A little help on giving meds

Just taken Willow and Nettle back to the vets. Willow is much better, but still needs antibiotics for another 5 days. Nettle's eye is a bit better, it has blood vessels growing to the cornea which will aid healing but apparently might mean the current scarring is permanent. The second ulcer is smaller. (And she is going to be written up for a medical paper, despite the cause of these ulcers still being baffling). She still needs painkillers, Abs and eye drops. The problem is, they don't want these meds and Willow particularly is becoming really hard to get them in. A bunny burrito doesn't work as she's just too strong. We've resorted to putting her into the little carrier but even then she has to be restrained from jumping out as it's a top-opener, and it can be impossible. She also guards Nettle when she's having her meds, and she bit DH this morning as he was putting Nettle's eyedrops in. I tried putting meds on a cabbage leaf Nettle was eating but after that she wouldn't eat anything else so I didn't do it again. Therefore I haven't tried putting the meds on a mini shredded wheat as I've seen mentioned, because of that and also I'm worried about wasting the meds and not having enough.
Any more ideas for me to try? For a while picking them up and doing it while I held them worked, but it doesn't anymore they are too strong to be held if they don't want to be.

I think administering medication to rabbits can be so difficult. I know you said you haven't tried the shredded wheat trick but what might be worth a go is a tiny piece of bread, so the medication actually soaks into it. The other thing I've had success with is a tiny piece of bread with the medication on it, then wrapped in a basil leaf.

Babsie said:

I think administering medication to rabbits can be so difficult. I know you said you haven't tried the shredded wheat trick but what might be worth a go is a tiny piece of bread, so the medication actually soaks into it. The other thing I've had success with is a tiny piece of bread with the medication on it, then wrapped in a basil leaf.

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Thanks, I will try them with unmedicated bread first as they can be very fussy about new foods.
I only have wholemeal sliced at the moment so let's hope they aren't too picky!

Sam and Truffs said:

Thanks, I will try them with unmedicated bread first as they can be very fussy about new foods.
I only have wholemeal sliced at the moment so let's hope they aren't too picky!

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Normally bread is a definite no - but I think you'll find they go for it. I would have suggested a tiny bit of toast, but not sure how well the medication would soak into that. I don't think they'll mind wholemeal! Good luck!

Sorry Ive no food suggestions here.... Not one of my 6 would ever take medication on any type of food... I would persevere with syringing it.... at least you know its gone down :wave:

Sit on them!

Obviously not really but it's always worked for me and I work in an animal rescue and have a fair bit of experience of getting meds into unwilling animals!

Kneel on the floor sitting back on your heels and put bunny between your legs so that their head is by your knee and gently move your legs so that whilst you are not squishing them there is a firm barrier either side of them. then lean over the top of them. Bunny can't go backwards as you are there, there is a leg either side of them holding them still and you are leaning over the top so they can't jump up and a hand on their shoulders stops them going forwards. :thumb:

From there it's a lot easier to use one hand on the shoulders to gently lift their head and the other to pop the meds in. I find that technique works on animals that tend to panic at medication time as they feel secure as they are on the floor and they don't feel cornered as technically you are behind them!

Good luck!

(Alternatively Ella's kitchen fruit purée baby food works with getting meds into buns too, my buns think its a treat! :lol

I've recently had to give antibiotics to Tully twice a day while OH was away - no way could I have just given them to him on my own!

I took a small piece of Weetabix and squirted the meds onto that so they soaked in, then covered with a tiny amount of mashed banana. He went nuts for it (after the first time, when he was suspicious of it). I will definitely be using that trick again

Unfortunately I can't kneel on the floor, as I have knee replacements. Can't even sit on the floor, as I don't have enough bend in my knee to get up again. DH did try it, but they don't stay still enough to keep them there and he is a bit unsure about it all (but getting better). I will try baby food too and see which they gobble down. If they will actually eat it unadulterated I might stand a chance with meds on.