[Tess Loves Rats]

My girls do not want to take the medicine. They struggle a lot. I even tried to mix the medicine with applesauce to try to get Angel to take more, but she wouldn't take that either.

Is there an easier way? I just got them on Sunday & struggling with them isn't going to help them like me much.
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[Tess Loves Rats]

**EDIT** Last night, I held them one at a time while my mom put the medicine in. We think they each got atleast some of the dosage. This morning tho, I did it all on my own. It was kinda easier cause I held them to my body & saw the mouth and slipped the syringe in even tho they were struggling a lot. I think I got some in each of them... And after I gave them their dose, I held them for a little bit to try and show them that I'm not always gonna stick a syringe in their mouth. I'm also just gonna play with them... I don't want them to hate me!!

 

[lilspaz68]

You're doing fine, but there is a couple of problems

1) Are you medicating both rats or just the sick one? You only need to medicate sickie, not the other girl. Vets often erronously tell you to medicate all of them, URI's are generally not contagious, and its all about weaker or stressed immune systems.

2) 10 days is not long enough. 14 days is considered a minimum for a course of antibiotics.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

She said to do both. Juliet is the one that she said is congested, but Angel has been sneezing a lot. I'd feel better medicating her too. I'm gonna do what my vet said to.

*I'm scared that I'm not getting any medicine into their mouths. I get most of it around their mouths. Do you think they'd lick around their mouths and get enough in?

 

[lilspaz68]

She said to do both. Juliet is the one that she said is congested, but Angel has been sneezing a lot. I'd feel better medicating her too. I'm gonna do what my vet said to.

*I'm scared that I'm not getting any medicine into their mouths. I get most of it around their mouths. Do you think they'd lick around their mouths and get enough in?

I have a video on how to medicate, hopefully it helps you figure out how its best for you to do it and get the meds in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-_bFMkutKk

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Thanks. That would work if my girls didn't go crazy and squirm so much. They are only like 2 or 3 months old and not hand trained yet, so it's really tough. I read that even if the medicine just gets on the fur around their mouth, it'll still go into their system when they clean it off. I'm hoping that's what'll happen. The yogurt & baby food didn't work. They didn't like either.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

This morning, I gave them each the medicine in ONE TRY, both times!! I know they got the medicine because they were moving their mouths, like they were eatting it. And I left a little on Juliet's fur, so she'll just clean that off and put it into her system.. THEN, the big surprise: after I put them back into the cage, they kept coming back to the door. I held my hands at the door and they just crawled onto my hands, crawled on my arms for a little bit then would go back into the cage. They just kept doing that. I'm so happy they're ok with me even after having to shove that syringe into their mouths....

 

[lilspaz68]

This happens a lot, babies come home and end up sick. It might take a little longer but they forgive LOL.

Unless your rats think its very tasty, a rat will wipe its chin off or rub it off wit their paws then rub their paws on other things to wipe it off...I wouldn't count on them eating it from grooming it off.

Even if they seem like they are gagging, get that syringe deep in there...they stop gagging, swallow and give you dirty looks afterwards LOLOL

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Gave them their 2nd dose for today. I got it in Juliet cuz I saw her moving her mouth like she was eatting again. I'm not sure about Angel tho. I tried a few times, but I did get it around her mouth and she did wash herself so I'm thinking she got some in her system. Juliet needs it the most so I'm happy she needs it. I don't think I've been hearing the noises or sneezes as often. Angel will have a sneezing fit, but not as bad as it used to be. I think the medicine is working. 8 more days of it.. Oh, joy! lol But after, they did the same as this morning.. running around in the cage & climbing into my hand and back in the cage and in my hands.... they even play wrestled with each other. I think Juliet is getting more used to me & they're both bonding with me!

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[Tess Loves Rats]

I broke a 100 Calories Snack Pack cookie into 2 little pieces and let them each soak into the right dosage of the medicine.. My girls ate them up! I'm still hearing some sneezing tho, but not as bad as she used to be.​