Giving your rabbit medicine
Wrap your rabbit loosely in a towel, insert the syringe from the side of the mouth behind the front teeth and press slowly so your rabbit can swallow. Which product and how much is always decided by your vet.
In short
- Get everything ready before you pick up your rabbit
- A towel around the body keeps your rabbit calm and safe
- The syringe goes in from the side, behind the front teeth
- Small amounts, and wait for your rabbit to swallow
- Spilled or spat out? Do not just give more, ask your vet
Get ready
Get everything ready before you pick up your rabbit: the filled syringe, a towel and a treat for afterwards. Fill the syringe as your vet told you. Work on the floor or on a table with a non-slip mat so your rabbit cannot slide or jump from a height. It is often easier with two people: one holds, the other gives the medicine.
Holding your rabbit
Put a towel on your lap or on the table and place your rabbit on it. Wrap the towel snugly but not tightly around the body so the legs stay inside and only the head is free. Many rabbits calm down when wrapped like this.
Never lift a rabbit by its ears or the scruff. Always support the hind legs. A rabbit that kicks in panic can injure its back.
Giving the medicine
- From the side. Insert the tip of the syringe from the side of the mouth, into the space behind the front teeth. There is a gap there up to the cheek teeth.
- Angled slightly back. Point the tip a little backwards, not straight down the throat.
- Slowly. Press a small amount and wait until your rabbit chews and swallows. Then give the next bit.
- Finish calmly. When the syringe is empty, let your rabbit go gently and give it a treat, such as a leaf of a vegetable it tolerates well.
Rinse the syringe with lukewarm water afterwards and let it dry.
If it does not work
If your rabbit panics, stop and try again after a few minutes. Forcing it only makes the next time harder.
If your rabbit spits the medicine out or you spill a lot, do not just give another dose. You do not know how much went in. Call your vet and ask what to do. Your vet or a vet nurse can also show you how to give it.
Only mix a product into food or water if your vet says that is fine.
Frequently asked questions
How do I hold my rabbit when giving medicine?
Wrap your rabbit snugly but not tightly in a towel, with only the head free. Work on the floor or on a non-slip table and always support the hind legs.
Where do I put the syringe in the mouth?
From the side, into the space behind the front teeth. Point the tip slightly backwards, not straight down the throat.
My rabbit spits the medicine out. Should I give it again?
Not just like that. You do not know how much went in. Call your vet and ask what to do.
Can I mix the medicine into food?
Only if your vet says so. Not every product works well in food, and you cannot be sure your rabbit takes all of it.
What if I forgot a dose?
Do not give a double amount yourself. Ask your vet how to continue.
How much should I give?
That is always up to your vet. With a syringe that has a kilogram scale, like Hopdose, you read your rabbit's weight instead of millilitres.
Also useful
Hopdose is a measuring aid, not a medicine. For animal use only. Always follow your vet's advice on product, dose and length of treatment. Hopdose does not give medical advice.