• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

How to syringe feed medcine to a grumpy bunny

Jenova

Wise Old Thumper
I could really do with some advice. :D

So far I've tried just holding him, wrapping him in a towel and my newest method, cutting a head sized hole in a towel and wrapping him up in that with his head out the front. But he can wriggle out of anything and he's a fast learner. It doesn't help that I'm quite small and he's quite big, but also his problem is with his teeth so his mouth is sore. I don't want to stress him out unduly, but he needs his medcine.

Cheers for the help.

Edit: I forgot to add that when he's in a really grumpy mood he refuses to swallow so the medcine just drips out. I thought maybe it was the way I was holding him so I tried adjusting that, but then he learned what I was doing and used it to his advantage to escape to the floor where he would promptly swallow what was left in his mouth.

I've also tried putting antibiotics on bread (his favourite food). This worked for a while, then he started to eat the bread around the medcine... plus this time his dosage is so high that would be a LOT of bread.
 
Last edited:
My Max is the same - he's really difficult, he adapts really quickly and has his own 'moves' :roll:
For me I find the easiest (and quickest and least stressful to all) is to get another person to hold whilst I syringe. Next is to use the towel method but you must do it right otherwise they can squirm out it. You probably know this one already (and there are some vids on youtube). Just make sure the first fold is tucked under the front paws and back feet. My other tactic is to sit squat on the floor on a cushion so that I'm slightly elevated, place the bun in the middle so his rear feet are on the ground but his head and front paws are up on my right thigh, left hand down on top of the head with the fingers lift the side of the mouth and quickly syringe with the right hand, remove left hand and compensate (usually with a bit of parsley). The quicker the better. If he gets really stressful I back off. The other technique I've seen (and tried a couple of times) was to kneel over the bunny. Kneel sitting on crossed feet, knees apart, place bun in between the knees facing away from you, bend over the bun, lift side of mouth with left hand, syringe with right. But Max really hates this one so I don't use it. Good luck! :)
BTW it helps to be assertive - show no fear, show no weakness! ;)
 
BTW it helps to be assertive - show no fear, show no weakness! ;)

You've had some 1st. class advice re technique in the above post.
I reckon the quote is the key.
I talk to mine (a buck) - "OK matey, I know you don't like it but that's just tough. You're a gonner without it so the sooner we get it finished with etc etc." Helps to get me in the right frame of mind. He may not understand the words but gets the message!
Things improved a lot when I got a sense of humour realizing my rabbit was using the same avoidance techniques I used when a child.
All the best.
 
Edit: I forgot to add that when he's in a really grumpy mood he refuses to swallow so the medcine just drips out. I thought maybe it was the way I was holding him so I tried adjusting that, but then he learned what I was doing and used it to his advantage to escape to the floor where he would promptly swallow what was left in his mouth.

Just to add to the excellent advice above that says to be firm and confident! Which I totally agree with, you must also remain calm yourself, any anxiety will be picked up by bun. BUT in my personal experience when Poppy (who's fear personality was getting in the way of her swallowing anything) we discovered that inadequate hydration was making her reluctance to swallow worse. She had had a lot of sub-cut fluids in less than 24 hours but this was not enough, oral fluids in the form of cooled herbal tea (peppermint/camomile) given just 0.5ml at a time rehydrated her enough, especially her mouth (bit like when we're thirsty and dry mouthed we don't want to eat) that her interest in swallowing improved significantly. She took around 30ml oral fluids in one go and then suddenly participated in swallowing medicines and syringe food so just bear the hydration factor in mind. Good luck. Try to keep his dewlap dry if he's spitting the food out....dab him off with tissue afterward under his chin. Poppy's fur fell out under her chin from repeated scald (wet fur) from several intensive days nursing. Sick buns don't groom properly.
Baytril also tastes pretty horrible if this is what your bun is having! Some people combine it with a little apple juice in a syringe. I've not tried this yet though personally but it sounds like a good idea for a very reluctant bun who associates medication with a horrible taste. Good luck :)
 
He's too clever!

I've had to resort to my own special way, which is put a towel over him, not ideal but he won't let me put him on the towel to wrap him anymore... Then I have to sit on a chair with my legs up and his bum on one leg so he can't escape backwards and his chin on my arm. He still squirms and tries to turn round in the towel or just moves his head down so I can't get to his mouth or just moves his head whenever I try to feed him. It's definitely the baytril he doesn't like the taste of because he (almost) happily has the painkillers. They I give him a bit of bread afterwards, and if he's dribbled any medicine I put it on the bread so he gets all of it.

I've just been persevering, sometimes it take me 20 minutes to do, but it has to be done. He's so much better in himself now and he doesn't hate me because we both fell asleep together downstairs last night. :)

Oh, and he stole my boyfriend's donut out of the bag and the wrapper... only had a bite though before we took it off him and he was hunting for it all night. :lol:
 
You could try my 'trick' of making them a bit 'on guard' just prior to administering the medicine. I swear this is why the vets make it look so easy :D

My trick is to put the bunny up on a table or somewhere where they'll feel a bit wary. They're usually so concerned about where they are that you can slip the syringe into their mouth and it's all done before they have a chance to wriggle! I'm currently on day 4 of Baytril for Parsnip and so far, so good!.

Just be careful that they can't jump off and hurt themselves - you need to make sure they're safe.
 
My bun is obsessed with cleaning and grooming himself, so if all other attempts at giving him medicine fail, I squirt medicine on to his paws and he can't resist licking it off to get them clean. If your bunny has a strong grooming instinct, then definitely try that!
 
I am also having trouble!

I am giving mu bunny 1 ml of itrafungol (treatment for her ringworm) and she will not let me put the syringe in her mouth. I have had to put it on her food but now (half way through treatment (7 days to go)) she wont eat the food with the medication on. Any ideas please???
I have read the post with excellent advice but I was wondering if i could disguise the medication in any other way.

Help please :)
 
With my stroppy buns I just get it over quickly and firmly.

I pick them up and hold them so their feet are at right angles to the side of my waist, their bum is tucked under my left elbow and my left arm supports along their back and my left hand holds their head - this is so they are nearly on their backs, but more side on so its safe to give meds.

I then put the syringe in the left side of their mouth.
 
Wow, this is an old thread, but it does have some excellent advice.

I always give my medicine on bread now, that seems to go down no matter what. But otherwise I have a new method. I sit with my legs under me and cross my feet at the back. Bunny is underneath me with his bum by my feet. I lie over him to restrain him but don't actually put my weight on him. And then syringe goes into mouth and he can't move. This works for me and Grimlock because he's a big bunny. The towel and other methods didn't work for this reason. I think it depends on the rabbit, its personality and size. :wave:
 
Back
Top