Hands Free Medicating For Pet Sitter

[Cait]

I feel like this may be impossible but I figure I should post about it and see if I can get any input.

Tonight I had the rats out on the couch and noticed a little discharge from Monroe's ear. I thought he had just scratched it so I cleaned it, but then noticed a slight smell from the ear. We all know what that means. So hopefully Wednesday we can get him into the vet and get some abs for it before it starts any further issues.

The problem is, naturally, I am leaving late Thursday night for Chicago and have a friend coming to stay with all the critters. I will be back next Tuesday evening. Unfortunately she is the only person I even know in this part of the country, and she is actually terrified of animals. We only recently got it to where she can handle the dogs being outside of their crates and she pets them. The dogs are mostly what she is there for and I told her she wouldn't have to deal with the rats, just quickly put food in their cage and make sure their water bottle stays full. Obviously that is not the case if one of them is going to be on antibiotics.

I can't think of an easy mostly fool proof way for her to give him his meds... I highly doubt she'll want to syringe him meds. If I have her hide it in something, she's going to have to make sure the other two don't get whatever it is she hides it in.

What I can think of is getting a box for her to put JUST Monroe in and give him the meds in a dab of baby food and just hope he eats it. Then of course she has to get him INTO the box and then back in the cage.

I don't know, do you guys have any ideas? Worst timing possible with rats. :wallbang:

 

[lilspaz68]

To be honest, having a pet sitter who is terrified of the rats try to medicate one could end up in a disaster and a loose rat, and a pet sitter fleeing and never helping you again. Its inner ear infection that you just noticed, unlike a severe resp infection, so I would just wait til you return to start him on the abs.

 

[Risika57]

If you felt you had to start the abs immediately, one thing you could do is separate this rat out into a different cage, and have you friend mix the meds with a yummy syrup or soy yogurt on a spoon, and just stick the spoon inside the cage. She really doesn't even have to hold the spoon, she can stick it in, close the door, wait for rattum to eat whats on the spoon, and then take it back out. Not the most ideal situation, but this way your friend doesn't have to handle any of the ratties, or worry about other rats taking its meds.

 

[hopefloats]

I give most of my meds through the bars. I dont even open my cage for my meds. I would start working on them with a syringe with some sort of syrup once he gets to understand that is good stuff it will be a very easy task. I wouldnt want her to pick them up because she may panic if they squirm and drop them.

I swear it is a fight to stop the other from trying to get the meds around here.
[BBvideo 425,350h722yof]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIbWzxIRVJ8&feature=youtu.be[/BBvideoh722yof]



Did he ever get out of the guitar last night? LOL

 

[mamarat]

I agree with hopefloats, train him now to take the syringe through the bars with something yummy and hopefully he will take the meds. The rats who won't I put the meds in a spoon with baby cereal and they lick it up.

 

[jorats]

You could try training the rat and if that doesn't work out, I'd do like Shelagh said and wait till you are back.

 

[temblabamomo]

My only other suggestion would be to ask your vet if they would board any critters needing meds (but *only* if you have a vet you're comfortable leaving a rat with.) I have had to do that once, and my vet let both the sick rat and his cage buddy stay for several days. But with an ear infection, as spaz said it can probably wait til you are back.

 

[Cait]

I think I may end up waiting until I get back... It's not something I really trust her to do (especially because if one got loose that would be the end of the world) and I'm not comfortable having her do it if she's not comfortable with it.

I wasn't sure if waiting were an option or not. Should I take him into the vet to get the meds before I leave or should I wait until I return? Not sure if they'd change dosage/med but I'd rather have it on hand when I returned so I could start him right away. He is acting normally and all that, the only symptom I notice is the slight discharge and the faint smell. It wouldn't get horribly worse over a weeks time right? I get nervous because I don't want it to get so bad he develops a tilt and needs steroids but is that likely in a week?

 

[Cait]

And Peggy, that was Reid, and yes he did eventually emerge. I had to unstring the guitar. *ehhh*

 

[lilspaz68]

I think I may end up waiting until I get back... It's not something I really trust her to do (especially because if one got loose that would be the end of the world) and I'm not comfortable having her do it if she's not comfortable with it.

I wasn't sure if waiting were an option or not. Should I take him into the vet to get the meds before I leave or should I wait until I return? Not sure if they'd change dosage/med but I'd rather have it on hand when I returned so I could start him right away. He is acting normally and all that, the only symptom I notice is the slight discharge and the faint smell. It wouldn't get horribly worse over a weeks time right? I get nervous because I don't want it to get so bad he develops a tilt and needs steroids but is that likely in a week?

I would get the abs now, and as soon as you walk in the door when you return. It should be fine

 

[Cait]

I would get the abs now, and as soon as you walk in the door when you return. It should be fine

Thanks, Shelagh! He has an appointment today and then we'll start him on meds as soon as I get back.

I appreciate everyone's help!

 

[hprats]

I give mine through the bars on a spoon with chocolate pudding. No hands required. Its really easy and my friend who is horribly allergic did it for me for a weekend.

 

[SQ]

It wouldn't get horribly worse over a weeks time right?

Hopefully not, but yes it could and he could end up with permanent damage to his inner ear causing a permanent head tilt.
But you can only do your best and hopefully it will be ok.

 

[Cait]

Got back really late last night, and besides all the boys practically doubling in size (literally I thought Reid was a different rat!) they're all doing great.

Guess who's ear doesn't even have a smell to it anymore. I'm going to start him on meds regardless but I picked him up to sniff him and didn't smell anything, and I was like "That just figures, doesn't it" haha.

 

[lilspaz68]

Got back really late last night, and besides all the boys practically doubling in size (literally I thought Reid was a different rat!) they're all doing great.

Guess who's ear doesn't even have a smell to it anymore. I'm going to start him on meds regardless but I picked him up to sniff him and didn't smell anything, and I was like "That just figures, doesn't it" haha.

Fantastic news!!! I hope you didn't worry over him too much while you were away :giggle:

 

[Cait]

Worried, not so much, concerned, yes. I had called the petsitter every night so she could stare at them and tell me what they were doing, and then had her put me on speaker phone so I could talk to them. She thought I was crazy but when I walked in last night all three boys knew "mama" was home haha!

 

[Godmother]

What a brilliant idea! I will have to phone my girls next time I go away. Don't suppose they'd get much out of Skype, though.

 

[mamarat]

So glad your sweeties were all happy to see you. Great idea to phone them.