"Spitting" out medication

[Yresim]

As I'm sure everyone here knows, rats cannot spit like we can (and, thus, really don't like being force-fed).  Well, I have a rat that figured it out...

When I medicate Ennoia, she will not swallow the medication.  She will let it sit in her mouth, some of it dripping out, as long as it takes before I put her back in the cage.  When she gets back in the cage, she will use the bars to scrape her mouth out.  She cannot get all of it, of course, but she gets a very good portion.  

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?

SIDE NOTE: Holding her for almost an hour did not work (and the medication would continue to drip).  I did finally find the solution: a yogurt drop as soon as she gets back to the cage.  She is so interested in eating the treat that she will go ahead and swallow the medication.    I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

[Suebee]

Gus used to purposely drool out his meds, too... I like the treat idea!

[Vouivre]

they seem to find a way to get what they want everytime dont they? hehe
more proof of how smart rats are

[ckhs]

My hanna(who looks amazingly like your little one)does this also she is awful to give meds to.Next time i will try the treat trick.Thanks ckhs

[SonyaFancifulRats]

I had some that liked to rub the drool off on ME ick!  Always had to wear "rat medication" clothing twice a day...

[Idarat]

My rat Orkin (who was on meds continually for the last 5 months of her life) used to get down and drag her mouth along the carpet leaving huge smears of Baytril.  They really are brilliant.  What I do now is to draw up an extra syringe of maple syrup which the rat gets instantly after getting the medication syringe.  This serves as a reward for good behavior and helps in swallowing and removing the aweful taste- yes I have tasted my rats' meds and they really do taste horrible.  Since they are bitter, and most poisins in nature are also bitter, it is no wonder our smart little ratties refuse!

[Sam]

My Baby used to drool it out too. I wish I had thought of the treat idea, it probably would have saved a lot of stress!

[Jodi]

After trying lots of methods and different foods to bolus meds, I've decided that a little pinch of a slice of wheat bread works the best. I just lay out my pieces of bread on a small plate (ALWAYS start with about twice as many pieces as you have ratties: I'll explain why soon) and carefully squirt your meds onto each piece accordingly. Be careful to keep track of which piece is for which ratty (plus the plain, unmedicated pieces on the opposite side of the plate).

For Baytril and other nasty-tasting meds, I then add a tiny bit of jelly or even a drop of pancake syrup... whatever it takes to get them to eat it up. Then, carefully and quickly pass out the "med-bread"   and stand by with the plain pieces to hand out to the quickest eaters. That way, they won't steal another ratty's medicated bread before he/she finishes it!

My ratties LOVE their bread "treats," and it's the perfect way for us to get their meds into them with no major problems.

[Dimi]

After going through medicine stress I finally posted here and asked for a better way to administer the meds and I was told to put the medicine on a bread and put jelly or syrup on it to cover up the bitterness. I did that for a while and tried to just give her the bread with no jelly or syrup and that worked just as well...Anyway, I feel your pain! LOL  

[Yresim]

Thanks for the "bread" idea.  I will try it tonight and see if it makes the experience any better for the two of us.  I'll let you know!  

[toad]

Oh yes, Dizzy did the "chin-wiping dance" too...
I started putting the meds in Soy baby formula and he licks it off my finger now (spoiled). It's still funny to see him when he gets a taste of the meds cuz he'll wipe his chin, but he still comes back to lick off the rest.

[Anna]

My kids wipe their mouths too. Some of them will even put down a yogie to wipe meds on my comforter.
Cute in an irritating way.
Anna

[Yresim]

AAAARRRRGGG!!!

It didn't work.  

Last night, I gave her bread with the medication, and jelly to cover it.  She licked off the jelly.  

This morning, I mixed the meds into the jelly and applied it to bread.  She would not touch it.  

Any other ideas?  She hates being force-medicated, and this is something that she will need 2x/day for the rest of her life, so I would really like to make it less unpleasant for her (and me).  

[PatTheRat]

I have found the perfect formula for my rat--she will take any medication if I mix it with some mooshed up banana and a sprinkling of "Green Mush" (this is a vitamin supplement you can order from the Rat-alog). She has always licked the dish clean no matter what type of meds are in there (and she's been on a bunch!).

Hope this helps!

PatTheRat

[Idarat]

Revere didn't fall for the bread trick either    He carefully ate AROUND the medicine soaked area, licked the maple syrup off and looked at me like I was crazy when I suggested he try a little more.  I got him to finish it by putting some peanut butter on it.  I only did this to get the meds into him,  I don't advocate peanut butter for rats.  

The furthest I have gone is when I had to medicate my rat with tablet baytril.  I would grind up the medicine, chew up a couple of reeses peices, spit them out, roll up the Baytril and feed Isabella the "meatball"  Peanut butter agian, I know, but it worked like a charm!

[toad]

As I mentioned, Dizzy usually licks the soy baby formula (the powdered kind, mixed with meds and a lil water) off my finger... I have also been successful with banana baby food, and while it's a little more inconvenient, Dizzy loved smashed avocado with a tiny bit of pasta sauce mixed in.

[Sabrina]

Thanks for the meds ideas... I now give Ellie a couple of syringes full of yogurt after Baytril (see related thread if interested   ) and so I know she won't spit it out.

Last summer Ellie was on tumor medication (the name suddenly escapes me) but since I was in Australia, my poor mother had to give Ellie her meds.  At first she had real problems, but eventually she switched from fruit-flavored to no flavor, and mixed the meds in with a different liquid food (applesauce, etc) every time.  Maybe you could try peanut butter?  I have yet to meet a rat who could resist that.