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Tips for Giving Baytril

helgalush

helgalush

Wise Old Thumper
Hi

Can anyone give me tips for how to make it less stressful for Starbuck to get the Baytril in to him?

I tried various positions to get the syringe in his mouth, in the end it was easiest with him in my arms on his back, in kind of like the "trance" position.

He wouldnt open his mouth and kept flinching and writhing, so it was quite a struggle. Think it took me 3 squirts and I am not sure how much went in and how much was on his chin :roll::oops::oops:

If anyone has any tips I'd be grateful (and so would Starby!). Thank you.

Helen x
 
The vet suggested sucking up the baytril dose into the syringe, followed by a tiny bit of ribena to disguise the taste.

Alfie hated the syringe near his mouth though so it didn't work for me. :roll: :lol:

I had good success with a little wholemeal bread and baytril sandwich though (just 2 very teeny piece of bread with baytril in the middle).
 
This trick works with my bunnies - no stress and they actually think they're getting a treat!

Cut about 1/2-1 inch of banana and mash it up then squirt the baytril on top and mush it all together and feed to bunny! Hopefuly they won't even notice its medicated - if they do increase the amount of banana!

Good luck!
 
Oooh, the previous post just reminded me that I also mixed it in with baby food (just a small amount of Ella's Kitchen fruity one) and Alfie loved it. :)
 
baby food, mashed banana, stick it onto spring greens or spinach or put into a hole made into apple/puree up some apple, ribena in syringe....or bunny burrito him x
 
Great ideas - thank you both.

I think I will try the banana one first as I know he definitely likes banana and I dont have any ribena in. But the wholemeal bread "sandwich" sounds good too.

I think it is more the fact that he doesnt like the syringe near his mouth first of all, and then obviously it must taste horrible so then he definitely wouldnt let it back in again.

First time I have seen his front teeth properly though....:)

Thanks so much :wave::wave:
 
I find the easiest way is to put them on the floor, kneel over them and cross my feet at the ankles. That way they can't wriggle backwards and get free but they arn't on their backs.
 
Slit a sugar snap pea or mange tout at one side and put the baytril in the pocket, then feed bun.
I used to do this with Kermit all the time, i couldnt lift him to syringe him.

Bunny Burrito is wrapped up in a towel :)
 
Ohhh thats ok then. Thats what I thought it probably was but thought I would ask just in case it was something else! Dont know what though...! :lol::lol:
 
Banana was the way forward with Bart in the end! Highly recommend! Don't need much of it, mush it up good and proper and the lot is gone within a minute :D
 
Unfortunately Starbuck hasnt really gone for the banana trick. I think he could taste the medicine on it, and he is so fussy at the best of times. Still there was no obvious banana left when I fed him this morning so assume he ate it in the end. A lot of his dinner was left though.

Tried again to syringe it in to his mouth this morning (cos wasnt sure he'd eaten all the banana and cos I was in a rush :oops:). He hated it and squealed and I felt so sad and sorry and guilty :cry::cry:. Gave him a yummy carrot biscuit instead. Have left him with mashed up banana today but not convinced he will eat it. :(

Will have to try bread or wrapped up in a cabbage leaf later....poor little man, he doesnt know I am trying to help him :(
 
Walter had all his baytril on a little bit of bread wrapped in a basil leaf to hide the taste. Though he didn't seem to mind the taste that much anyways coz he'd eat the bread even if it fell out of the basil leaf :lol:
 
gizmo and yoshi both hate baytrill and seem to know when its coming so now i get the syringe ready with the baytril... wash the end off and dry it then dip it some summer fruits juice and put a little bit in the end [works like a charm] Or the other one i love is stick the syringe into a grape as bunny eats the grape squirt in the baytril :lol:
 
yoshi&gizmo said:
gizmo and yoshi both hate baytrill and seem to know when its coming so now i get the syringe ready with the baytril... wash the end off and dry it then dip it some summer fruits juice and put a little bit in the end [works like a charm] Or the other one i love is stick the syringe into a grape as bunny eats the grape squirt in the baytril :lol:
Click to expand...

bart wised up to the sticking the syringe in stuff :lol:
 
When I got home tonight he hadnt eaten any of the banana. And because the banana was in his bowl with the rest of his food, he hadnt eaten any of that either! He has since eaten half his pellets so he isnt in stasis or anything.

Just trying to think about what will work best tonight. He doesnt eat much as he isnt that bothered about food (apart from carrot biscuits!) so if I put it on food I cant be sure that he will eat it. Unless I put it on a carrot biscuit?? But dont know if that will work or if it might put him off carrot biscuits forever, which would be a shame as he LOVES them.

Think I might have to go bunny burrito route - have some ribena now so could try. Just seems to stress him so much!
 
Result!! Using a combo of ribena and bunny burrito I have finally managed to get some Baytril in to Starbuck without too much fuss!! Hooray! Well done Starbuck.

(Hope I havent given too much ribena - it was the no added sugar one but I probably sucked up 1-2 mls :oops:Please tell me thats ok and not going to harm him!)
 
Well done. Ribena worked best on my buns too. All other food they tasted the baytril straight away and left it. Good luck.
 
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