Eye drops into reluctant dog

[Pendingname]

Hi
Reluctant is very much an understatement!Loving gentle boxer dog currently has an eye ulcer having caught it on something a couple of days ago.
He's an 11 year old rescue we've had for a year and does not like drops of any sort and has to be muzzled at the vet for any.

We now have to administer eye drops at home and my gentle giant turns into a snarling snapping 32kg beast. He is not just telling us he doesn't like it he is serious and trying to get them in even when muzzled is a nightmare for us and him as he also hates being restrained.

Have tried getting him used to the bottle just having it round and holding it when stroking him and peanut butter on empty bottle to show not scary which he loves.

Am on my own with him for couple of days and physically can't restrain him to get a drop in. Am currently putting drops on pad and wiping eye in hope of getting some in. He is on painkillers and isn't rubbing or seeming too bothered by it.

Any tips from anyone?

Our pup has just come off a week's course of drops - we used an aqua lickimat (the one with suckers on the back for use in the shower) with high value Arden Grange liver pate smeared on it stuck on the patio door so he would extend his neck a little and my husband, for want of a better word, straddled pup and came at him from behind and was able to gently hold his eye lid open to get the drop in. Within three days pup was absolutely fine with the routine - the vet had advised to approach from behind. Good luck, hope he is better soon.

The aqua lickimat has been a godsend for getting him used to shower, clippers between his pads to trim hair, drying him off etc. He is HIGHLY food driven!

This is the one we use www.johnnorris.co.uk/products/rosewood-aquapaw-slow-treater

When I had this I found that the use of a muzzle at home provided distraction (there was peanut butter in there), bite prevention and, crucially, something for me to hold onto to stop him moving his head around.

I don't know if this will work for you OP but we get drops in our very strong staff/lurcher cross by wrapping him in a bath towel or blanket so his front legs are flat to his belly. If he can't flail his front legs around it's harder for him to get any momentum. I started by cuddling him on the sofa in a blanket - it helps that he loves being wrapped up! - and when he is calm (preferably asleep) I get the lid off the drops, make sure he's wrapped up and give him a big firm cuddle with one arm and drops with the other.
I tried using cheese but I didn't have enough hands to do drops and feed him cheese at the same time so dh did one and I did the other. It made the ordeal a bit happier for ddog and we were able to move onto the blanket technique. He's now resigned to it and takes four lots of drops a day bless him, but it was awful at first.

Thanks for all the tips will look into them.