distract a dog for a good minute or so.

 

3) Have someone clean out an ear while applying the drops. Some dogs bliss out for a little if you get the right spot.

 

4) Treat after every eye drops. We find fish oil capsules are a good treat for post-nail clippings and tooth brushings.

[Guest goofydog]

No help at all, Get Em stands by the counter after meals and waits for his drops. If I'm not timely he will start whining

[Guest crazy4greys]

No help here either. Skylar jumps on the couch and sits when she sees her eye drops coming. She knows she gets a cookie after.

[NeylasMom]

Can you try not restraining her at all, but talking in a very low, calming voice? I know this probably seems like a laughable suggestion because I have dealt with fosters like the one you are describing, but I had a conversation with Dr. Radcliffe (track vet out in Wheeling) recently after he got x-rays of my girl Neyla's foot.

 

He had to get the same shots my own vet did and had no trouble getting all 3 from different angles. However, my vet could barely manage one, and only got that one after going back and forth with me about wanting to sedate Neyla and me refusing. So finally she just went in and restrained Neyla and got it, but she was really unhappy about having to do it and Neyla was really unhappy about having it done. I had assumed Dr. Radcliffe had a different piece of equipment, turns out he just calms her down until she'll cooperate. It just comes with his experience having now handled who knows how many greys.

 

Anyway, point is, these guys are used to be handled. They're handled at the track all of the time, and I bet your foster wasn't struggling like that while they clipped her nails, etc. So maybe it's just a matter of finding the right tone of voice to soothe her? And then of course give her treats once you get the drops in.

 

Okay, go ahead, commence laughing at me.

[greytlucy]

we give drops before feeding. After as many years as we've been doing it we now have a Pavlov response...as soon as the drop bottles come out so does the drooling. At the eye doctors when they put drops on there she always starts drooling and we have to explain she needs something to eat after the drops(a cookie makes her happy to).

 

It only took a week or so to get her used to the idea of the drops...be quick and confident and don't make a big deal out of it.

[silverfish]

Anyway, point is, these guys are used to be handled. They're handled at the track all of the time, and I bet your foster wasn't struggling like that while they clipped her nails, etc. So maybe it's just a matter of finding the right tone of voice to soothe her? And then of course give her treats once you get the drops in.

 

Okay, go ahead, commence laughing at me.

 

I for one am not laughing. I have a policy of not using any more restraint than absolutely necessary when doing things to my dogs. To me, it's part of respecting the animal, though I do appreciate and understand that it isn't possible to to do everything without restraint, and it isn't possible to use this method with all dogs. I have had to learn more patience with Jack anyway because he's so spooky about being held that it's MORE difficult to do it that way rather than easier.

 

Anyway, I much prefer cooperation to force, and will always go that route if possible.

[Guest Speedhoundz]

Find whichever position she is happiest in - for Jack it's lying down - and when you put the drops in, don't bring the bottle straight towards her eye, bring it behind her and hold it over the top of her head. She'll still see it, but it's less threatening.

 

 

My vet also recommended this approach. It worked very well with Kane. Good luck!

 

[BluegrassGrey]

Thank you all so much! This information is very interesting and informative.

 

I tried the PB on the nose yesterday afternoon- that worked better. I also had DH help hold and scratch her while I gave the drops- that helped.

 

With Kippy- exercise will be key too. She is a bouncy and happy girl- she does settle down quickly with a walk or running in the yard.

 

Today I am going to try the calming, more hands off approaches you all suggested.

 

I am going to print this off and give it to her new family Saturday, so please keep the suggestions coming!

[Chicocat]

and when you put the drops in, don't bring the bottle straight towards her eye, bring it behind her and hold it over the top of her head. She'll still see it, but it's less threatening.

 

Absolutely! That really is the secret to being successful. At most tracks these guys are used to having their eyes flushed with water (with an ear rinse bulb) when they first come off the track to get any sand out of their eyes. They tolerate it very well.

 

[Guest LindsaySF]

Cody gets eye drops twice a day for his Diabetes Insipidus. I don't hold him down because he's a fear biter. I always say "Time for your medicine!" in a high-pitched voice, he knows what that means (and that he gets a cookie afterwards). I make sure he doesn't feel cornered and I pet him, and talk sweetly. I do the drops while rubbing his neck (which he likes) and afterwards I say "OK! Good boy Cody!!" in the happiest baby voice I can manage. He runs in circles and barks and he gets his cookie.

 

When I had to do ear drops for Teagan's ear infection I used the "rub the neck" trick then too. It makes him compliant and I can do almost anything to him. Plus his head was turned away leaning into the rubbing, so he didn't see the medicine bottle (that used to send him running).

 

It sounds like your foster is more hyper and squirmy than afraid. I would make sure she is very tired and relaxed when you try the drops. My pit bulls are similar when we have to do something to them (nail clippings, etc). I have found that tiring the crap out of them along with peanut butter in the mouth is the best method for keeping them still. If I try to just restrain them they only fight harder. (And they punch with their feet! )

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~