Syringes

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As soon as I am done using them i rinse them thoroughly in cold water. The hot water degrades the rubber plunger and the syringe wears out faster. I used to make sure I had syringes specifically for each med, but now they all just go back into the same cup :)
 
I reuse mine until I can't it to work no more. I rinse it in cold water.
But I don't allow the rats to take meds from the syringe anymore. All the meds get dispensed in a spoon now.
 
Any syringe that a rat touches does not go in the meds and I don't use agina...only for that rat (or cage mate).......but the syringes that I use to just get meds out of the bottles I use again. You don't want to contaminate your meds. I rinse them in warm water and sit in a cup to dry.
 
I guess I don't understand what you mean Dahlas. Do you transfer meds from one syringe to another to give meds? I use the syringe that I take the meds from to give my rats the meds.
 
Chevalrose said:
I guess I don't understand what you mean Dahlas. Do you transfer meds from one syringe to another to give meds? I use the syringe that I take the meds from to give my rats the meds.

IF you give the rat the meds directly from the syringe, you do not put it back into the bottle of meds. If you are using the syringe to pull up the meds to put into food (no rat mouth involved) you can use it again.
 
So, you should throw away the syringe every time you give meds without food? Or is that only if you're giving the same meds to multiple rats? That seems like A LOT of syringes to go through if you dispose of them.

Also, what is the difference between rinsing the meds off and rinsing it off after you use it on the rat?
 
Well, I always rinced mine in hot water, that explains why the rubber plunger wears out so fast. I'm going to start using cold, but will the cold water melt any remaining meds in the barrel? I'm curious Jo, why no more syringes and do you remove the one rat from the rest when dispensing from the spoon?
 
I give all their meds in a spoon too. It's so much easier, the rat just licks it all up. I take each one in my arms to give meds. It has acutally helped with bonding certain rats.
 
cold water can't kill off any bacteria on the syringes that could be contracted from contact with the rats mouth. That would then contaminate any meds if you put the syringe back into it. Its easier to remove the rat from the cage that is recieving meds, or just take it to the side during out-time or whatever if its active enough.

ive also found hot water takes the marks off the syringe so its pretty much impossible to get a correct dose after that :?
 
mamarat said:
I give all their meds in a spoon too. It's so much easier, the rat just licks it all up. I take each one in my arms to give meds. It has acutally helped with bonding certain rats.
Thanks mama I think I'm going to try that starting tonight. Almost 8 years with rats and there are still things to learn.
Thanks again. :D
 
I use syringes to measure out the meds. The measured meds are placed into small dishes ... one for each rat. These syringes are rinsed in cold water, air dryed and reused with the same meds. This helps prevent any contamination of the meds.
Each rat on meds has his/her meds mixed up in a small dish with baby cereal and strawberry quick added to make it taste better. I give meds to each rat individually, on my lap .... can take a long time when you have 9 or 19 rats on meds ... but as previously said, it can be a special bonding time for you and your rattie.

For rats unable or unwilling to take their meds from the dish or lick it off my finger, I give them their meds by syringe. I fill up the syringe with their meds which have been mixed up in the small med dish. These syringes are rinsed in cold water and are reused only with that particular rat or sometimes with a cagemate.

Syringes are thrown out when they wear out, numbers wear off, rat finishes that med, etc.
 
Bacteria and viruses from the rat will contaminate your bottle of meds. And not all meds can kill off all bacteria and viruses. If you go from mouth to mouth, you are then transmitting all the bacteria and viruses too.
 
I know a shelter that was treating kittens that had URI with antibiotics.....They were using the same syringes and putting them back in the bottle. Cage full of kittens started to die. They tested the bottle of antibiotics only to find it contaminated with the distemper virus......One of the kittens in the past had had distemper.....so kittens with mild URI infection died for no reason......NEVER put anything used or dirty into your meds.....they need to be keep clean and sterile.

IF the animals are in the same cage you could use the same syringe (because they are licking each other and using the same litter box so probably have the same germs) but animals in different cages you should use different syringes.....or you are giving everyone else germs....
 

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