• 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

syringe feeding medication -struggling!

piggiemummy03x

piggiemummy03x

Forum Donator 2023/24
Joined
Apr 3, 2022
Messages
1,670
Reaction score
813
Points
705
Location
hampshire
my della is currently on some antibiotics and painkillers to help with a UTI but i’m really struggling with giving it to her! i sit her on my lap, lift up her front supporting underneath and lean her back on me, luna did really well taking her meds but della is having none of it! she squeaks so much and retracts her whole body back into a ball and wriggles around, when i do manage to get her in a good position, she just moves her head around so i can’t get it in her mouth! i feel so bad as it must be so stressful for her but i need to give her these meds so we end up taking a while to do them😓i do little bits at a time to make sure she doesn’t choke on it but i’ve just watched the video linked on here in which the whole amount is inserted in on - is this as the piggie was older? any tips on what to do to make this as stress free for her as possible or different tips on how to give them? thanks!
 
I’m sorry you’re struggling with giving her the meds. There is another video on here someone linked to. I’ll try and dig around for it and post the link. If I fail I’ll let you know.

Did you try to hold as they do in the video you saw?
 
Siikibam said:
I’m sorry you’re struggling with giving her the meds. There is another video on here someone linked to. I’ll try and dig around for it and post the link. If I fail I’ll let you know.

Did you try to hold as they do in the video you saw?
Click to expand...

thankyou! in the video the piggy was just on the side i think, i can’t even find it now!🤦🏼‍♀️ dellas way to wriggly!🙈
 
Oh dear! Well hopefully someone will be along to give you more advice soon!
 
Sorry you’re having trouble giving them to her, babies can be such wriggly ! It may be easier to just give it all in one go if she isn’t on a huge amount, rather than little bits at a time, especially as some meds taste so foul!
 
piggiemummy03x said:
i watched - The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary (for guinea pigs with extra needs) video
will check the others out! thanks
Click to expand...
The video is also included (together with another another one) and pictures of how you deal with uncooperative piggies and more practical tips in our new syringe feeding and medicating guide, which you will hopefully find helpful. You can find the new guide easily at the top of our health and illness section: All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

All the best.
 
Do you have a second person who can help you? If you're having trouble, it can be helpful to have a holder and a syringe operator. This gives the holder more options for holding the piggy, since you don't have to be able to also see the mouth. I find that for holding those that wiggle a lot, it can be helpful to hold the piggy with its back to your body, so you have two hands to calm the squirming and a backstop (you), so they can't pull their head back from the syringe ... and the second person just needs to get the syringe in the mouth and figure out the best rate and angle to give the fluid so the piggy swallows it.
 
alpacasqueak said:
Sorry you’re having trouble giving them to her, babies can be such wriggly ! It may be easier to just give it all in one go if she isn’t on a huge amount, rather than little bits at a time, especially as some meds taste so foul!
Click to expand...

yeah she gets 0.14ml of baytril which i top up to 0.3ml with water and then 0.3ml of meloxidyl, i’m so worried about her choking though doing it all at the same time!
 
Princess Dustmop said:
Do you have a second person who can help you? If you're having trouble, it can be helpful to have a holder and a syringe operator. This gives the holder more options for holding the piggy, since you don't have to be able to also see the mouth. I find that for holding those that wiggle a lot, it can be helpful to hold the piggy with its back to your body, so you have two hands to calm the squirming and a backstop (you), so they can't pull their head back from the syringe ... and the second person just needs to get the syringe in the mouth and figure out the best rate and angle to give the fluid so the piggy swallows it.
Click to expand...

unfortunately not, my boyfriend will be at work when i need to give her the meds so no ones able to help😕 thats a good idea though!
 
A wall mirror could potentially be helpful, then ... it wouldn't give you the extra hand back, but it would give more holding options with mouth visibility ...
.3-.4 ml isn't a huge amount of liquid ... you should be able to get it in one go if you use a nice smooth push, but of course, you know your piggy best.
 
Princess Dustmop said:
A wall mirror could potentially be helpful, then ... it wouldn't give you the extra hand back, but it would give more holding options with mouth visibility ...
.3-.4 ml isn't a huge amount of liquid ... you should be able to get it in one go if you use a nice smooth push, but of course, you know your piggy best.
Click to expand...

thats a good idea! okay thankyou, just scares me when i look at her little mouth and tongue bless her!
 
piggiemummy03x said:
yeah she gets 0.14ml of baytril which i top up to 0.3ml with water and then 0.3ml of meloxidyl, i’m so worried about her choking though doing it all at the same time!
Click to expand...
That really isn’t a huge amount, I’d probably just give the Baytril first, I never add water to it, it tastes disgusting and most pigs hate it! Then follow it with the meloxidyl, as that tastes lovely and most pigs looove the stuff! Then a tasty treat for her being so well behaved!
It is a bit hard I can totally understand, my Cleo came as a terrified tiny baby and was a very hard piglet to handle too! But you just have to be a bit mean sometimes, it’s for her own good! :)
 
alpacasqueak said:
That really isn’t a huge amount, I’d probably just give the Baytril first, I never add water to it, it tastes disgusting and most pigs hate it! Then follow it with the meloxidyl, as that tastes lovely and most pigs looove the stuff! Then a tasty treat for her being so well behaved!
It is a bit hard I can totally understand, my Cleo came as a terrified tiny baby and was a very hard piglet to handle too! But you just have to be a bit mean sometimes, it’s for her own good! :)
Click to expand...

okay thankyou! i do the meloxidyl at a different time to space them apart but shes not keen on taking that either lol! yes she always gets a sprig of coriander after medicine time. she sounds like i’m going to murder her!
 
piggiemummy03x said:
okay thankyou! i do the meloxidyl at a different time to space them apart but shes not keen on taking that either lol! yes she always gets a sprig of coriander after medicine time. she sounds like i’m going to murder her!
Click to expand...
Yes Cleo’s good at that too, the walls used to shake! :)) You’re not though so don’t worry, just making her better! And she gets a nice treat too!
I wouldn’t worry about spacing them apart unless they’re at totally different times etc, if it saves stress and you can do them all at one time I’d go for that!
 
alpacasqueak said:
Yes Cleo’s good at that too, the walls used to shake! :)) You’re not though so don’t worry, just making her better! And she gets a nice treat too!
I wouldn’t worry about spacing them apart unless they’re at totally different times etc, if it saves stress and you can do them all at one time I’d go for that!
Click to expand...

thanks for the reply! i don’t know if she’d take 2 lots at a time haha
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top