Administering antibiotics to my hamster

[Sazzle]

Hello to everyone & their lovely hamsters.

I'm in need of help so I've joined this site today. My little boy (Ricky) was not himself at all on Thursday night. He was agitated and making a clicking when breathing so on Friday morning I took him to the vet.

He said it could be a respiratory infection and gave him an injection and some antibiotics through a syringe. Since then he hasn't shown much interest in eating & drinking but seems a bit better in himself.

The vet gave me antibiotics to be put into his water. I had to put 0.2ml in 45ml of water which I did this morning. The trouble is that he hasn't touched his water all day. He's managed to eat some cucumber and has had a bit of bread dipped in milk but I'm really worried that he hasn't actually had any of he medicine!

I thought about just putting it straight onto some food or something but I'm not sure of the amount coz the vet specifically said to put it in his water and I'd be worried about using it neat and him having too much. It's no good in the water I f he won't drink it though!

Thankfully he seems a bit better today and is more lively & himself but I'm really worried about the antibiotics. I can't call the vet until Monday so I'd be grateful for any advice any of you may have.

Thanks you. X

[cypher]

Hi & welcome to HC.
I don't think putting antibiotics in water is easy or accurate tbh, it's hard to know how much they will drink & if they will get the full dose.
Most people put it onto something like porridge or baby food or even a little scrambled egg, basically some kind of soft wet food they see as a treat & will happily eat. Just a tiny bit on a teaspoon so you can be sure they get all the meds.
If you use baby food you need to check all the ingredients are ham safe though.
They can feel a little unwell on antibiotics so that may put him off eating or drinking quite the same a normal, you can give probiotics which help them deal with the effects of the antibiotics too.

[souffle]

Hi Sazzle - you are right in assuming giving the meds neat would be too much. The vet has given you the correct dilution as they assume the hammy will dtink around 10ml water therefore getting about .01ml of meds, In our experience though they never take the water. I assume it is Baytri he has been given and it tastes foul. I tried it. I would call the vet and ask how much to give neat as it is easier to administer neat in eaith food or straight in to the mouth. You may need to go get a finer syringe to measure this dose out. It looks like a drop!
It is usually between .01 and .05 ml depending on hamster size and illness. Chest infections can be tricky to shift and we have actually found Septrin works better for these and it tastes much more pleasant too.
There is some advive here on giving meds.
Vectis Hamstery and Exotics - Giving Medication
I hope he rallies round soon x

[Sazzle]

Thanks so much to both of you.

That makes sense about the dilution - assuming he'd drink about 10ml in a day. I will have to try and call the vet tomorrow and check and then I can put it into his food.

On the plus side, he does seem better in himself, although I got up this morning and his wheel has come off! That's never happened before so I don't know what he's been trying to do in the night.

I'm not sure what to do today re the water. I'm too worried to give the baytril in food until I know the amount but if I make it up in his water again it'll be another day of not drinking probably.

I feel like I'm stopping him from drinking if I put it in his water again.

Do you think I should put a small bowl of fresh water in too?

[cypher]

I think I would give an alternative source of water if it's really putting him off drinking.
If he's been up to mischief in the night he can't be feeling too bad!
Hope it gets easier & he's over this soon.

[Sazzle]

Thank you.

I've put a small shallow bowl in too. I don't know what happened in the night! But yes, I am relieved that he does seem to moving about like his old self again.

I did soak a bit of bread in the diluted solution taken from his water bottle and he's had a nibble so maybe a tiny amount of them antibiotic has gone in!
Think I'll leave him to sleep for a while now.

I appreciate your replies - it's hard to know what to do for the best so it's reassuring to have some support.

[Coco61]

Hi Sazzle-I feel for you because I am giving daily meds to my Syrian. I have to give him 0.03 ml (which is literally one drop) and I add it to a daily changing food treat. After one month I have to go back to the vet for a review and so he needs to have it.
If you want to add your antibiotics to food I will tell you what I have Learnt/am still learning if that will help!
Let us know what the vet advises.

[Sazzle]

Thanks Coco. Ricky is a Syrian too - he's quite a big fella so I want him to get the right dosage. I'll see what the vet says and then if I can give it on food any advice would be great! Thanks.

I must say though he does seem a lot better than 3 days ago when he fist was poorly.

[Sazzle]

The vet called me back after waiting all day and said to put some Ribena in his water along with the baytril.
They wouldn't tell me a dosage to give it neat coz they said it was a respiratory infection and he might breathe it in.

Has anyone else given their hamsters ribena? It sounds a bit odd to me.

Ricky seems to be recovering anyway I'm glad to say. Just want to make sure he gets fully back to normal.

[CMB]

I haven't given Ribena to a hamster but was told by a vet to give fruit juice to a sick chicken.

It did seem to help.