From:
Debbie Utter
Date: 2001-10-30 14:09:00 UTC
Subject: Need tips for administering tablets!
I posted recently about Brae vomiting too many meals up, over
4 weeks since having his spleen removed. I took him to the
vet today who checked him over and prescribed metoclopramide
10mg (1/4 tablet orally every six hours, 3-4x a day) for
vomiting. I need to give this half an hour prior to other
meds or meals. I also have to give him a dropper full of
Neomycin/Pepto every 8 hours (3 x a day) for 5 days. The
Neomycin isn't going to be a problem - Brae had that before
his surgery, and licked it right from the dropper. However, I
just tried giving him the first quarter tablet of the
metoclopramide, and it was a disaster. He got very little of
it down the throat, but plenty of it went everywhere else!
I've never given a pill to a ferret. I'm assuming I can't
tuck it in a piece of banana, since it's supposed to be given
half an hour before meals. Would sticking a pencil or
something between his teeth help keep his mouth open (and me
from being bitten)? With this first dose, I tried scruffing
him and waiting for him to yawn, and popping the pill in the
back of the mouth, but that didn't work too well. Any
suggestions?