• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Pigge REFUSING to swallow medicine?

Status
Not open for further replies.
deeandnick

deeandnick

Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
264
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Newquay, Cornwall
Ive tried everything wrapping him up, lying him on his back on a pillow, giving him food, mixing it with ribena - he just freezes with it in his mouth and I get so scared he is dead! then slowly starts to push it out his mouth.

Any idea what I can do to get him to swallow the baytril? x
 
You can fill a syringe with just baytril and shove it into his mouth from the side past his tongue (about up to the 0.2ml mark). That way, he can't push it out again and has to swallow it. Not the polite way, but it works for me. As far as I am concerned there is no nice way to give baytril!

Alternatively, you can ask your vet to switch to septrin instead. That comes with a banana flavour and usually goes much more easily. However, septrin is a non licensed antibiotic (only baytril with its horrible taste is), so you may have to sign a form and not every vet will be prepared to prescribe, it, although it is nowadays quite widely used for guinea pigs.
 
Thank you guys :)

I didn't think to put it on his food, although some did spill on some dill when he was drooling it out and he refused to eat that sprig of Dill so he might not be up for that. Something to try though! Thank you :)

I have Septrin at the moment for my other lil piggie, so I'm sure my vet would be ok prescribing it. I'll give the syringe technique you described Wiebke, and popping some on his greens and if that doesn't work tomorrow I'll get on to the vet :)

I've been giving Diego medication since November and he still kicks off and has crazy eyes. Thought Scruff would be easier, as he is happy to let me cut his nails etc but nooooooo!

Thank you for your help everyone! x
 
the way weibke said is the way i use... its not the nices way but its by far the most succesful...
if youve got a piggie that holds it in his mouth... you can give them a little chin tickle to get them to put their head up and they'll soon swallow it... :))
naughty little things arnt they...
x
 
What I have done is to hold the piggie upright with it's back pressed against my abdomen with one hand. With the other hand I would take the syringe and put it in the side of the mouth in between the front incisors and the molars, angled towards the back of the throat. I found then it would be far enough back that they basically HAD to swallow it. I also found that some meds went down easier than others... Linney was on chloramphenicol (antibiotic) once and she didn't seem to mind it. But getting Baytril in was always a struggle!
 
Yep, My Lolek is strong as a boar can be. Lay her on the back, with her mouth up and put 1 drop on his incisors. Let it stay there, scratch her belly let that drop go around in her mouth, then do it again and again. Work perfectly with mine and trust me, I tried EVERYTHING. Just be a patient and do it slowly (still will be faster than after all those fights 8)) Good luck.

PS. You can hold her head under chin in the same time if she throw it everywhere.
 
Wiekbe's method is the best. We only do syringe meds now. All tablets get crushed and mxed with water and in the syringe goes. My nightmare piggie (Madeline) hated to be touched and has obviously been very mistreated before we got her, she now takes her nightly two syringes quite easily. Perservere with it, they get used to it. If they are still little .... with it mix with 0.05ml of metatone as all normal pigs love it and it is good for them, 0.5ml once a week keeps them fit and healthy.
 
I agree with the others, Wiebke's method is by far the most successful, its over so quickly they don't know whats happened. As the others said, they all hate baytril and won't go near anything with the Baytril on it!
 
I'm going to try the method tonight! Fingers crossed, will let you all know how it goes. Thank you so much for all your help! x
 
Best of luck!

It helps to either prop the piggy between your thighs, so you have two hands free or prop it upright against your chest, facing away - but that position limits especially the head movement and ups therefore your chances of success.
 
After a few attempts we managed to wrap him up - he is so strong, I couldnt believe it!

I held him wrapped up and my OH used the Wiebke method and it all went pretty well!

Scruff swallowed it all and was much calmer, and f course enjoyed his treat of dill to say well done :)

Thank you so much for your help :)
 
Glad that it has worked out for you! You must be so relieved! :))

I know that my way doesn't sound very nice, but I have found that the quicker you are, the less stressful it is. Many piggies will actually give up struggling too much when they realise that they can't get away with it!

My currently worst customers are Hywel (who does a mean corkscrew wiggle) and Ffwlbri (who specialises in kungfu tactics).
 
Wiebke said:
Glad that it has worked out for you! You must be so relieved! :))

I know that my way doesn't sound very nice, but I have found that the quicker you are, the less stressful it is. Many piggies will actually give up struggling too much when they realise that they can't get away with it!

My currently worst customers are Hywel (who does a mean corkscrew wiggle) and Ffwlbri (who specialises in kungfu tactics).
Click to expand...

I am, totally and utterly relieved! I hate thinking that I'm stressing them, especially when they're already sick and all the other ways I was trying were just taking so long it was freaking him out.

Hahaha Scruff has yet to whip out the kungfu moves, but he is a master at corkscrewing, wiggling and headbutting! I wish we could just explain to them we are only trying to help. Crazy little piggers! xx
 
Sorry to hear about this...... it's distressing for you both!

My girls have a syringe most days, even when not ill, it's so they learn to trust the syringe. If giving them baytril (which i agree tastes BLECH) you can dip the syringe tip into one of their fav fruits, this disguises the intial taste...... a bit sneaky rolleyes

GOOD LUCK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top