Administration & Dose Rates for Pet Medication

Routes of Administration for Pet Medication: There are many routes by which medicines can be administered. The route chosen will depend on factors such as how fast the medicine is absorbed from that area, ease of administration of the medicine etc.

• PO – Per Os (into the mouth) Tablets such as worming treatments or antibiotics are given this way as are some suspensions of anti-inflammatories or gut protectants. The vet will also advise if the pet medication is to be given with or without food.
   
• IV – Intravenous (by injection into the vein) Many anaesthetic agents are given this way pre operatively.
   
• SC – Subcutaneous (by injection under the skin) Most vaccines are given this way in the scruff of the neck as are some antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications.
   
• IM – Intramuscular (by injection into the muscle) Often the neck or back leg. Some anaesthetic or sedative agents are given by this route along with some pain relief and antibiotic drugs.
   
• PR – Per rectum (into the anus) Diazepam, an anti seizure medication is commonly given this way after seizures and it is absorbed almost as fast as from the bloodstream.
   
• IP – Intraperitoneal (by injection into the abdominal cavity) Fluids can be given this way as can some anaesthetic agents in small furries such as Guinea Pigs.
   
• Topically – Most medications to treat ear and eye conditions are applied directly to the affected area and some skin conditions can also be treated with topical applications of creams or shampoos.
   
• Intranasal – (directly into the nose) The Kennel Cough vaccine is administered directly into the nose to stimulate the appropriate immunity.  

Frequency of Administration: Pet medications will need to be given at various intervals depending on their duration of action. This will be advised by your vet and detailed on the label of the medication.

• SID – once daily
• BID – twice daily
• TID – three times a day
• QID – four times a day
• EOD – every other day
• q. X hours – every X hours
• as required
• other directions eg. twice weekly

Dose Rates

The dose of medication your pet requires will be calculated by your vet. It is important to adhere to the advised dose rate and not to alter it without consulting with your vet first.

It is usually based on the milligrams (mg) or millilitres (mls) of drugs per kilogram of your pet's weight. The dose of some medications is calculated from the surface area of your pet in square meters or mls per m².

This will then be equated to a number of tablets or amount of medication you need to give your pet.

The exact directions will vary according to the formulation of medications and the frequency and route of administration.

Eg1. “Give one tablet twice daily with food for five days. Start Friday morning”

Eg2. “Instil 10 drops into each ear, then massage firmly, once daily for a week”

Eg3. “Apply one pipette of flea treatment onto the skin on the back of the neck, once a month”

Eg4. “Give 5mls by mouth, half an hour before food, twice daily”

Eg5. “Apply one drop to each eye, three times a day”