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JennyBug

JennyBug

Sometimes I love too much
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
658
Location
Indiana
I know I've asked before, but I've tried the burrito method and tricking her with treats. Getting Carmen to take her Baytril is a twice daily battle. I have to get up 20 minutes earlier to give her .2 cc of Baytril. The doc tried to flavor the medicine so it would taste sugary, but you can't mask the smell. I think both my husband and I are afraid of hurting her, so we are handling her with kid gloves, so to speak.

Does anyone have a method of giving medicine to chins that is stress free for both chin and owner (please keep in mind that we have tried the bait and switch as well as the burrito method)?

I would appreciate any help you can give!!! :hair:
 
There really is no stress-free way to give a foul-tasting medication, just a way to reduce the stress. The key is to do it quickly... grab the chin, burrito her in a towel and hold her firmly but not too tightly, place the syringe behind the front incisors and depress the plunger, then give something good-tasting to mask the medicine taste (canned pumpkin works well), and you're done.

It can be tough especially when they fight it, but it has to be done.
 
I found that giving med drops on rosehips worked for me. I didn't have to give much, so I could fit his dosage on two pieces of crushed rosehip (which also meant he definitely ate with the meds... hurrah!). He still didn't love them, but he'd eat them.
 
aznmexaggie said:
There really is no stress-free way to give a foul-tasting medication, just a way to reduce the stress. The key is to do it quickly... grab the chin, burrito her in a towel and hold her firmly but not too tightly, place the syringe behind the front incisors and depress the plunger, then give something good-tasting to mask the medicine taste (canned pumpkin works well), and you're done.

It can be tough especially when they fight it, but it has to be done.
Click to expand...

Yep, quick is the way to go. Don't go directly toward their face with the syringe either, that scares them. Go from the side and be quick and sneaky! Good luck! And make sure to give a good tasting chaser after.
 
OK, my husband and I alternate giving medicine and I have the morning shift. This morning I did what was suggested and it only took about 2 minutes (she's still a pain with the burrito suggestion, though). I have noticed that she is drooling some of it out and that it is matting the hair under her chin. Besides giving her dust baths, is there anything I can do for that?
 
You can wipe it with an unscented baby wipe. It is so funny how different chins are, my girl ate it like it was candy LOL, I didn't even have to take her out of the cage toward the end and she was getting more than double the dose your girl is...so weird! When I started hand-feeding and medicating I used the football hold when I did it so she was in the crook of my arm, my hand cupped her chest and she was completely upright at me face level so I could see exactly where the CC and meds were going. That was what worked for us. She is a calmer chin normally anyway so what works for one may not work for another. I am glad you had an easier time of it this morning.
 
When I was giving one of my boys medicine I always used infant simethicone as a 'chaser'- it seemed to help him take it better.
 
Why is the vet giving Baytril as an oral?

It's less stress on the digestive track to give it as an injectable. You also NEED to do a probiotic with Baytril it's VERY hard on chins.

Sorry if I'm not up to date on the situation, I've been pretty busy and not on as much, but why the Baytril? It's usually only best used in chins for very strong infections.
 
Riven said:
Why is the vet giving Baytril as an oral?

It's less stress on the digestive track to give it as an injectable. You also NEED to do a probiotic with Baytril it's VERY hard on chins.

Sorry if I'm not up to date on the situation, I've been pretty busy and not on as much, but why the Baytril? It's usually only best used in chins for very strong infections.
Click to expand...

She might have an open pyometra. She is still eating, her coat looks good (other than under her chin), and she is still interested in playing. I don't know why he gave me oral rather than injected, but she is taking it (though she clearly doesn't like it), and I don't leave her alone until she eats something (she's favoring hay at this point).
 
P.S. Critical Care ordered online is on the way. The vet told me I didn't need a probiotic, but I went ahead and ordered anyway. I don't want her in ANY pain or discomfort!
 
I'm giving baytril now to a chin and I do not wrap her in a towel. She's a sweetie, so I know I can manage without that. I just firmly hold her against me, her back on my stomach, and I put her head up and down goes the baytril. I need to handle her for at least 15 minutes in order to give her all the cares she needs now (baytril, force feeding, cleaning toe, etc) so to make it less stressful and as she's a big cuddling furball, we stop every now and then, I give her few scritches, cuddle her in my arms, give kisses, speak softly. So far it's working great, she still enjoys my attention.
 
Update on carmen

Carmen had her last round of Baytril last night. We have seen no discharge whatsoever, and better yet she was able to eat normally throughout the process, so we have little to no weight loss. Our vet did advise us not to breed her, but we weren't planning on it anyway (unfortunately, despite her being such a pretty beige, we don't know her pedigree).

I wanted to thank everyone who helped answer questions and gave my baby their support. She's doing great, and after I get her cleaned up (she has a little matting under her chin from trying to drool out the medicine), I will have to take new pics of her in she and Minnie's newly decorated cage!

Thanks from the whole family! :D
 
I didn't listen to the vet on that one, so she was getting acidophilus every night! We are also now stocked with Critical Care, which we are giving to Trousers to help her gain a little weight (she is STILL just skin and bone).
 
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