Do i need to get my bunnies used to taking medicine from a syringe?

[Cocoa]

My bunnies are being spayed in 4 days. Is the pain medication normally given to them in a syringe? If it is i want to make sure they are used to it so it’s easier then. I made a small bit of pellet mash since Cocoa wasn’t as excited for food. I put that in a bowl and she ate it, so she is fine. I have some left over that i can use to get them used to the syringe if i need to. Please answer asap because it’s almost dinner time.

[Wick & Fable]

I think a little training beforehand isn’t too necessary. If the rabbit doesn’t like what’s in the syringe,it will put up a fight. If it likes what’s in the syringe, it will take it no problem. It’s not like handling that they can get used to. It’s a matter of eating something, so the difficulty is based on what the food is. Some medicines are gross, others are good.

Metacam, the typical pain med, is 50/50. Wick didn’t like it after his neuter, but later when he got it for something else, he loves it.

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.

[Cocoa]

I just meant like trying to put the syringe in their mouth. My bunnies will be very stubborn, and if they aren’t used to the syringe im worried i wont be able to get them to take the medicine

[Wick & Fable]

If it’s something they like in it, they’ll be fine with the syringe regardless. If they don’t like what’s in the syringe, exposure to the syringe won’t help. Don’t stress too much now and cross the bridge when it comes up! I’ve given Wick oral medication literally hundreds of times with different medications, and it’s really the substance in the syringe which determines how easy it is.

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.

[Cocoa]

Okay. Thanks!

[Bam]

I agree with Wick. But you can of course train a bun to associate a syringe with something nice, like a little bit of unsweetened apple or pineapple juice. If you have a small syringe (1 ml) the amount of juice the bun gets during training sessions will be tiny.

When it’s time to give the CC and meds, you can mix the CC with something yummy. Baby fruit puree or baby fruit smoothie, plained canned pumpkin or mashed banana for example. Metacam (painkiller) has a taste that bunnies tend to like, so that’s often not a problem to get the bun to take.

[Cocoa]

Okay thanks!

[Author]

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