Ear drops, application, handling and terrified buns :o( U/D Success, of a kind :o(

ripminnie · Feb 14, 2012

It's

awful

I hate it, Olly and Honey hate me, I don't know what to do

They both have to have Canaural twice a day. Last night OH helped me do the 2nd dose (vet did the first). The only way to catch them/pick them up is to scruff them

I know this is wrong and I hate having to do it, but it really is the only way. I then put the bun between my knees and hold on while OH does the drops. Both buns hate being held and the stuff going in their ears totally freaks them out, especially Olly

he runs round like the Tasmanian devil afterwards, trying to get it out

obviously both shake their heads a lot afterwards too, trying to get rid of it, and Honey looked a ragamuffin as she had the oily stuff all over her. Neither of them would let me touch them for ages after.
This morning their ears make clicking noises when they move or shake their heads, is this normal? And does anyone have any idea how to make this easier on them?

Hoppit! · Feb 14, 2012

Do they normally let you catch them, before you started with the ear drops? I guess they're feeling particularly vunerable at the moment. Instead of scruffing them, try catching them in a towel. That way you'll have extra grip, you won't get scratched and it shouldn't hurt them. Have something really yummy standing by for afterwards too. Do they like fenugreek crunchies? What about fibreflex? Those are Pickle's favourite treats, and he's come to learn when I do something nasty he gets a reward afterwards, which helps him to trust me again.

weedug · Feb 14, 2012

I've had to give ear and eye drops to a really nervous bun.

I sometimes went to pick the bun up, or stroke him, and then give him a treat without doing any treatment, so he didn't realise that when he saw me coming something bad was going to happen.

After giving the ear drops, do you massage the base of the ear at all? It helps give the drops time to get in before bun shakes them out, and my bun loved it as his ears were itchy.

For hard to catch buns, I try to get them to run into a wooden shelter I have, so I can quickly block the door, lift the lid and take them out. Don't know if you have anything similar?

My bun's ears made all sorts of squelchy noises when he had drop :lol:

ripminnie · Feb 14, 2012

Hoppit! said:
Do they normally let you catch them, before you started with the ear drops? I guess they're feeling particularly vunerable at the moment. Instead of scruffing them, try catching them in a towel. That way you'll have extra grip, you won't get scratched and it shouldn't hurt them. Have something really yummy standing by for afterwards too. Do they like fenugreek crunchies? What about fibreflex? Those are Pickle's favourite treats, and he's come to learn when I do something nasty he gets a reward afterwards, which helps him to trust me again.

Thanks for replying

no they hate being picked up at any time, especially Olly as he has a head tilt and I think it disorientates him even more

and I do the box thing when we go to the vets so they're even more scared of that

I always give them treats after, but they're still scared of me

I hate it with a passion. I wish there was a product that you could just give one dose of and it cures them!!

ripminnie · Feb 14, 2012

Well we have failed on the second day

Olly and Honey aren't stupid, they know exactly what's coming. I even tried at different times so they didn't associate it with certain things. But as soon as I go for the grab they're off. And once I've tried there's no catching them after that

I just don't know what to do. We're just cr*p

helennnnnn · Feb 14, 2012

You're not ****! It's just difficult

Don't really have any advice as I'm struggling myself with similar bunny-catching/holding problems. You are definitely not the only one! So don't feel too bad about it.

Will they come over for treats? Or if you sit down will they come over and say hello? I don't know if yours are indoor or outdoor, but mine is indoor so I can sit patiently on the floor until he hops over to me and then I can go for the grab without having to chase!

ripminnie · Feb 14, 2012

helennnnnn said:
You're not ****! It's just difficult Don't really have any advice as I'm struggling myself with similar bunny-catching/holding problems. You are definitely not the only one! So don't feel too bad about it.

Will they come over for treats? Or if you sit down will they come over and say hello? I don't know if yours are indoor or outdoor, but mine is indoor so I can sit patiently on the floor until he hops over to me and then I can go for the grab without having to chase!

Aww thank you. I'm still expecting a slating though

yes they come for treats but leg it as soon as my arm goes out!! Then they go and hide in their box until I disappear

I've just looked at your thread and sympathise! When I first got Olly and Honey, my OH had never handled bunnies and was Like your dad

now I do the holding (when I eventually manage it!) and he does whatever needs doing. Good luck with yours :wave: I just want them to get better and wish they understood.

Alibunmum · Feb 14, 2012

Can I ask, if they hide in their box, can you catch them while in the box? I know how horrible it is. I constantly have foster buns here and they often need medication, in fact one is having Canaural just now.

I feel like I am supposed to be gaining their trust but I end up destroying any progress. The only thing that consoles me is that there is no point in them trusting me if they are so ill they are miserable.

Can you do the bunny burrito trick when you swatch them, hug them right into your body and then once the drops are in, as Weedug says, rub the base of their ears so a lot of the drops are down inside their ear before you let them go. Once it's done, let them go and have their huff before you try to go and make up with them.

weedug · Feb 15, 2012

I know how difficult it is! I agree with aliduncan1, is there any way to get them while they are in their box?

