Help needed... again!!

I'm so sorry to be on asking questions again but I'm at a loss as what to do. Barney was in stasis yesterday he seems much better today and was at vets for check this morning. But I have to give him oral Baytril once a day for a week and Metocalm twice a day for 3 days. My problem is I cannot get him to take it. I have searched on here and tried all the tips but I cannot get it in to him and I only have just enough syringes (pre loaded with medicines from the vets) and am wasting them in treats that he then won't touch. If we try to force feed him he just wriggles free no matter how tight I hold him. I've tried treats, juice, banana, but no joy. Anyone got any other ideas?

What about mushing it in a sandwich of herbs?

Well I tried with banana as that is his absolute favourite and he took one sniff and ran away flicking his feet! He can obviously smell it. I haven't tried herbs, but am worried that I'll have none left soon as I keep trying it in different things and I'm running out of meds.

Have you tried to force feed it to him?
Can anyone help you to hold him down?

I would call the vets, tell them the trouble you are having, ask for some more baytril, I'm sure you can draw it up yourself its not rocket science, get the nurse to show you the marker on the syringe. Ask if you can pop him down and get the nurses to do it and show you the best way.

I put mine on the kitchen table on a folded towel. A second pair of hands is always helpful and so does taking them in to a room they are not familiar with - the bathroom maybe.

Yeah I have tried that but he will stay still with his body but wriggles his head out of my hand everytime. Even when I hold tight he manages to wriggle free and I'm scared I'm hurting him, causing more stress and more tummy upset! :roll: Sorry you prabably think I'm being pathetic. My OH will be home soon so, having bigger hands, he might be able to hold his head for me a bit better.

I think a call to the vets may be in order yes. I am just so frustrated with myself that I can't do it. The vets don't seem to have any trouble, maybe because he is stressed there, so another unfamilliar room may help too.

Have you tried wrapping in a towel with only head free - you will need two people to do this - then bun can't move head very far as against the chest of person holding - this worked well with my teenage daughter holding and me finding side of buns mouth with syringe! It is frustrating - good luck

Thanx will try with a towel when my OH comes in. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Does he really not like the metacam? I find my buns love this one and take it willingly from an offered syringe. I expect all the stress around syringe feeding has made him develop a negative association - not your fault though - some buns can be tricky. You need to be firm, hold him tight, you won't hurt him, and I agree being in a strange room should help. Sit on a chair or put him on a table, don't crouch on the floor - too tempting for him to make a break for it.

Baytril tastes yucky! Even my syringe swallowing bun won't touch it. Can I ask why he is on Baytril anyway? Was it a straighforward uncomplicated GI stasis or does he have an underlying suspected infection somewhere? I've never been given antibiotics for plain GI stasis - so was just wondering why he had them? and thinking if they were not necessary then you wouldn't need to put him through the stress of the yucky medicine and giving just the metacam which tastes nice might be a lot easier. Obviously your vet may have their reasons for both meds. Is he having ongoing gut motility meds too? Personally if I have a bun on antibiotics I would want to be giving them probiotics at the same time so I would ask for some Fibreplex or similar whilst there, esp if my bun had just had stasis. Good luck

ETA depending how many doses of baytril you have got in now you may have to continue just to prevent him developing resistance by stopping early. :?

I didn't see my usual vet as she is away and wasn't too keen on this one to be honest. She said that the not eating could have been brought on by a tummy bug so the baytril is for that. Does that sound right? There is no other known cause as no change in diet, situation, stress, etc. Plus no previous gut probs with Barney at all. I don't think he is scared of the syringe just doesn't like having his head held. He really doesn't like the metacalm no even in his fave foods he won't touch it.

Bex09 said:

I didn't see my usual vet as she is away and wasn't too keen on this one to be honest. She said that the not eating could have been brought on by a tummy bug so the baytril is for that. Does that sound right? There is no other known cause as no change in diet, situation, stress, etc. Plus no previous gut probs with Barney at all. I don't think he is scared of the syringe just doesn't like having his head held. He really doesn't like the metacalm no even in his fave foods he won't touch it.

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Possibly. All I can say is i've never been given it for GI stasis, but some vets do and it is considered a sensible 'covering' option. Personally, and this is just me, I feel that any more stress on caecal bacteria is not what is needed when a bun is dealing with GI stasis, this is why my vets don't give it, but a lot of rabbit-savvy vets do so if she says give it then it is probably best that you do.

Have you tried drawing up some dilute apple juice into the syringe once the meds are already in there? So bun just smells and tastes apple juice when you first put the syringe in their mouth?
I know someone else puts the meds into a sugar snap pea pod? Just some more ideas I can think of? Hope you figure something out that works.

Thanks will keep trying and let you know how we get on. OH is home now to help!

with thumper i put him in his bunny bed, put him under my arm, over his body so he couldnt wriggle about & held under his chin with my hand & gave him the syringe from the side of his mouth & gave him a bit at a time, after a few times he would sit there & take it without any fuss

Well all I can say is I am clearly a push over! :shock: My OH held Barney wrapped in a towel with his head held still and he let me put the syringe in the side of his mouth and had his medicine like a good little boy. No wriggling at all! My OH said he doesn't know what all the fuss was about! He actually looked shocked as he swallowed it as if to say "ooh that's quite nice". What a norty bun for his poor Mum!! Anyway thanks for all the help and advice.

:lol: You gotta be cruel to be kind!