How to single handedly administer medicine to bun

[Horlicks]

Hello everyone. I’ve posted awhile back that my bun girl has gotten an ear infection and we are now on a 3 week course of antibiotic ear drops and oral meds.

My husband and I have managed to effectively feed our skittish bun her meds, by ensuring one partner holds the bunny, and the other feeding her and administering the ear drops.

Unfortunately the hubs will be off on a business trip leaving me alone with the bun and I simply have no idea how I’m going to single handedly feed the bun her meds.

I have a trusted pet sitter and I guess I can always enlist her help to board my rabbit for the period my husband is not around. But I’m hoping to learn this on my own as well – I know lop eared rabbits tend to get ear infections easily plus my husband travels so often. Can’t possibly depend on my pet sitter all the time (plus the costs!)

Will appreciate any tips and advice. Everyone here is so experienced with rabbits.
Thanks!

[Muchelle]

I had my vet teach me some tricks for when I’m alone and the bun needs some drugs. We tried the bunny burrito, but said bunny didn’t want anything to do with that, so our winner position became me on a chair with the bun’s back against my chest and my arm keeping him close + hand holding his jaw. It’s a bit finnicky cause I don’t have a mirror to see where I’m aiming with the other hand, but after a while I got the hang of it

[Wick & Fable]

Did you get a chance to try my method?

http://youtu.be/N12eJ5vdo4w
I’ve given Wick over 200 doses of antibiotics, so it works well for him and I. You just need to overcome the urge to let go when the rabbit tries to escape.

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.

[Horlicks]

Hi Wick, I did try your method! She squirms right out of my grip and it was so hard to try and aim the syringe when she’s squirming so badly. I was afraid I may end up poking at her eye. You make it look so easy – I’m envious!

Hi Muchelle, does your bunny try and squirm right out of your grip if you do that? Or because of the added height (from the chair), your bunny stays quite still? I’m going to have to try that out this evening.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that oral meds are not too bad now. I realised if I coat the syringe tip with just a bit of mashed banana, she laps at the syringe quite willingly hehe. It’s the ear drops that I’m quite concerned over how to do it single handedly. I cannot visualise how to do it on my own – I keep imagining both my hands will be occupied securing the bunny against my chest, how would I get a third hand to administer the ear drops?

[ThorBunny]

I’ve done the bunny burrito method and it did work for me. Thor is very resistant to any picking up or being manhandled, so this was the only thing that worked!

How I did it was, I dropped a towel over her on the ground. They tend to freeze when their eyes are covered. Then I bundled her up carefully making sure to support her back legs and placed her on a table. Carefully exposed the grumpy head and then braced the bunny burrito against my body while I syringe fed her. I imagine the technique would work well for ear drops as well.

Be prepared for angry foot flicks afterwards though!

[Muchelle]

I think K is afraid of heights cause once he’s up high there’s no fighting Of course he makes sure to let me know I am a very hated person afterwards

[Horlicks]

Hi ThorBunny, I’m definitely going to try your method tomorrow morning and see how it goes!

Muchelle, ThorBunny, I’ve already suffered the bunny butt treatment. She will still proceed to snatch the treat off my hands after I’m done with her meds but will eat the treat with her butt facing me, as if to let me know that hey I’m not going to say no to a yummy dried apple piece but I’m still very angry with you just so you know.

[Muchelle]

Don’t tell my rabbit, but his name (Kuro) came out because in japanese it means “black” & it’s pronounced “culo”… which is Italian for butt. You can guess my bun’s temperament 

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