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My little girl refuses to take her medicine

I

isabisaaa

New Born Pup
Joined
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Location
Tucson Arizona
Hi. Sorry if this seems rushed I am absolutely besides myself with stress. My guinea pig Pooh Bear visited the vet yesterday and was diagnosed with a double bacterial ear infection. She has been prescribed antibiotics, pain medicine, and oxbow critical care because she's been slightly less willing to eat. The problem is she was already so skittish and scared of me (I've only had her 2 months) and since being handled by the vet she will quite literally fight me until I give up on picking her up. I have been giving her medicine at the proper times despite this but it is such a battle to do so and I am afraid of hurting her. When I try to pick her up to give her the medicine will bite, thrash around, scream (not squeal, scream) and scratch and I feel like the stress I'm putting her under is hindering her ability to recover. What do I do? Any advice at all would help.
 
I’m sorry to hear she is unwell.

Is there somebody else who can help you? It can be an easier process with two people.
Make sure you are herding her into a box to pick her up and not trying to pick her up directly from the cage with your bare hands.

I know it’s hard when you feel you are stressing her by doing it but it’s obviously essential she gets her medications and that she is syringe fed enough.
Make sure you switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh her every morning so you can know she is being given enough syringe feed to keep her weight stable each day.

I’ve add in some medical and home care guides and also some handling guides below to help you and don’t worry, I will remove your duplicate post (post deletion is something only staff can do).

I hope she is ok
Wiebke

Thread 'Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support'

1 Weight and Weight Loss
- Why regular weight monitoring matters
- How weight changes over a lifetime
- How to weigh on your kitchen scales (with video)
- The weight loss rules
- How critical is the weight loss for my piggy?
- Possible causes for weight loss
2 Body Mass Index (BMI) or 'Heft'
- Why is understanding your piggy's weight so important?
- 'Average' weight vs. individual weight - the big trip up
- How to check for the BMI...
  • Like
Wiebke

Thread 'All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures'

Introduction
1 Choosing the right place to medicate/feed your piggy
2 Guinea pig whispering and asserting your authority
3 Recovery products and emergency improvisation
4 Syringe recommendations
5 Weight monitoring: your biggest ally
6 Weight loss guidelines and when to step in with feeding
7 Syringe feeding amounts/frequency advice
8 Practical medication and syringing tips
9 Medicating and feeding cooperative guinea pigs (videos)
10 Medicating and feeding uncooperative guinea pigs (hold pictures and tips)
11 The line between life and...
  • Like
  • Love
Wiebke

Thread 'Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs'

1 Symptoms of pain
- Loss of appetite and slow or reduced eating
- Eyes
- Ears
- Teeth clicking and grinding
- Skin biting, self-barbering and hair loss
- Fur standing up/puffed up coat
- Hunching
- Bunching up and stopping to sleep on the side
- Grunting
- Twisting/Fitting
- Squeaking when peeing/pooing; arching and straining
- Limping, hopping, swelling of foot or leg
- Partial or full back leg paralysis
- Screaming and whimpering
2 Life-saving practical how-to care and information...
  • Like

sport_billy

Thread 'How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)'

1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching (video and pictures)
2 Weighing (video and pictures)


1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching

This video shows you what you can train your guinea pig to do for a stress-free pick up.


Alternatively, you can use a small walk-in cardboard box for pick-up and transport. Please make sure that you cover the opening with your hand! If necessary, please cut finger holes into the cardboard box and face the opening...
  • Like
  • Excellent
  • Love
Wiebke

Thread 'Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips'

1 Understanding Prey Animal Behaviour
- Unresponsive prey reflex
- Flight reflex
- Fight reflex (defence bites)
2 How to Avoid Predatory Behaviours
- Scent
- Flow of chatter
- Sudden movement and noises
- Looming and staring
- 'I am not seeing you'
3 Piggy Whispering
- 'I want to be friends with you'
- 'I invite you into my herd'
- 'I love/care...
  • Like
 
It might work if you gently put a soft fleece puppy blanket on her, and wrap her up so her feet are covered by the blanket. Having an assistant really helps. You could perhaps try putting some runny honey in the syringe with the yucky meds behind it so she takes the honey and then quickly the meds. Expect to get meds everywhere at first. Good luck, I hope to things turn out OK ❤️
 
It is really tough - I have a very wriggly piggy
I coax him into a hidey and then gently take him out. I wrap him in a blanket. I gently and quietly talk to him all the time and aim the syringe into the cheek gently pulling it out and he’s used to that now after 10 days. I have to wash his feet and apply cream and he’s not keen and hides in the blanket
Good luck ❤️
 
It’s not easy getting meds into a reluctant piggy.
My vet showed me how to make a guinea pig burrito with a towel to keep the paws tucked in and just the mouth out.
I used to have to literally force the mouth open to get the syringe in at times.
I still ended up with some of the meds over me.
The guide that @Piggies&buns has linked is well worth reading for guidance.

Hope Pooh Bear recovers soon
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m sorry to hear she is unwell.

