Getting medicine into a rabbit?????

[EdwardGorey]

Does anyone have any tips? The vet has given me syringes to feed him painkillers and antibiotics. It ain't happening. He's bucking and kicking and twisting and both of us are covered in the stuff, but I don't think any is going in. Has anyone found a better way of doing it? He's off his food, poor thing, otherwise I'd try soaking a nugget and feeding him that.

Try treats. Mine will eat strawberries even if sick, so put it in one of those.

Alternatively mine likes the taste of the painkillers. So I dip the end of the syringe in the painkiller. Could you dip it in honey or similar?

Lagomorphs can easily break their backs when kicking out in panic. Best to wrap them in a ball with a towel and lay them back a bit(not flat) and gently drop the meds in. This usually takes two people as one need to grip the ball/towel/rabbit combo and one needs to dropper. Rabbits can lay the muscle of your arm open easily with their claws so take care.

Thank you. I've tried a strawberry but he seems uninterested. Unfortunately (sod's law!) DH is away so I'm single handed till tomorrow.

Try the "bunny burrito" using a towel. There are videos online showing how to do it safely.

I had to syringe feed my rabbit as a baby. I always swaddle them like a baby works for cutting there nails too

I never had to administer meds to my rabbit but he used to go mental for kale. All the bottoms of my trousers were nibbled as every time I went into the fridge he would dance around my legs and tug on my trousers to attract my attention. I would then give him a kale leaf and he would run around looking for the best place to eat it. He usually had a green chin.

Hope your rabbit is soon on the mend.

Fuck fuck fuck. I can't do it single handed. I can't get it under his chin. He won't sit still and although I can bundle him up I can't get his face out, he just burrows in. He's had one dose of three he should have had by now. I don't think he's eating. I don't know what to do.

Contact the vet for advice.

Can you try sitting on the floor with your legs under you, then hold him between your legs/ knees?

If he's not eating he really needs to be syringe fed special food or mushed up pellets to avoid gut stasis. Is there anyone who could help you to hold him? If he really won't let you he needs to go to the vets for injections/ a vet nurse to medicate him orally.

There are things called pill pockets for cats and dogs. You'd need to check with your vet whether ok for bunnies. Made by Greenies . You can get them off Amazon. Forgive my ignorance if they are obviously unsuitable.

Sorry OP, not what you want to hear, but it took two of us when my rabbit was on medication. We had to get up extra early to get it done before the commute! If you haven't been able to give him the dose he's supposed to have, and he's not eating, probably best to ring your vets and see if they can see him to administer it.

One bun loved his antibiotics and happily took a syringe. The other is a nightmare! Wrap up firmly in a towel. Tuck them back into the crook of your elbow baby-style, then edge the syringe in the side of the mouth/cheek. I had to give one of ours 9 syringes a day recent to get over a bout of statis. He would try to avoid swallowing and dribble the meds back out so I would gently bounce him until he licked his face, then go for the next syringe. Also start with the one they hate the most to get it over with, and finish with the one they tolerate best.