If your ferret is just starting long-term medications and you're not
looking forward to an hour-long struggle twice a day forever, take
heart.  Most of them resign themselves to the routine after a couple
of weeks.  If you only have to give your ferret medication for a week
or two, at least there's an end in sight!

The method Rick Beveridge has used, with pictures, can be found at
<http://www.seaside.net/homepage/rbever/medication/medicate.html>.

If you're really lucky, your ferret will like the taste of the
medication.  In that case, either hold the dropper in front of the
ferret or empty it into a spoon and let him lick it.  If you squeeze
the medication into his mouth, be sure not to squirt it down his
throat, since he may inhale some and get pneumonia.  Putting the
dropper behind his back teeth and aiming in from the side helps.

If he doesn't like the medication, you'll want to mix it with
something that tastes better, such as Ferretone, Petromalt, Pedialyte,
or apple juice.  Check with your vet to find out what won't interfere
with the medication or its absorption.  Some can't be given with oils,
others with sugary foods, others with dairy products, and so on.  You
might be able to just mix the medication and the bribe on a spoon and
get your ferret to lick it that way.

If not, suck the medication into a small feeding syringe, the kind
without a needle, draw in a few cc's of the bribe, and shake it to mix
them.  Put a big old towel on a table or the floor, put the ferret on
it, and see if he'll lick the mixture willingly.  Be warned, ferrets
can spit several feet.  Don't wear your nice clothes.  

If you have to force the mixture in, hold the ferret's head and
shoulders with one hand so he can't back away.  Put the syringe tip in
on the side of his mouth and slowly squirt the stuff in, being careful
not to aim it down his throat (or he might inhale some) and making
sure to give the ferret enough time to swallow.  You may need to hold
the ferret's head up and his mouth closed, and rub his throat so he
swallows.  Once the medication is gone, give the ferret another small
treat and tell him what a good ferret he was.

Some people have good luck with crushing a pill or pill piece and
mixing it with a liquid treat, after checking with a vet to see which
ones are all right.  Otherwise, try completely covering it with
something gooey such as Petromalt or peanut butter, then holding it on
the tip of one finger.  Gently pry the ferret's mouth open with a
finger on one side, and scrape the goo and treat onto the ferret's
tongue.  Get it pretty far back if you can, but don't gag him.  Hold
his mouth closed so he can't push the pill out with his tongue, and
rub his throat to get him to swallow.  If he manages to spit out the
pill, just keep trying.