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  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

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Getting medication into a rabbit

M

MelodyM

New Kit
Hello, new member here and sorry to jump right in but I am at my wits end trying to give antibiotics to one of my bunnies! Holly has a respiratory tract infection which is proving hard to shift and has been quite poorly. We have been back and forth to the vet and she is improving but her breathing is still noisy. Otherwise she seems to be eating ok and acting normally. She is on two medications, Baytril and Meloxidyl, and it is a massive fight trying to get them into her every day which is stressful for both of us. What I do is wrap her in a towel, hold her tightly and (try to) squirt the medicine into the side of her mouth using a syringe. This is the easiest method I have found but it is still a huge struggle and I have no idea if this is the right way to do it or if there is a better way. Any tips would be appreciated! I'm really worried about her as this has gone on for a while and the vet says that while she is improving she is "not out of the woods yet" :( So I really need to make sure she is taking all her medication.
 
I always struggle to get meds in whilst a rabbit is in a sitting position because even when tightly wrapped in a towel they move their head around so much. I've found the easiest way is to pick them up, tip them back a little bit as if you're cradling them (NOT enough to trance them, just enough so you can see their mouth more clearly like this - http://rabbitcare.yolasite.com/resources/DSC08142.JPG ). Use as small a syringe as you can and place it behind the front teeth, don't try squirt it all in as quick as you can you don't want them to choke. I like to do a small bit at a time, and once they start chewing add a bit more, sometimes they open their mouth a bit to lick their lips which makes it much easier to get the medicine in
 
MelodyM said:
Hello, new member here and sorry to jump right in but I am at my wits end trying to give antibiotics to one of my bunnies! Holly has a respiratory tract infection which is proving hard to shift and has been quite poorly. We have been back and forth to the vet and she is improving but her breathing is still noisy. Otherwise she seems to be eating ok and acting normally. She is on two medications, Baytril and Meloxidyl, and it is a massive fight trying to get them into her every day which is stressful for both of us. What I do is wrap her in a towel, hold her tightly and (try to) squirt the medicine into the side of her mouth using a syringe. This is the easiest method I have found but it is still a huge struggle and I have no idea if this is the right way to do it or if there is a better way. Any tips would be appreciated! I'm really worried about her as this has gone on for a while and the vet says that while she is improving she is "not out of the woods yet" :( So I really need to make sure she is taking all her medication.
Click to expand...

There are a few other methods you could try, what works for one Rabbit may not work for another

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfROVhKTMxI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ1b49Qsgrk
 
I've put medication on food. It's a lot easier. Doughnut loves a little bit of weetabix but some people use a bit of mashed up banana or baby food which is mashed up fruit. The taste and smell is the disguised and it's so less stressful.
 
Basil leaves are a good one, pop the medicine in hold it whilst feeding it to bunny. Foxy is on baytril & metacam, metacam she licks from the syringe as it tastes like honey I'm told but baytril, my gosh that stuff smells vile so you have to be creative. Basil leaf or mixing with a little fruit juice.


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Last edited:
If opting for basil leave, you have make it into a parcel so it doesn't leak out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi !
Sorry to hear bunny is unwell, Rolo has to have 2 sets of meds at the moment and here's how we manage it...
I hold Rolo on his back, tummy facing up and stroke him, as his head drops back the mouth slowly opens and then my mum administers the syringe in the side of his mouth.

It's a massive fight for Rolo but it's the only way we can do it! Then reward him with a few cubes of carrot!

Hope this helps!

Zoë & Rolo xxxx
 
Bird234 said:
Hi !
Sorry to hear bunny is unwell, Rolo has to have 2 sets of meds at the moment and here's how we manage it...
I hold Rolo on his back, tummy facing up and stroke him, as his head drops back the mouth slowly opens and then my mum administers the syringe in the side of his mouth.

It's a massive fight for Rolo but it's the only way we can do it! Then reward him with a few cubes of carrot!

Hope this helps!

Zoë & Rolo xxxx
Click to expand...

Just a word of caution, it really is very risky giving medication to a Rabbit who is on his/her back. The Rabbit could easily aspirate the medication which can lead to pneumonia. I would advise you to try another method of giving meds such as those in the links above or the 'Bunny Burrito'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmZ4qprSY_A
 
DemiS said:
I always struggle to get meds in whilst a rabbit is in a sitting position because even when tightly wrapped in a towel they move their head around so much. I've found the easiest way is to pick them up, tip them back a little bit as if you're cradling them (NOT enough to trance them, just enough so you can see their mouth more clearly like this - http://rabbitcare.yolasite.com/resources/DSC08142.JPG ). Use as small a syringe as you can and place it behind the front teeth, don't try squirt it all in as quick as you can you don't want them to choke. I like to do a small bit at a time, and once they start chewing add a bit more, sometimes they open their mouth a bit to lick their lips which makes it much easier to get the medicine in
Click to expand...

DemiS has a lot of experience with sick rabbits, and I would trust her advice :D
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Just a word of caution, it really is very risky giving medication to a Rabbit who is on his/her back. The Rabbit could easily aspirate the medication which can lead to pneumonia. I would advise you to try another method of giving meds such as those in the links above or the 'Bunny Burrito'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmZ4qprSY_A
Click to expand...


Thanks for the advice Jack'sJane I'll change my method at next medication time! �� Xxx
 
MightyMax said:
DemiS has a lot of experience with sick rabbits, and I would trust her advice :D
Click to expand...

I think you may have confused me with someone else :oops: I've luckily never really had poorly rabbits, but I have had to administer post op painkillers to some very strong wriggly rabbits with no help, the cradling method was the easiest I've found (But as Jack's-Jane says, not completely on their back as that's dangerous)
 
DemiS said:
I think you may have confused me with someone else :oops: I've luckily never really had poorly rabbits, but I have had to administer post op painkillers to some very strong wriggly rabbits with no help, the cradling method was the easiest I've found (But as Jack's-Jane says, not completely on their back as that's dangerous)
Click to expand...



:thumb:
 
Sorry to hear your bunny is poorly.

I tend to give medication on a bit of grated apple (served on a saucer). My boy tends to lick the plate clean!
 
DemiS said:
I think you may have confused me with someone else :oops: I've luckily never really had poorly rabbits, but I have had to administer post op painkillers to some very strong wriggly rabbits with no help, the cradling method was the easiest I've found (But as Jack's-Jane says, not completely on their back as that's dangerous)
Click to expand...

Well reading your posts, you come across to me as someone who has had a lot of experience! :D
 
Soak the meds into a tiny bit of Weetabix and top with mashed banana. Works for my wriggly buns.
 
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