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Syringing meds and food help

snuffle_munch

Warren Scout
Hey Guys,

Ok so my boy Presley had a major op on Wednesday as he has an inner ear infection (abscess) which had broken a small bone in his ear. He has had his whole inner ear removed. We are having to give him Metacam and zantex twice daily and syringe feed him 3 times a day and the give him an penicillin injection once daily. However this is proving to very hard task as he wont let us ant where near his mouth. Hes biting and scratching (this is something he never does) it took me and my OH a hour last night for the jag alone. Can anyone give me any advice on this.

Thank you x
 
Have you made him into a bunny burrito yet? (No, I don't mean the food!)

Wrap him up in a towel, including his little feetsies so he can't scrabble and push you away, then if your OH (or whoever holds him) holds him firmly so his bum is pressed into your OH's stomach, then he can't back out. It's certainly worth a try, and it always works with my bunny :)
 
Thank you for your reply JemimaH. I haven't tried it yet but this sounds like a plan. Ill try it when I get home. I wish the understood that you were trying to help them and not hurt them. x
 
This may sound crazy.. but have you tried not picking him up and just putting the syringe in front of his mouth? He may scrabble and growl at first if he's not used to being fed by hand or ever having your hands near his mouth. All my bunnies will eventually grab the syringe if I do it this way and learn that they like what they get (especially with metacam/loxicom, I don't know what zantex tastes like)! That way it doesn't become a fight. For injections I find the easiest way is to let them tuck their head under your arm so that you have both hands free to pick up the nape of the neck and inject.
 
Oh gosh the poor thing, sounds like a big op hes had. Sending him vibes for a speedy recovery.

I Would definitely try offering the syringe meds without holding, then if he takes them that way you will only have to hold for the injection :) its worked with my bunnies before
 
I can vouch for the bunny burrito method too.

Also for meds, I've found all of mine will take them soaked into a tiny piece of Weetabix with mashed banana on top.
 
it may be that its hurting where his ear was removed when you try to open his mouth. i would also make sure that xrays have been done to ensure the abscess hasn't spread to his teeth; I have a rabbit who has had 4 tooth abscesses (he's a rescue) and he would fight force feeding when it hurt him.
You might also want to try getting Oxbow fine grind critical care because its so smooth they can just gulp it without having to do any chewing at all.

but first, check with vet that abscess hasn't spread because that will kill him. i volunteer at a rabbit sanctuary and that happened to one of the rabbits; she had an abscess and they thought it was all cleaned out, but it had managed to spread and by the time she went back for xrays it was too late.

Good luck, abscesses are horrible. My bunny had a hole in his face for 6 weeks the worst time, and had to go back to have it recleaned 3 times. He did survive though, but it was tough and go there for awhile.
 
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