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Bun hates medicine :(

Beau Belle

Mama Doe
So my little Bertie is poorly and has been given Emeprid, Ranitidine and Baytril.

None of my buns have ever been keen on taking medicine, but BertBert won’t swallow Emeprid in particular and just lets it dribble out :(

It’s stressful trying to get it into him, and he gets very stressed too. And now I’m worried he won’t get better unless I get the right quantities into him...

I try to tempt him with something nice in between (Ella’s Kitchen organic baby fruit pouches) but he’s not having it.

Feeding him critical care is hard to do on my own (OH at work) as he’s not a tiny bun (2.74kg of outraged bunny boy) and he’s not eating enough greens on his own to keep his tummy moving.

Does anyone has a special trick of ensuring enough medicine gets into bun without stressing them out too much?
 
Oh no, I'm really sorry Bertie isn't well.

I don't know what it is about Emeprid but I also find it has a tendency to get dribbled out if I'm not careful.

I don't know if this helps at all, but this is my method for syringe feeding. I always wrap them in a blanket and take them into the bathroom. It's the one room they don't go in that often. As it's slightly unfamiliar territory they don't play up as much. To syringe feed, I kneel down on the floor and have them on the floor between my thighs. I find they're more cooperative if they have all four feet on the ground. I then lean over them and insert the syringe through the gap at the side. For the emeprid I push the syringe in slightly further and just syringe very small amounts at a time. I find that way it doesn't dribble out as much.

I've never done this myself but you could try mixing the emeprid with a bit of the Ella's kitchen to make it more palatable. It will also make it a bit thicker so less likely to dribble out.

I hope you manage to get the meds down. Also sending vibes that Bertie starts to feel better soon.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk
 
Oh no, I'm really sorry Bertie isn't well.

I don't know what it is about Emeprid but I also find it has a tendency to get dribbled out if I'm not careful.

I don't know if this helps at all, but this is my method for syringe feeding. I always wrap them in a blanket and take them into the bathroom. It's the one room they don't go in that often. As it's slightly unfamiliar territory they don't play up as much. To syringe feed, I kneel down on the floor and have them on the floor between my thighs. I find they're more cooperative if they have all four feet on the ground. I then lean over them and insert the syringe through the gap at the side. For the emeprid I push the syringe in slightly further and just syringe very small amounts at a time. I find that way it doesn't dribble out as much.

I've never done this myself but you could try mixing the emeprid with a bit of the Ella's kitchen to make it more palatable. It will also make it a bit thicker so less likely to dribble out.

I hope you manage to get the meds down. Also sending vibes that Bertie starts to feel better soon.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

I also wrap in a bunny burrito and take to an unfamiliar room, we usually have Frosty sat on our knee and weirdly he cooperates more for my daughter giving it to him than me. Metacam he will eat mixed with Ella’s kitchen type food, I buy it from Aldi, he likes the carrot apple and parsnip flavour one. We’ve dipped the syringe in it before giving him meds too.

Sending lots of vibes to him xx
 
Thank you both. I’ll try a different room - that might work well. I’ll try a different position too - I usually do a bunny burrito on the ironing board, but it might work better on the floor or lap... :) #Hopeful

Thank you! x
 
Good luck with the burrito: it never works on Lopsy, we're just not that good and he's even outsmarted a very experienced vet nurse :roll: I've never had to give emeprid but have used other food to disguise medicine, and have finally mastered a way to give baytril to Lopsy effectively: soak it into a fenugreek crunchie and he doesn't even notice, ha!
 
Good luck with the burrito: it never works on Lopsy, we're just not that good and he's even outsmarted a very experienced vet nurse :roll: I've never had to give emeprid but have used other food to disguise medicine, and have finally mastered a way to give baytril to Lopsy effectively: soak it into a fenugreek crunchie and he doesn't even notice, ha!

Soaking into a crunchie - that’s an idea... The medicine still works, right..?
 
Oh no, I'm really sorry Bertie isn't well.

I don't know what it is about Emeprid but I also find it has a tendency to get dribbled out if I'm not careful.

I don't know if this helps at all, but this is my method for syringe feeding. I always wrap them in a blanket and take them into the bathroom. It's the one room they don't go in that often. As it's slightly unfamiliar territory they don't play up as much. To syringe feed, I kneel down on the floor and have them on the floor between my thighs. I find they're more cooperative if they have all four feet on the ground. I then lean over them and insert the syringe through the gap at the side. For the emeprid I push the syringe in slightly further and just syringe very small amounts at a time. I find that way it doesn't dribble out as much.

I've never done this myself but you could try mixing the emeprid with a bit of the Ella's kitchen to make it more palatable. It will also make it a bit thicker so less likely to dribble out.

I hope you manage to get the meds down. Also sending vibes that Bertie starts to feel better soon.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

We also syringe on the floor but I dont wrap Dillon up to do so. I cross my feet, have him between my thighs and lean over. I wait till he chews the syringe and put a little in at a time. The chewing of the syringe means I know it is fully in his mouth.
Dillon hates being syringed but after each session he gets some fresh basil and thyme - he has come to expect this and does not fight me quite so much.
 
We also syringe on the floor but I dont wrap Dillon up to do so. I cross my feet, have him between my thighs and lean over. I wait till he chews the syringe and put a little in at a time. The chewing of the syringe means I know it is fully in his mouth.
Dillon hates being syringed but after each session he gets some fresh basil and thyme - he has come to expect this and does not fight me quite so much.

I’ll try doing it on the floor - I want it to be as easy as possible for him.

He’s not falling for the soaked crunchie :D
 
I’ll try doing it on the floor - I want it to be as easy as possible for him.

He’s not falling for the soaked crunchie :D
Typical bunnies, they never go for the easiest and least stressful method!

How is Bertie doing now?

I forgot to mention, if you do the syringe feed on a hard floor it can be absolute murder on the knees, especially when you're doing the recovery feeds as well! So I'd definitely recommend something soft for you to kneel on.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk
 
Bertie is doing well and I’m feeling positive - he’s had a few strands of hay and a few treats :D

He’s got a check-up on Monday and I think the Vet will be happy with his progress.
 
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