Feeding Liquid medicine to rabbit

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

This morning Miley seemed to catch on that I was feeding her medication in the banana. Either that or she just was not really feeling like eating a banana this morning! She did eat some of it reluctantly when I used a blueberry. Does anyone have any tips to feed her the medicine? I have a strawberry and I can try that. Should I mash it up? She is not really into the whole fruits and vegetables thing. That is the problem. She is fussy. But give her some hay and she is happy!

P.S-I tried putting some in the hay but it is like she already knows what I am doing and won't eat it!

Shannon

 

[Maureen Las]

Did you try giving it to her in a syringe or is it a pill. ?

 

[Maureen Las]

You could mix it with a little pedialyte and syringe it to her...

 

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

Yup it isa liquid. I don't know how to syringe feed. Can you explain how?

 

[Maureen Las]

A syringe is the little thin long plastic thing that a doctor will attach to a needle . Do you know what that is?

it looks like what a doctor would use if you would get a shot

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Here's a pic of one:

You want to get the syringe behind the front teeth, so insert on the side.

Maybe you could have your vet demonstrate for you? You would benefit by this as you will see how the vet handles the bun, especially if she's difficult.

 

[ra7751]

What med is she on? Keep in mind that some foods will interfere with the proper working of some drugs. Do you have the capability or would you be willing to learn how to inject meds? Many meds, Baytril is one of them (I don't generally use this drug since it is becoming so ineffective but a lot of vets are still using it for some reason) is much more effective when injected. Some meds, penicillins and cephalosporins, are safe only when injected. There is a new drug here in the US (and I think it's been available in Canada for quite some time)called Convenia that is a cephalosporin that requires only one injection. Many vets are not aware of it's use in rabbits (and the drug's web site says not to use in rabbits or GPs) but it works basically like penicillin and is chemically similar. The real benefit here is that it requires only that one injection which can be done at the clinic by a tech and is good for a full round of treatment.

Randy

 

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

Miley is on Baytril. As for injecting medicines I would do it for my rabbit if need be. Right now I am focusing on learning everything I can on rabbits so the learning how to do administer the liquid medication via syringe is the first step. I ended up making a bunny burrito so that I could get her to take the medicine. Going over her with her between my legs didnot work at all. She kept moving her head down so I could not get at her lips!

 

[Flick]

Syringing Meds 101

Step 1:

Sit on you rabbit! Okay, not really. Place your rabbit between your knees, with you feet crossed in the back. You sit on your heels. This blocks the "scoot back and escape" route.

Step 2:

Lean over your rabbit blocking the "lunging frontal escape". (Lean further than showed in the picture. If I'd leaned over all the way, my head would block the picture). Keep the syringe in your dominanant hand. Use your other hand to guide the rabbit's head and block escape.

Step 3:

Place the syringe at the SIDE of the mouth, in the space between the front teeth and the molars. Aim toward the other side of the mouth, more or less. Don't aim directly down the throat. Aiming toward the other cheek keeps the meds from being squirted into the lungs. With a steady pressure, gently push the plunger, squirting the meds in the mouth. Fast enough to keep the bunny's attention, but not so fast they panic.

Pixel was the WORST to give meds to. It took my husband holding her and me trying to jam the syringe in her mouth before I learned this method. It would take 10 - 15 minutes, with most of the meds going on me and the carpet. Now, I do it alone and it takes seconds. Literally, this method turned a traumatic battle into a "no big deal".

Wish I'd thought of it, but I didn't. A good friend taught it to me. May take you a couple of times to get the hang of it, but keep trying.

 

[aurora369]

I have used that technique on stubborn medicine takers too.

I had some real problems with Zeke after his injury and surgury. He refused to take it, and because of where he was hurt and how extensive the injury was, I didn't want to hold him down.

I ended up getting some pre-filled syringes (penicillin mixed with saline for injection) and my vet taught me to give injections. I found it much easier to inject the medicine then to make an unwilling bunny eat something he didn't want to.

However, if the floor-kneeling technique works for you, use it!

--Dawn

 

[JimD]

ilovetoeatchocolate wrote:

Miley is on Baytril.

Is it plain Baytril, or flavored in a suspension/liquid?

I had to mix plain Baytril with banana baby food for Binkie.

I didn't realize how bad it tasted plain until I tasted it myself....call me weird....did it with my kids, too. Taste it.

Iwrapped Binkie into a burrito too.....until I found out that she LIKED the Baytril/banana baby food, and would sit and take it willingly from the syringe. Strange bunny.