Getting my bunny to take his medicine

Hi everyone,

I'm having real trouble getting my bunny to take his syringe of antibiotics and 2 syringes of lapizole. When we started the course he was really keen to take them and seemed to love the taste, but now he's absolutely adamant that he won't have it. The only way I can get him to take it is by putting teeny drops of it on parsley and basil leaves and feeding him the leaves one by one. Is this OK? I don't want to dilute the medicine...

Does anyone have any other tips on how to get bunnies to take medicine?

Thanks so much

I have had the same problem in the past and so I will just let you know what I did to overcome it. I think it would be better and the meds would be more effective if you can just down them down in one go so to speak and must be taking you ages this way, naughty bunny lol!! Have everything all ready drawn up and good to go, wrap bunny securely in a hand towel so that he cannot wriggle free, and then there are 3 ways. Either hold him firmly under your arm, if there is someone to hold him firmly under their arm, great, or put him on top of another towel on say kitchen worktop or table so that he isn't slipping all over the place, and then firmly put your free hand on top of his neck to keep it down and still. With regards the actual administration, I don't know if you are going in from the front, which personally I don't do, as too much opportunity for me to end up wearing it, or bunny could bite down on syringe and shatter it, but if you go from the side right at the back of bunny's mouth, you can carefully slide it in with no worry of banging teeth etc or causing any discomfort and just slide it in right in the corner of his mouth and depress contents quickly in one go. I don't know what size syringe you are using, but I always use 1ml ones as bunny will hardly notice that, whereas if you have got to use bigger ones you have to try and open mouth more which can make bunny object to that. Hope this helps, and don't forget to immediately afterwards give a favourite treat.

I buy pure fruit purée baby food, mix in the meds and the bunsters slurp down the whole lot thinking they have been given a treat! :lol:

Anything that doesn't taste that nice I mix in with mashed banana, they way they eat it all, it's minimal stress and they think they're getting a treat. Alternatively syringing it into a piece of bread works well too. What antibiotic is it? It isn't Septrin is it if he used to like it and now doesn't? First time Mischa had Septrin it was a doddle, he loved it but after that he refused it unless it was in banana, I think it might have upset his tummy or had a bitter aftertaste.

For things like metacam which they love I just let them eat it from the syringe. They chew the syringe, run off with it, throw it around. Never had one break.

I always put it on herbs that's the only way angel would take it as she breath holds when she sees a syringe.
Ny vet said its fine as long as they are getting the full dose.
You can also put a little bit of pellets in the bottom of the bowl, then the herbs all on tops and then drip it all on the herbs, any that slides to the bottom gets soaked up by pellets. I use dill to give it o as that seems to soak up the meds the best.

My rabbits not great for taking meds either! What im doing is wrapping him in a big towel and turing him upside down and holding onto him very carefully, the towel ensures they he does not wriggle. I am using a smalll amount of ribena with a small amount of water and putting the meds in that. They seem to like something sweet, got the advice from my vet she said u can use apple juice too. hes still not that happy bout it but think he likes the sweet taste. I fisn this is the only way i can get him to take his medicene!
Hope this helps

scatty87 said:

My rabbits not great for taking meds either! What im doing is wrapping him in a big towel and turing him upside down and holding onto him very carefully, the towel ensures they he does not wriggle. I am using a smalll amount of ribena with a small amount of water and putting the meds in that. They seem to like something sweet, got the advice from my vet she said u can use apple juice too. hes still not that happy bout it but think he likes the sweet taste. I fisn this is the only way i can get him to take his medicene!
Hope this helps

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It would be better if you held him normally as I think they can aspirate which could cause serious health problems.

I mix mine with banana or put on a shreddie. some people put on piece of small bread. I do not normally feed these items, only when I need to get meds down. It is OK to put onto herbs too, I used to do this with my bridge bunny - but had ot be careful it didn't role off the leaves :roll:

banana and baby food

Really wouldn't turn him upside down. I did that once years ago with my first bun, and he aspirated and was rushed to vets. Only survived because I literally did mouth to mouth on him and actually heard the fluid dislodge, but still had to be admitted, have oxygen and be monitored, and then antibiotics for 10 days, as big risk of infection turning to pneumonia. Was so lucky and would never have forgiven myself if he hadn't survived, but will never turn a bunny upside down again, as that is all that caused it. Had done it loads of times before with no problems as well.

RogerRabbit999 said:

Really wouldn't turn him upside down. I did that once years ago with my first bun, and he aspirated and was rushed to vets. Only survived because I literally did mouth to mouth on him and actually heard the fluid dislodge, but still had to be admitted, have oxygen and be monitored, and then antibiotics for 10 days, as big risk of infection turning to pneumonia. Was so lucky and would never have forgiven myself if he hadn't survived, but will never turn a bunny upside down again, as that is all that caused it. Had done it loads of times before with no problems as well.

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Sorry for giving ill advice. My rabbit doesnt like being picked up and wont take medication any other way thats why the vet advised us to turn him round and give his med that way. We're very careful in how we do it and it seems to work for us. But by all means please ignore my advice I wouldnt want to cause any problems.

Hope you find a way that works for your bunny

I am new to bunnyhood. What is a shreddie? I am also having a problem giving a syringe of medicine to my bunny. My vet didn't mention how hard this could be. I can do anything with my buns, but this.

TerriB said:

I am new to bunnyhood. What is a shreddie? I am also having a problem giving a syringe of medicine to my bunny. My vet didn't mention how hard this could be. I can do anything with my buns, but this.

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It's a type of cereal https://www.nestle-cereals.com/uk/en/products-promotions/brands/shreddies-brand

TerriB said:

I am new to bunnyhood. What is a shreddie? I am also having a problem giving a syringe of medicine to my bunny. My vet didn't mention how hard this could be. I can do anything with my buns, but this.

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haha, they don't!
obv the best way is to mix with a bit of food but if you're having to use a syringe then there are several ways. my method is to wrap the bunny in a towel to 'restrain' them & take it from there. it gets easier with experience.a good way in (imo) with the syringe is to go in just behind their front teeth... there's like gap just to the side. obv in too far isn't good but also make sure you're in enough or the medicine just dripples down their cheek. preparation is also the key - make sure the syringe is filled beforehand and readily available for when needed.

My method is to mix whatever it is with kitchen oatmeal, worked great so far.