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Post by criswell on Jun 13, 2015 19:19:47 GMT
Criswell has been prescribed 0.05ml metronidazole once a day orally. We were advised to wrap him in a tea towel to hold him. We managed fairly well last night as he was subdued but he still struggled. We had a really hard time giving it to him today and it involved a lot of him escaping and flying round the room. I eventually managed to get most of the dose in to him but it wasn't easy.
Is there a better way to give him his medicine?
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Post by sweetpea on Jun 13, 2015 20:25:54 GMT
You would think with all my experience of giving medicine to buds, I would be able to advise, but no, I'm interested to hear responses!
It does sound like Criswell may have PPC (Poor Patient Compliance)! For this I can only suggest an awful lot of patience!
As the medicine is such a small amount, can you drop it on something he likes to eat? Apple? Millet? Bear in mind that only really works if the medicine does not have a strong taste - you don't want to put him off the food.
Also, do you mix it with something tasty like apple juice? It might make it a slightly less harrowing experience.
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Post by criswell on Jun 13, 2015 21:02:15 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions. He does seem to have a strong case of PPC. I'll try mixing it with something nice but the biggest problem is him hating being held. We are taking him back to the vets on Monday for a full check up with the avian vet so hopefully he'll be able to advise and maybe give him his Monday dose.
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Post by lemonade on Jun 13, 2015 21:07:00 GMT
It's one of the hardest things to do. I HATE the medicine thing. I still struggle after all the meds I have had to give and still have to.
Try getting hold of him in the towel with the light out, if you can, maybe try and give the meds with the light still out. As the budgies normally go quite still in the dark, if not just as you flick the switch back on try and squirt the syringe in then. May or May not work .... I'm still trying to figure better ways myself so also interested to see other replies.
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Post by Hezz on Jun 14, 2015 1:17:59 GMT
It is not easy, especially with a healthy wriggler.  All I can suggest is that you mentally remove yourself from your connection, because while you are thinking "poor Criswell" and associating with him, it makes it so much harder. I can't use a towel or cloth of any sort. I actually use my chest as well as one hand to hold them, thumb and big finger on the sides of their head, index finger on top. I get the tip of their top beak into the tip of the syringe, lift the beak up and try to drop in the meds. I still have failures at times. But I hope that does help. |
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Post by criswell on Jun 14, 2015 8:57:48 GMT
I'll try with the light out today. My partner is helping and holding him while I give the meds but it's still a struggle. I think the 'chest hold' is definitely worth trying  We've got the hang of giving gerbils medicine as we've done that many times over the years but a critter that can fly away is a whole new challenge. |
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Post by Hezz on Jun 14, 2015 9:44:55 GMT
Good luck with him. But I can say that even though you might lose a bit of trust in the short term, generally I have found they are fairly reasonable in their forgiveness. |
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Post by criswell on Jun 14, 2015 17:17:54 GMT
Thanks Hezz. Even though he's been reluctant to leave the cage he has been eating seeds off my hand when I offer it to him in the cage.
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Post by Hezz on Jun 16, 2015 0:07:07 GMT
How are you going with the dosing? Any major failures? I have one about every second day with Mango.  She seems to know just when to jerk ..... not sure how she does it with her head in a vice ......... (not quite a vice, only my hand of course, but sometimes feel if I hold her head any tighter I might break something. ) |
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Post by criswell on Jun 16, 2015 2:02:04 GMT
We've been able to get almost all of it in his mouth each time. The vet did say it wouldn't matter if he didn't get all of it. I guess they allow for a bit of wastage when they calculate the dose. Tonight Criswell was definitely treating it as a game and didn't seem stressed. He was enjoying hopping ouf of reach before we could get hold of him. Despite the vet showing us a good way to hold him it didn't help as we couldn't catch him up in the first place In the end I was able to hold him in a face cloth and my partner gave him the meds. I'm so glad he only needs one more dose. Is Mango OK? How long does she need to have meds for? |
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Post by Hezz on Jun 16, 2015 7:24:02 GMT
Mango is on direct calcium dosing, which I started her on off my own bat, on a daily basis. Two days a week I add it to the water so everyone gets some, but the other days it is just her and I ....... let the battle begin!  She is pretty good about being caught up, and only seems to want to get in one half-decent bite each time. The calcium is sticky stuff, so I know when I have missed! Mango needs extra calcium as she has become a chronic egg-layer and the shells were getting very soft - still are but I am hoping the extra calcium will at least stop her body leaching any more calcium out of her bones etc. Have talked to one of my vets since and he was fine with what I was doing, but couldn't give me a time line to expect to see a difference. |
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Post by criswell on Jun 16, 2015 21:09:51 GMT
Poor Mango. I hope the calcium helps
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Post by criswell on Jun 16, 2015 23:43:37 GMT
Last dose of medicine done He was a right rascal and really didn't want to be captured tonight. |
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Post by mintysowner on Jun 16, 2015 23:56:00 GMT
Good boy criswell (I mean for having all his meds not being a rascal haha) is he doing ok ? |
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Post by Hezz on Jun 17, 2015 0:43:06 GMT
I bet everyone concerned is happy that that is out of the way. Here is to good health and longevity, for Criswell. |
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All I can suggest is that you mentally remove yourself from your connection, because while you are thinking "poor Criswell" and associating with him, it makes it so much harder. I can't use a towel or cloth of any sort. I actually use my chest as well as one hand to hold them, thumb and big finger on the sides of their head, index finger on top. I get the tip of their top beak into the tip of the syringe, lift the beak up and try to drop in the meds. I still have failures at times. 
We've got the hang of giving gerbils medicine as we've done that many times over the years but a critter that can fly away is a whole new challenge.
She seems to know just when to jerk ..... not sure how she does it with her head in a vice ......... (not quite a vice, only my hand of course, but sometimes feel if I hold her head any tighter I might break something. 
She is pretty good about being caught up, and only seems to want to get in one half-decent bite each time. The calcium is sticky stuff, so I know when I have missed! Mango needs extra calcium as she has become a chronic egg-layer and the shells were getting very soft - still are but I am hoping the extra calcium will at least stop her body leaching any more calcium out of her bones etc. 