administering ear drops for bunny

[joy]

Hey guys, I’m at my wits end 😕 my bunny absolutely hates being picked up so it’s impossible to administer ear drops without him running away and us having to chase after him for 30 minutes before managing to get a squirt in. And he shakes his ears so hard after the medication. How do I make sure the ear drops actually goes in and any suggestion on how you guys administer ear drops for your bunnies? I’m super worried and helpless.

Thank you so much!

[Wick & Fable]

Could you try doing it on the floor then? You can do the C-grip, which is making your hand a “C” (like a Lego person’s hand) and putting it around your rabbit’s neck (in between jaw bone and shoulder bone). You hold this firmly in place in space, so not actually gripping the rabbit’s neck, but keeping it in place in air around it– this prevents the rabbit from running forward (shoulder bones can’t get past the grip) or backwards (jaw bone can’t get past the grip). That can keep the head relatively in place and a sec0nd person or the person doing the grip can use another hand to position the ears and get the drops in there.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[joy]

Thank you! I will try it tomorrow morning. the ear drops are making all of us super stressed out (bunny included)

[Meg]

I’m so sorry!  My bunnies have never been fans of being picked up either.  If the suggestion above doesn’t work, I’d try being sneaky about it.  Like just chilling near him, trying to pet him, and then sneaking in some drops (like holding the dropper over his ear without touching it) if possible.  I’m sure that’s easier said than done, but that’s what we’ve done for eyedrops — just try to make it a low-key sneaky part of petting our bun on the floor.

[LBJ10]

If he is super squirmy, you could “sit” on him. He is on the floor and you just sit on your knees with him in between your legs. Then you can us the C-grip method Wick mentioned if necessary.

[joy]

Hey guys, we tried the c grip method but yeah he’s still super squirmy gonna try to keep him in between our legs next! For that method when do you guys release your  bunnies?? He struggles so much I’m not sure if I’m hurting him

[LBJ10]

The nice thing about sitting on them is that they can’t really kick out and hurt themselves that way. You also aren’t firmly holding them with your hands so you don’t have to worry about squeezing them too hard. They are simply trapped between your legs. Just make sure to tuck your feet in so they can’t back up! From my experience, if you let them squirm a little bit, they will eventually calm down enough where you can do what you need to do. My buns have never been harmed in the process. However, you want to be careful not to let them get themselves too worked up. You don’t want them struggling to the point where they are showing signs of distress. I would suggest trying it and then just constantly evaluate the situation until you get a better feel for it.

[Author]

Messages