Could you pick them up at other times, and just hold them for a while, then give them a treat when they go down, so they don't associate picking up with something bad all the time.

I've had a terribly scared foster bun, and I used to go pick him up, and just put him back, or sometimes pick him up and stroke him a few times, as well as doing the drops when needed. That way he got more used to being handled, and didn't know what he was being picked up for, if you follow.

ripminnie · Feb 15, 2012

Thank you

we are going to try again tonight. The box is just a cardboard one with 2 small holes for going in and out. The only way to get them out would be to lift it off them and just grab them quickly! I will try this tonight. Didn't really want to because that is their 'safe' place, I don't want them to feel they've got nowhere safe to go

but I know it needs doing so will just have to persevere.
As you are using Canaural aswell, does any come back out of the ear when your bun shakes it's head after? We do the massage thing but some does come out, and it's so oily, they look really tatty, and can't seem to wash it off!

aliduncan1 said:
Can I ask, if they hide in their box, can you catch them while in the
box? I know how horrible it is. I constantly have foster buns here and they often need medication, in fact one is having Canaural just now.

I feel like I am supposed to be gaining their trust but I end up destroying any progress. The only thing that consoles me is that there is no point in them trusting me if they are so ill they are miserable.

Can you do the bunny burrito trick when you swatch them, hug them right into your body and then once the drops are in, as Weedug says, rub the base of their ears so a lot of the drops are down inside their ear before you let them go. Once it's done, let them go and have their huff before you try to go and make up with them.

xxranxx · Feb 15, 2012

Oh how i feel your pain! max has an ear infection and is having the canaural twice a day in each ear and hes hates people its taken me 6 months of patience and perservering to get to stroke him and finally the other day he let me stroke his face major breakthrough , but now ear drops and he will probably go back to been petrified of humans

i have no one to hold him for me so first day i brought him inside and sat him between my knees and did it but he shook before i massaged it it and was trying to lick it off his paws :roll: but this morning i managed to sort of corner him in litter tray and did both ears and massaged before he shook ( and stomped and looked very angry :lol: ) im hoping that i might be able to do it like that all week now but i imagine he will remember and hide

Sorry i have no advice to give though - lots of treats maybe ? :lol:

parsnipbun · Feb 15, 2012

We found canaural a particular problem with Parsley - he hated it. He is not so bad with other ear drops (genticin) but the horrid oily canaural he loathed - and it also ended up bunging up his already infected ear and making it much worse - we stopped after a week and took him back and changed the meds.

.

Alibunmum · Feb 15, 2012

They will still feel safe in their box but they will also be mite free. I know it's horrible feeling like you are shepherding them into their safe place only to destroy it but I am afraid it is probably your best way.

Yes Belle does shake it out again and her coat is horrible right now! Here's a wee picture.

ripminnie · Feb 15, 2012

aliduncan1 said:
They will still feel safe in their box but they will also be mite free. I know it's horrible feeling like you are shepherding them into their safe place only to destroy it but I am afraid it is probably your best way.

Yes Belle does shake it out again and her coat is horrible right now! Here's a wee picture.

They don't have mites, they have ear infections :? I read the leaflet actually and did think it was strange, as Canaural doesn't contain antibiotics, it contains a steroid and anti-fungals :? So it had better work or I'll be very cross!!!

Jack's-Jane · Feb 15, 2012

ripminnie said:
They don't have mites, they have ear infections :? I read the leaflet actually and did think it was strange, as Canaural doesn't contain antibiotics, it contains a steroid and anti-fungals :? So it had better work or I'll be very cross!!!

It does, Framycetin sulphate

weedug · Feb 15, 2012

My dog's had them for ear infections :wave:

Good luck with seeing to them later :thumb:

ripminnie · Feb 15, 2012

Jack's-Jane said:
It does, Framycetin sulphate

oops I missed that! So did the pharmacist where I work!

thank you.

ripminnie · Feb 15, 2012

parsnipbun said:
We found canaural a particular problem with Parsley - he hated it. He is not so bad with other ear drops (genticin) but the horrid oily canaural he loathed - and it also ended up bunging up his already infected ear and making it much worse - we stopped after a week and took him back and changed the meds.

.

Yes it's horrible isn't it!

I really hope it works (if we ever manage to administer it properly!)

ripminnie · Feb 15, 2012

Just done both buns

Honey wasn't too bad, I think she realises it's helping her, she didn't even struggle tonight, bless her

Olly is a different matter

he actually whimpers while I'm holding him and trying to get away all the time

I feel so

awful for having to do that to him

I'm wondering if there's something going on deep down in his ears that's making it hurt more when the drops go in or something. It takes him a lot lot longer to calm down from it than Honey

I hope it's not doing more harm than good

Alibunmum · Feb 15, 2012

Well done. If you have ever had an ear infection you will know how horrendous the pain is. Even though you are working with the outer part of the ear, the inside will be prepared as you do it. Hopefully you will know out is starting to get better when he isn't just as upset by the drops going in.

Ear drops, application, handling and terrified buns :o( U/D Success, of a kind :o(

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