Hi,
I've been thrown in at the deep end with one of my new rabbits. She had to go to the emergency vet this evening with diarrhoea. Amazingly, the antibiotic injection already seems to be working as all the droppings in her carrier on the way home were normal.
I've been given three things to feed her: Fibreplex, Recovery Formula and an antibiotic.
I was worried as I've never medicated a rabbit before. I have helped medicate cats on a couple of occasions, and that was like a military operation.
But she is a friendly, docile creature and, whilst wrapped up in a towel - as I need both hands to control the syringe - she accepted the Fibreplex and even chewed enthusiastically on the syringe. I don't think she swallowed all of the dose, though, as there was a little of the gel below her mouth.
How much does this matter? And is there any way to make sure an animal takes all its medicine?
I then tried her with the Recovery Formula. She wasn't nearly so keen on this syringe (perhaps it doesn't taste very nice) and I think the little I tried to give her ended up on her and on the towel. I put the rest of it in her water bowl, but she sniffed it and then ignored it. How can I make sure she takes it.
The vet made it sound quite easy, as if they'll swallow what is squirted into their mouths, provided it's done slowly so they don't inhale liquid.
Incidentally, she is still eating hay, but perhaps not quite so much as she did yesterday. She has never completely stopped eating.
I really need some advice on how to get this right, so she keeps getting better. I have to give her the antibiotic tomorrow morning too, which is even more important.
Thanks in advance.
I've been thrown in at the deep end with one of my new rabbits. She had to go to the emergency vet this evening with diarrhoea. Amazingly, the antibiotic injection already seems to be working as all the droppings in her carrier on the way home were normal.
I've been given three things to feed her: Fibreplex, Recovery Formula and an antibiotic.
I was worried as I've never medicated a rabbit before. I have helped medicate cats on a couple of occasions, and that was like a military operation.
But she is a friendly, docile creature and, whilst wrapped up in a towel - as I need both hands to control the syringe - she accepted the Fibreplex and even chewed enthusiastically on the syringe. I don't think she swallowed all of the dose, though, as there was a little of the gel below her mouth.
How much does this matter? And is there any way to make sure an animal takes all its medicine?
I then tried her with the Recovery Formula. She wasn't nearly so keen on this syringe (perhaps it doesn't taste very nice) and I think the little I tried to give her ended up on her and on the towel. I put the rest of it in her water bowl, but she sniffed it and then ignored it. How can I make sure she takes it.
The vet made it sound quite easy, as if they'll swallow what is squirted into their mouths, provided it's done slowly so they don't inhale liquid.
Incidentally, she is still eating hay, but perhaps not quite so much as she did yesterday. She has never completely stopped eating.
I really need some advice on how to get this right, so she keeps getting better. I have to give her the antibiotic tomorrow morning too, which is even more important.
Thanks in advance.