Pets may be sent home with liquid medications. An oral liquid medication must be given by mouth to be effective. An injectable liquid medication must be given by injection beneath the skin to be useful. Some injectable medications require that the medication is inserted into the muscle to be most effective. It is important that you understand how to read the syringes that are sent home so your pet gets the proper amount of medication at each dose.

There is some confusion about metric words like milliliter (ml) and cubic centimeter (cc). These are just different names for the same amount of volume. In other words, one milliliter (1 ml) is equal to one cubic centimeter (1 cc).

There are different kinds of syringes that may be used. If your pet needs only a small amount of an oral medication, you may receive a syringe that looks like this:

0.3 ml syringe

This is a three-tenths milliliter syringe. It may be called a “0.3 ml” syringe or “0.3 cc” syringe. It is also known as an insulin syringe. Although it is labeled in “units” at the bottom of the syringe, each unit actually is one-hundredth of a milliliter (0.01 ml or 0.01 cc).

Each small black mark equals 0.01 ml. A larger black mark and a number is found every 0.05 ml (i.e.,five-hundredths of a ml).

This syringe is provided when your pet’s liquid medication amount is between 0.01 ml and 0.3 ml.

Close-up of the tips of two different 0.3 ml syringes

The left syringe has a red label equal to 0.03 ml. The right syringe has a label equal to 0.02 ml.

1.0 ml syringe

If your pet needs a liquid medication amount that is somewhere between 0.1 ml and 1.0 ml, you may be given a one milliliter syringe. It may be called a “1 ml” syringe or a “1 cc” syringe.

Each small black mark equals one hundredth of a milliliter (0.01 ml or 0.01 cc). A larger black mark is found every 0.05 ml (i.e.,five-hundredths of a ml). Numbers are written on the syringe every 0.1 ml (i.e., one-tenth of a ml).

The red label on this syringe equals 0.47 ml.

3 ml syringe

If you pet needs a larger amount of an oral medication, you may be given a three milliliter syringe. It may be called a “3 ml” syringe or “3 cc” syringe.

Each small black mark equals 0.1 ml (i.e., one-tenth of a ml). A larger black mark and a number is found every 0. 5 ml (i.e., five-tenths of a ml or half a ml).

The red label on this syringe equals 2.0 ml.

6 ml syringe

Some pets need even larger amounts of medication. This is a six milliliter syringe. It may be called a “6 ml” syringe or “6 cc” syringe.

Each small black mark equals 0.2 ml (i.e., two-tenths of a ml). A larger black mark and a number is found every 1.0 ml (i.e., one ml).

There are even larger syringes that may be used. Please make sure you understand how to read the syringe you are given. It is better to check with your veterinarian if you are not sure than to give the wrong amount of medication!