I need help making medication time less stressful

[PeytonCara]

Hello everyone! We recently found out Crixus has pasteurella and he has been on medication since July 30. The first week we had tobramycin eye drops twice a day, batyril twice a day, and metacam once a day. The second week we just have baytril twice a day.

Crixus has ALWAYS hated to be picked up, so I rarely do it. There's really no need for me to do it besides clipping his nails, and when I do that, he usually pouts underneath my bed for an hour.

I have tried many methods of picking him up, and they all seem to really stress him out. Which is bad, because I have noticed his symptoms always get worse when he is stressed. After I give him his medication, he literally pouts under my bed for 3-4 HOURS. It got to the point where he hasn't even loved on me in the past few days. We always just chill in my bed and he licks me while I pet him, well no more cuddles for me. I went out to Petsmart and bought him a few new toys, and some Oxbow veggie treats. The bribery worked, but only for two days. Now he is back to being mad at me, lol. I only give him the treats after his medication because I am trying to get him to associate the medicine with something good. This has reduced the hiding and pouting a little bit.

Medication time is always chaotic here, I just need some tips to help us both out!

 

[missyscove]

Probably a little late for this, but I generally recommend that new bunny owners occasionally offer their buns some watered down juice or something similarly tasty before they need to medicate them so the buns associate syringe with good things.
You should be able to medicate him without needing to actually pick him up. I'll often just pin the buns between my knees and slip the syringe in behind their front teeth.

 

[JBun]

Try kneeling over him with him between your legs and his head toward your knees. you can use your feet and butt to keep him from backing out, and you can place one of your hands in front of his head, or even have a wall in front of you so he can't scoot out of there, then you'll have him in a position to give meds, but don't have to pick him up.

Another thing some people do is put the meds on their rabbits usual veggies or treats, and give it to them that way. No stress of syringing the meds. But that only works if your rabbit doesn't realize the meds are on there. Just make sure to offer him the part of the veggie or treat without the meds on it first, so that he'll be already eating it before he gets to the part with the meds.

 

[LiloandChiefsMom]

The first time I had to give Lilo medicine she peed on my pillow afterwards so I know what you mean about him being mad at you lol what my vet said is to mash up a banana and mix the medicine in with it then spoon feed it to them. It.worked great with Lilo because she LOVES bananas.

 

[jemm]

Hi hope crixus is getting better giving meds can be a hassle if you bored one night I have attached a thread I wrote when I had to give my bun the same sorts of meds it's a it long but maybe something might help for when it's medicine time http://www.rabbitretreat.com/showthread.php?tid=5628
Hope the little man picks up he's lovely looking.

 

[PeytonCara]

I wish I would have introduced him to syringe with watered down juice a long time ago, that is a great idea. Being as I am a first time bunny owner, a year ago I would have never dreamed I would ever have had to give him medicine. But here we are a year later, lol!

Today I tried the pin the bun between my leg method. Tomorrow I am going to attempt the medicine and treat trick. He is on such a high alert level he doesn't trust me any time I go near him (which is so unlike him poor little guy) but I feel like with a little practice this might possibly be the right method if the treat thing does not work. I can tell he feels a lot more comfortable when his feet stay on the floor.

And Jemm, thanks for the thread! Oscar actually reminds me of Crixus from the pictures, minus the coloring on his face. Crixus had a nose injury from a dog when he was very little, and his nose looked very similar! I almost had to do a double take, ahah. But what an inspiration, it is awesome that your handsome man pulled through like that.

 

[jemm]

Thanks for your comments, i thought when I saw his little picture he looked like Oscar, I would love to see Some more of
him. I found with him wrapping him in the towel coating the end of the syringe in apple sauce mixing the meds with ribena or apple juice and giving him banana straight I think a strict routine is the best way to get them to take their medication

 

[jemm]

How's the little man getting on?

 

[PeytonCara]

Yesterday I went ahead and tried mixing the medication with some food. Oh my gosh it worked wonders, it was by far the easiest giving him his medication has ever been! The best part is, he does not even realize he is taking it:] No more hiding under the bed either, things are now back to normal and we are currently hanging out on my bed right now

Here's Crixus taking a nap after his medicine yesterday instead of hiding!


And here we are now!


I am now worthy of kisses again.

 

[JBun]

It's so funny how they can get so upset over a little thing like having to take their medicine

 

[jemm]

Pleased for you that it's going well, he looks a lovely little bun

 

[PeytonCara]

Haha, they are silly particular little creatures aren't they? But that's why we love them:]
And thank you!