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giving oral medication

fantasyxbabygurl Oct 04, 2007 08:35 PM

the vet gave me some pills to give to her everyday afer her rat bite. She said to put the pill in her mouth and she said if that didnt work to crush it up in water and use a syringe to put it in her mouth.

unfortunatly she just spits it out whether its the pill or pill water. I dont know what to do i tried again today and she got mad when i tried to open her mouth this time, not sure if she just swing around aggresivly or tried to bite me. luckily my hand was out of the way.

Any ideas on ow to get her to swallow? it'd be worth the danger if i knew she wasnt gonna spit it out right away.

Replies (4)

TnK Oct 04, 2007 08:50 PM

Personally I would ditch the meds as you have mentioned the wound isnt that serious. You, learning how to give orals to snake doesnt sound reasonable for you or the animal.If your willing to see it thru ask the Vet for a tubeing rig as well as advise youto it proper use.Have someone help you secure the animal while you administer the meds.An Experienced Herp Vet would have known this already.

>>the vet gave me some pills to give to her everyday afer her rat bite. She said to put the pill in her mouth and she said if that didnt work to crush it up in water and use a syringe to put it in her mouth.
>>
>>unfortunatly she just spits it out whether its the pill or pill water. I dont know what to do i tried again today and she got mad when i tried to open her mouth this time, not sure if she just swing around aggresivly or tried to bite me. luckily my hand was out of the way.
>>
>>Any ideas on ow to get her to swallow? it'd be worth the danger if i knew she wasnt gonna spit it out right away.
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TnK

Jeff Clark Oct 05, 2007 03:24 AM

Snakes will not dependably swallow pills placed in their mouths. Crushing them will not help unless you then dissolve them in water and run a tube down the snake's throat to administer the slurry. I am guessing that the pills are an antibiotic? An injectable antibiotic would have been more effective. Like TnK posted the wound does not sound like it is too serious and it is probably better to not medicate than to just piss the snake off putting things in it's mouth that it will not swallow. If I was you I would try a different vet next time.
Jeff

>>the vet gave me some pills to give to her everyday afer her rat bite. She said to put the pill in her mouth and she said if that didnt work to crush it up in water and use a syringe to put it in her mouth.
>>
>>unfortunatly she just spits it out whether its the pill or pill water. I dont know what to do i tried again today and she got mad when i tried to open her mouth this time, not sure if she just swing around aggresivly or tried to bite me. luckily my hand was out of the way.
>>
>>Any ideas on ow to get her to swallow? it'd be worth the danger if i knew she wasnt gonna spit it out right away.

bcijoe Oct 05, 2007 09:57 AM

Neosporin, Bacitracin or A&D Ointment, any topical bacterial ointment as these would be more than enough applied directly to/around the wound.

The animal should slowly regenerate a bit of skin/flesh in that area and as it sheds the 'hole' will get smaller, tighter.

If that would is already dry, it may not even be necessary.

If it is wet and pussy, gently wipe that away with a damp to dry papertowel and then apply the ointment.

If you want to give him those pills just put them inside a very small food item, so this way, they

1 definitely take it
2 don't see it/reject it
3 not much food to interrupt/dilute the medicine

You can just stuff it down the mouth of a fuzzy rat, or if you had to, even open the rats stomach, insert, sew closed, etc.

All the Best, Joe Rollo - Bci Joe
-----
Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

AbsoluteApril Oct 05, 2007 11:33 AM

good advise to stick it into the prey item.

Must not have been a very experienced reptile vet... if at all! When I had to give oral meds to a Bcc the vet showed me how to tube the snake right there in the office.
Ah well.
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

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