How to give guinea pig medication & stop chewing stitches

[Mikage4444]

So our 5 year old Guinea pig was spayed yesterday due to cysts in both her ovaries that were effecting her health, shes doing well with eating and moving around but trying to give her pain killers and antibiotics is proving to be a bit difficult. I've tired putting it on a bit of her food but she tasted the medication and spit it out. I've also tried to syringe the medication into her mouth which is more successful but still not ideal as she's obviously not comfortable with this arrangement. Is there anyway I can help her feel more comfortable with taking her medication?

Shes also been attempting to chew her stiches. when we picked her up from the vets the vet said that they didnt have a small enough cone for her and if she was trying to chew the stiches to put a sock on her. We tried putting a sock on her but she immediately managed to wriggle out of it. Does anyone have any tips on how to stop her chewing her stitches

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

In reality getting them to take their meds is be quick, strong and get it done. Syringe it directly into their mouths and follow it up with something nice tasting - coriander treat for example. Having two people do it can help - one to hold piggy and one to syringe. They are very clever creatures and if you try to put meds on food etc, then as you have found, they will spot it and refuse to eat, plus you need to be sure they are getting the full dose and putting it on food does make that slightly trickier.

In terms of the stitches, it is not recommended nor should it be necessary to cover or use any kind of cone etc. It is not recommended because piggies need to eat their poops so you should not restrict their ability to bend round to get to their bottoms.
Is she on a decent amount of pain relief? Generally, if they are not in any discomfort at the wound and the pain relief is sufficient, then they will leave it alone.

Medicating your guinea pig - Instructional video on Facebook

 

[Sue and Smartie]

Oh gosh I do feel for you. Kanga was exactly the same after her ovaries were removed - chewing the stitches that is, and rubbing her sides along the Piggy Palace walls. I had to take her back several times as she'd split her wounds. The vet ended up glueing one side back together. I did wonder about making her a little jacket but she was stressed enough from the surgery, glad I didn't now I've read Piggies&bums post.
She did heal up though and once the first scabs came away and I could see lovely healthy pink skin there I was a lot happier.
If I have to give meds, or Critical Care, or anything that goes in a syringe, I have found that wrapping them in a towel is best for me. Make sure you wrap in the back end so they can't scoot backwards out of the towel! Then I gently hold the piggy's head with my thumb under the chin and syringe with the other hand. I do it slowly, with lots of breaks in between. Whatever they like the best comes after the syringing as a reward for being brave. Most of them have coped with this really well, they feel safe in a towel, and they definitely enjoy the treats at the end.