question- How to get the bun to take meds

[zarathustra]

hey guys,

Everyonr here seems to have some really good ideas so here goes. Mrs.Sniffles went to the vet, was spayed (so far so good there) and she hadsome coccidia in her poop. Not too bad, she has no ill effects from it.The doc however prescribed albon.

I have had to give dogs and cats stuff and it wasn't that hard.

ok. I have tried holding her and such trying to give her the meds inthe side of her mouth. The only way i haven't tried is force/hold herhead really firmly. She throws her head so violently when holding herlike that, so much so that i can barely keep control of her let alonefeed her meds.

I have put it in her favorite foods and her pellets and she willhave none of it. If she smells the Albon, she runs the other way. Sheis absolutly having none of it.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or has any ideas?

 

[Buck Jones]

zarathustra wrote:

....Has anyone else...any ideas?

not familiar with the med, but if a pill, crush into a powder and mix with yogurt, banana, orange or other sweet fruit until it forms like a slurry, then force feed with a syringe feeder.

If a liquid, add to flavored pedialite or water and syringe feed.

I suspect others may have still more alternate suggestions.

Buck

 

[TinysMom]

When you hold her - are you holding her straighton the floor - or cradling her in your arms like a baby (where she'slaying on her back)? I've had to give my buns medicine and welay them on their back in my arms like a baby - with their head towardsmy elbow (almost laying on my chest) and their feet/tails towards myhands. Usually my daughter will help open the mouth if theydon't cooperate and we shoot the medicine down their mouth as quick aspossible with a syringe like thingy...unless they opt to work with usand just take it once their mouth is open...which is what they'vepretty much learned to do. They know if they're in thatposition - they ARE getting the medicine.

Now to get them to cooperate before I have to hold them like that....

Peg

 

[ariel]

I have been lucky enough not to have to do this yet but I agree withbuck if you grind the tablet up and mix it in with something yummie I'msure it'll go down much easier

Goodluck

 

[zarathustra]

hey everyone...

Thanx soooo much for your advice. You don't know how much it means to everyone on this end of the comp.

Yeah the Albon is a liquid. It is kinda funny. Give her oats... herfavorite food -oats- will eat them out of my hand. Put the medicine onthe oats and then give to her... nope not having it. She also does notlike sweets so I am at a loss on what to do in the food category.

Tiny' Mom ... thnx for the advice. I was worried about whether i couldgive her the meds on her on her back, ie that it wouldn't go into herlungs.

I was trying to hold her upright, wrapped in a towel ect... every way Icould read to do it and I was just not comfortable using anymore forceon her to get her to take it.

Will Probably try tonight before bed and hopefully I can get her to take it.

Thanx again everyone.

 

[zarathustra]

ahhh she decided to call it a night. I got some pedialyte and will try that tommorrow. Just to give her a little extra......

will update tomorrow.

 

[pamnock]

Most rabbits will show a low cocci count in fecal testing.

Please read this article and stop the treatmenthttp://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/vet-talk/coccidia.html

Intestinal coccidia is only a concern when counts are very high -- thisgenerally happens with a rabbit that is already ill. You mayfind high counts in rabbits with soft or mush poop. In thesecases, when the immune system is not keeping the parasite in balance,treatment may be necessary.

Attempting to force treatment to your rabbit may result in possibleinjury (especially after a spay) and further stress. Themedication itself can cause side effects-- not worth is whenyour rabbit is not actually ill.

Pam

 

[zarathustra]

Thnx Pam...

I am going to call the vet tommorrow and see what the count was. Shedid not make it seem like there was such a big deal. Yeah, I have readup on the the little buggers and it seems like it is not such a bigdeal.

Yeah I read the article you linked to previously. hmmm... I think Itrusted the vet too much as she was one recommended by the house rabbitsociety. I should know better than that. oi.

mike.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

When Scooby was sick and wouldn't eati mixed his medicine with vegetable baby food, he lovedit! i also gave him pineapple juice because he wouldn'tdrink.

~*~Caitlin & Scooby~*~

 

[zarathustra]

Thnx. for the advice.

Oi... this little girl. I gave her baby food, carrots, she would noteven lick it off of my hand. I have sweet potatoes and maybe give thata try.

I am going to call the vet tommorrow to get her coccidia counts.hanx topam's advice. I am curious whether she actually found enough to beworried about, esp if there is bad side effects.

I will keep the pineapple juice in mind. It is a bit sweet so i wouldprolly dilute it, but I am baffled. She does not really like thesweets. (I think she is crazy, a rabbit without a sweet tooth, sillywabbit.)

Thanx again for your advice. It is greatly appreciated.

mike..

BTW We pulled the pellets out that had the icky medicine on it andreplaced with fresh pellets and she buried her head in and startedchomping. SOOOOOO.... who knows how I can get the girl to eat it if sheindeed has to.

 

[cirrustwi]

I've never had to give Albon to a rabbit, but itdoes work well for coccidia. Ok, so I honestly just needed toshare that.

Good luck getting Mrs. Sniffles to take her meds.

Jen

 

[Walking Mushroom]

When I give my Nuggi meds, I find it easiest toput her on her back through a half-trance. She goes straight loose andopens her mouth. Then I just transfer the medicine into the rabbitsyringe and let it slide down her mouth. Just in case it goes down thewrong lung tube. I let her stand up to lick the med off her mouth. Ifyou are having difficulty with her struggling, a better option might beto wrap her around with a towel and hold her tight so she can not move.Get some one to hold her while you insert the syringe.

Good luck

 

[zarathustra]

UPDATE

We talked to the vet. It seems sniffles count was high enoughto be concerned about even though she had not really beenaffected.

The little rascal is back to normal now. The medicine is putin before the pellets and she seems to much eveything so everything isgood now.

thnx again everyone