Help giving rabbit oral meds

[Amy27]

Does anyone have a good way to give a rabbit oral medications when they fight you? Is it safe to wrap a rabbit up in a towel if they just had surgery? Chase is feeling better from her surgery and fighting taking her meds. I have been trying to sit on my legs put her between my thighs while she sits on the floor and lean over her and give her the meds. That way she can't go sides, up or out the front but she still moves every where and grunts while I try to give her the meds. I am afraid to pick her up and hurt her. I wish they gave me injections but they told me it had to be oral.

Thanks Amy

 

[Maureen Las]

I do it the way that you are describing..sometimes you have to tighten your thighs against the bunny's body..sort of take their head in your hand and put the syringe in the side.

I am always watching to see what he/she is doing with their head so I don't waste the med or choke the bun

Sometimes it helps to take the bun to a strange roomto to do this so they are not familar with the surroundings.

 

[Maureen Las]

it isn't good to give a lot of sugar but ..
we had to give a rat at the shelter oral meds which was next to impossible UNTIL we dipped thetip of the syringe in a jar of honey before we gave it. The rat almost ate the syringe and his cagemate was fighting for it too.

Could put something good on the end of the syringe like a little banana or enough of it so it smells like banana

 

[NorthernAutumn]

If you have other hands to help you, the bunny towel burrito works on Eve. I hold her still while Nate syringes. That way, he can better control the meds.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I am aware of the way you guys are describing (behind the teeth), but, the other way is by putting the meds in the greens, they usually notice it though-worth a shot if the other way doesn't work at all. You can get by with it a couple times at most, lol!

Best of luck to you on getting them the meds, ugh, I know how hard it can be.:hug:

 

[dquesnel]

Just to further what angieluv said with the dipping of the syringe in honey; If you make the experience as nice as possible for the rabbit, they will very likely begin taking the medicine on their own after a while. This depends on whether the rabbit is feeling well enough to even enjoy its favorite treat and if the medicine itself is pleasant tasting. If the medicine tastes bad or is unflavored, you can ask your vet for flavoring too. Often a medicine is flavored for a cat or dogs tastes but not a bunny.

With a new rabbit I will begin by mixing the medicine into something they normally really enjoy- with one bunny, he loved critical care so I would put the medicine in that. He began taking it on his own, and now he needs up to three different oral medicines a day. I introduced them all slowly, and he takes all three on his own from a syringe. In fact he gets very excited for them- he thinks it is a treat each time I give him his medicine! If he didn't take them willingly I would have to force them into him 6+ times a day- I couldn't do that.

My other rabbit will not take his medicine from a syringe, but will willingly lick it up from a dish.

If Chase has an appetite for food, perhaps she will take the syringe dipped in her favorite treat? Sometimes you have to get creative. If she will not take it willingly, when you wrap her in a towel to give it to her try dipping it in her favorite treat anyway to enforce the positve experience. Then maybe if she associates treat with medicine, she will take it on her own later.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

How is it going, Amy? How's Chase? Did any of our tips help at all?

 

[Amy27]

Thank you to everyone who replied. One question I had is if i wrap him like a burrito can I give him the meds by myself? I don't have anyone to help me. I did try to tighten my thighs around him and I think that helped. He seems to be getting depressed so he didn't fight me much this morning. I tired putting it on his greens last night but he wouldn't eat it. They gave me bubble gum flavor of one and I think he could smell it. I will have to get some honey and try that. He loves to eat so he might really like that. The only other thing he eats is hay and it would be hard to mix with hay I think. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Maureen Las]

I'm not able to do a burrito and give meds by myself and since I am the sole caretaker of the buns I usuallygive meds with them wedged between my legs. it would be possible to wrap the bun in a burrito toweland still place them on the floor right side up between your legs.

I personally do not like flipping the bun over on his back in a burrito as I am very afraid of the bun aspirationg the liquid .

in terms of honey it doesn't have to be honey but just the taste of anything sweet in a very small amount (like jam) on the end of the syringe.

Inever used honey for the bunnies but I have used it for the shelter rats.
you are lucky that you have a hay luvin bunny

hope that some of this helps at some level ........as some buns are just more difficult to give oral meds than others (squirmers)

 

[Amy27]

I agree that I would be afraid to put Chase on his back and give her the meds.

You all have given wonderful advice. If you get a chance I made a thread on the Rabbit Online Forum as now my other rabbit will not except Chase back. She is being very aggressive and I am not sure what to do. Thanks again. This has been such an awesome site and has helped me so much.

Amy

 

[JadeIcing]

I squirt it into rasins. Sometimes mix with alittle apple sauce.

 

[Maureen Las]

If Chase was at the vet then she smells different to her mate.

if you think her mate will actually attack her keep her separated but beside him...

I think that some member have used a "scent " on both rabbits to mask the hospital smell but right now can't think what it was..

hopefully someone else will remember what is safe to use.

 

[Amy27]

Can they still have the hospital smell a week after being home? They were together once since Chase has been home and were a little nervous but quickly warmed up. I know that right now if I put them together the Little Buny will attack. She is acting very aggressive.

Thanks for your help,

Amy