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EmmaAndChester · 03-06-2019, 08:46 AM

My idea of thinking with the applaws was to take up some of the broth in the syringe with the baytril (or metacam) to entice him to take it that way. Baby food is also an option, though I think porridge - if the plan is to draw it into the syringe - is going to get very messy.

I think anything is worth a try when you're dealing with a ham who is skittish/doesnt like being handled. Personally; I honestly haven't had any luck in disguising baytril in food, period - not with our four buns, and not with any hamsters we've had prescribed it over the years. My frenchie (rabbit), Wolf, is a food addict haha; he will eat anything and everything, even if it's not edible - but he can smell baytril like a shark smells blood, and I've had to legitimately wrestle him (he's a big bun; 5kg +, and pure muscle) to take it. It's a difficult medicine to disguise; and I take my hat off to anyone who manages. I always syringe it, but I usually add something (pureed carrot, applaws broth, pureed fruit, etc) to make it a little more palatable. They still taste it, judging by the reaction I get at least, and all have been held and forced to take it, because they wont do it willingly (no matter what flavour I've tried) but my hope is that it's not as unpleasant as it would be if it was just straight up baytril.

Even if Nugget were to just smell the broth on the tip of the syringe and open his mouth for a taste nibble, if you're only administering such a tiny amount (and if I read correctly; it's just 0.01ml?) you could take that opportunity and plunge the syringe immediately. My concern is that some animals then learn to associate the syringe with an awful taste, and will refuse to take it again - and then we're all the way back to the start. It's the same issue with food; they can fall for it maybe one or two times - but they can and often do pick up on the baytril and refuse to touch it again. but hey; it's worth a shot!

03-06-2019, 08:46 AM
EmmaAndChester Hamster Pup Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Dublin City, Ireland Posts: 162	Re: Nugget's thread My idea of thinking with the applaws was to take up some of the broth in the syringe with the baytril (or metacam) to entice him to take it that way. Baby food is also an option, though I think porridge - if the plan is to draw it into the syringe - is going to get very messy. I think anything is worth a try when you're dealing with a ham who is skittish/doesnt like being handled. Personally; I honestly haven't had any luck in disguising baytril in food, period - not with our four buns, and not with any hamsters we've had prescribed it over the years. My frenchie (rabbit), Wolf, is a food addict haha; he will eat anything and everything, even if it's not edible - but he can smell baytril like a shark smells blood, and I've had to legitimately wrestle him (he's a big bun; 5kg +, and pure muscle) to take it. It's a difficult medicine to disguise; and I take my hat off to anyone who manages. I always syringe it, but I usually add something (pureed carrot, applaws broth, pureed fruit, etc) to make it a little more palatable. They still taste it, judging by the reaction I get at least, and all have been held and forced to take it, because they wont do it willingly (no matter what flavour I've tried) but my hope is that it's not as unpleasant as it would be if it was just straight up baytril. Even if Nugget were to just smell the broth on the tip of the syringe and open his mouth for a taste nibble, if you're only administering such a tiny amount (and if I read correctly; it's just 0.01ml?) you could take that opportunity and plunge the syringe immediately. My concern is that some animals then learn to associate the syringe with an awful taste, and will refuse to take it again - and then we're all the way back to the start. It's the same issue with food; they can fall for it maybe one or two times - but they can and often do pick up on the baytril and refuse to touch it again. but hey; it's worth a shot!