Is there somebody else who can help you? It can be an easier process with two people.
Make sure you are herding her into a box to pick her up and not trying to pick her up directly from the cage with your bare hands.

I know it’s hard when you feel you are stressing her by doing it but it’s obviously essential she gets her medications and that she is syringe fed enough.
Make sure you switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh her every morning so you can know she is being given enough syringe feed to keep her weight stable each day.

I’ve add in some medical and home care guides and also some handling guides below to help you and don’t worry, I will remove your duplicate post (post deletion is something only staff can do).

I hope she is ok
Wiebke

Thread 'Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support'

1 Weight and Weight Loss
- Why regular weight monitoring matters
- How weight changes over a lifetime
- How to weigh on your kitchen scales (with video)
- The weight loss rules
- How critical is the weight loss for my piggy?
- Possible causes for weight loss
2 Body Mass Index (BMI) or 'Heft'
- Why is understanding your piggy's weight so important?
- 'Average' weight vs. individual weight - the big trip up
- How to check for the BMI...
  • Like
Wiebke

Thread 'All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures'

Introduction
1 Choosing the right place to medicate/feed your piggy
2 Guinea pig whispering and asserting your authority
3 Recovery products and emergency improvisation
4 Syringe recommendations
5 Weight monitoring: your biggest ally
6 Weight loss guidelines and when to step in with feeding
7 Syringe feeding amounts/frequency advice
8 Practical medication and syringing tips
9 Medicating and feeding cooperative guinea pigs (videos)
10 Medicating and feeding uncooperative guinea pigs (hold pictures and tips)
11 The line between life and...
  • Like
  • Love
Wiebke

Thread 'Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs'

1 Symptoms of pain
- Loss of appetite and slow or reduced eating
- Eyes
- Ears
- Teeth clicking and grinding
- Skin biting, self-barbering and hair loss
- Fur standing up/puffed up coat
- Hunching
- Bunching up and stopping to sleep on the side
- Grunting
- Twisting/Fitting
- Squeaking when peeing/pooing; arching and straining
- Limping, hopping, swelling of foot or leg
- Partial or full back leg paralysis
- Screaming and whimpering
2 Life-saving practical how-to care and information...
  • Like

sport_billy

Thread 'How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)'

1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching (video and pictures)
2 Weighing (video and pictures)


1 Picking up your guinea pigs without chasing or touching

This video shows you what you can train your guinea pig to do for a stress-free pick up.


Alternatively, you can use a small walk-in cardboard box for pick-up and transport. Please make sure that you cover the opening with your hand! If necessary, please cut finger holes into the cardboard box and face the opening...
  • Like
  • Excellent
  • Love
Wiebke

Thread 'Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips'

1 Understanding Prey Animal Behaviour
- Unresponsive prey reflex
- Flight reflex
- Fight reflex (defence bites)
2 How to Avoid Predatory Behaviours
- Scent
- Flow of chatter
- Sudden movement and noises
- Looming and staring
- 'I am not seeing you'
3 Piggy Whispering
- 'I want to be friends with you'
- 'I invite you into my herd'
- 'I love/care...
  • Like
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this advice, I have started picking her up while she is in her favorite tunnel and from there sitting her in my cuddle scarf, I have been having my mom help me and it has become much easier! She is improving little by little every day, the vet says she is looking good and is expected to make a full recovery. 💗💗
 
Merab said:
It’s not easy getting meds into a reluctant piggy.
My vet showed me how to make a guinea pig burrito with a towel to keep the paws tucked in and just the mouth out.
I used to have to literally force the mouth open to get the syringe in at times.
I still ended up with some of the meds over me.
The guide that @Piggies&buns has linked is well worth reading for guidance.

Hope Pooh Bear recovers soon
Click to expand...
Thank you! I have started using a cuddle scarf instead of holding her with my hands, I've seen great improvement using this method. 💗💗
 
isabisaaa said:
Hi. Sorry if this seems rushed I am absolutely besides myself with stress. My guinea pig Pooh Bear visited the vet yesterday and was diagnosed with a double bacterial ear infection. She has been prescribed antibiotics, pain medicine, and oxbow critical care because she's been slightly less willing to eat. The problem is she was already so skittish and scared of me (I've only had her 2 months) and since being handled by the vet she will quite literally fight me until I give up on picking her up. I have been giving her medicine at the proper times despite this but it is such a battle to do so and I am afraid of hurting her. When I try to pick her up to give her the medicine will bite, thrash around, scream (not squeal, scream) and scratch and I feel like the stress I'm putting her under is hindering her ability to recover. What do I do? Any advice at all would help.
Click to expand...
I’ve had this same issue, I recommend taking the guinea pig into a space they wont be moving around as much in, for instance I take my guinea pig out of “his” room and give him his medication in the kitchen so he won’t be moving as much. I use a syringe to give the medication and it does take a bit but just hold the guinea pig as you do it and eventually it should all make it into the mouth! Good luck I hope it all gets better for you both.
 
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