Easier Way To Give My Rabbit Medicine?

[chiquita090]

I hate stressing him out all the time!! I knowthat high levels of stress can cause health problems as well. Healready has a jaw abscess and is going for x rays and who knows howmany surgeries, so I'd like to keep his home life as stress free aspossible but he needs his meds!

I give one twice daily, and 2 others just once a day. At first I wassitting him up on the kitchen counter (where he can't run away) andgiving it to him that way but he gets so so mad at me and I don't wanthim to resent me or start being untrustful of me.

After a few days of the counter med feeding, and realizing that wasn'tgoing to work, I started adding it to foods. I've givin it to viamashed up banana, a pinapple chunk, and a dab of yogurt. Once in awhile those foods are ok but I can't keep feeding him fruit to him on adaily basis cuz I know that's not good for him. Giving him meds isprobably going to be a long term thing too. Any ideas?? Thanks!!

 

[Carolyn]

I added you and your little one to my prayer list last night, Chiquita.

I hold them like a baby, him them in tightly to me, and use a cat pillpooper for the bunnies that really struggle. There's a spacethat you can push through when their mouths are closed that is just tothe left or right of the front teeth. If you go in that way,you may have an easier time of it. Then you just have to holdthem until you're sure they've chewed or swallowed it. IfTucker doesn't chew it, I hold him for a few minutes until I know it'sdissolved.

Don't feel guilty. You're doing it to help him. Hehates the process, not you. After I've gotten done withmedication treatments on my rabbits, inevitably our bond was closerwhen it was all over with.

You might also consider dilluting it, if it is pills, in water and using an eyedropper or a needless syringe.

-Carolyn

P.S. Check out the nail trimming link in the Cheat Sheet postat the top of the forum. Buck mentions wrapping the rabbitwith a towel like a burrito. It might help you to go thatroute. As Buck says, "Be the Kahuna Rabbit". Asmuch as he fights you, he must get his meds. Tucker finallygave in after a while and once I got him, he'd barely fight me becausehe knew it was getting done whether he liked it or not.

 

[lyndsy]

That's what I would suggest. Wrapping him up in atowel or a blanket. It makes them feel more secure, and keeps you frombecomming swiss cheese from those nails...

You can also control his body movements better this way.I'venever actually tried this on aa rabbit before, but we useit with our chameleon, and in the past i've used it on puppies,kittens, and birds. So it should work...

 

[chiquita090]

Thanks Carolyn! And thank you for the prayers too, I he think he needs them.

Well aside from having a lump on the side of his cheek(which appears tobe getting smaller), Calvin's acting pretty much like normal. He'seating lettuce, hay and pellets. He hasn't eaten carrotwhichhe normally loves but I've graded them up for him and he's picked at itand eaten a little that way. His energy level is good.

At my vets office they do that bunny burrito thing, so I was using thattechnique while I was counter feeding him. He tries to play 'turtle'when I have the towel wrapped around him, he pulls his head back intothe 'shell' (towel) when the syringe gets close to his mouth. His medsare in liquid form. The antibiotics smell sweet, like meds you'd giveto a kid, but the pain reliever has a horrible smell. Calvin hates themall equally though. lol

 

[Spiced77]

why couldnt you give him fruit every day? as longas it's not in huge amounts, fruit as a daily treat is ok..especially if that's the only way he'll take his meds. when mr lickswas on antibiotics when he broke a leg, we'd squirt his medsover a little fruit.. not sure how much your bunny is getting, but evenhalf a grape worked for us for a dose.. did theymake the meds fruity flavored as well? that might help..my vet addedsomething to it to make it fruity the way they would for little kids

 

[lanna21974]

 

[Jenniblu]

I just crushed the meds and sprinkled them ona very thin slice of fruit like apple or banana.

 

[chiquita090]

Fruits are ok on a daily basis?? I didn't thinkthey were because of the sugar content in them. Also, the vet's neversaid anything to me about it but to me he seems just a tad on thechubby side, added sugar wouldn't help any. He got weighed on Tuesday,he's 4.8 pounds. Is that normal for a mini lop? Even if itis, he's still got a bit of a belly. My other rabbit, Jordan, isn'tlike that. I'm not sure exactly how much he weighs but he doesn't haveany excess tummy weight like Calvin does.

 

[babybunnywrigley]

I put Wrigley's medication in a little bit ofpumpkin. It's in liquid form...I've tried to give it tohimthrough the syringe and he wasn't having that. :?

Jenn

 

[JimD]

Greetings and welcome to the forum!

I can see where you might be concerned with extra sugar.

Check the Cheat Sheet for safe foods first.... and then....

Maybe try some baby food. I would try some of the vegtables, maybe carrots,and see if he likes any of them first.

Or maybe try some applesauce or oatmeal.

You might even try making a mush with pellets and water and then add the meds.

:~) Jim