Could there BE a more difficult pig...

Pinny Gig · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:58 pm

...to give medicine to?

I swear, my boar, Clyde, has got to be the worst guinea pig I've tried syringing medicine to. Yes, I've been to the medical care guide and read how to administer the medicine and how to hold the guinea pig. Our late boar, Cocoa, did splendidly. My sow, Bonnie, also does very well. Another sow I rescued and adopted out ate very well the syringed food I fed her. So what is Clyde's big deal?

I've tried the vice grip per the Guinea Lynx photos and instructions. I've tried having someone else hold him. I've tried holding him with his back to me and I've tried putting him on the counter. I have a very hard time poking the syringe in his mouth. He clamps his mouth shut and turns his face from side to side to avoid it. When I finally do get it in, he's working his tongue to shove it out and I'm pressing the syringe trying to get as much in as possible without choking him or having him spit it back out. I try to get him to chew on the syringe so I'll know he's swallowing the medicine. He lets a lot of it dribble back out.

His Baytril is tutt-frutti flavored and sweetened. None of my other pigs have had an issue with the taste or the syringe. Before I pull my hair out (or Clyde's) does anyone have any other bright ideas?

Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:00 pm

Master Pinta's technique. It WILL work. You need to clamp him firmly. Really.

MommyofGus · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:04 pm

Yes, there could. Come meet my Gus.

samtesla · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:14 pm

We actually disguised a 1cc syringe into a baby carrot once. It worked well. After a couple of doses the pigs did not mind the flavor.

Margi · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:21 pm

The mental image of a carrot syringe has me ROTFLOL.....

hammer · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 4:27 pm

Try the baseball head method. Guinea was impossible at first (think 6 weeks of twice-daily dosing and you'll understand my pain). We actually had times I was crying I was so mad at him. You're sick, dammit! Take your medicine! Anyway, once I had him braced, I used my hand to grip (lightly) the top of his jaw, with my palm over his eyes. Hold his head still that way (with his body braced so he doesn't flail around), then insert the syringe in the side of his both behind the teeth. I find that covering their eyes (even for weighing) makes them calm down a bit. At the end of the 6 weeks we were on easy terms and it took a couple of seconds to administer meds.

This is also how I give a pill to my cat, with somewhat less successful results. At least pigs don't have claws and teeth!

Charybdis · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:15 pm

Covering their eyes is a good tactic. I've got one, Harvey, who thinks he is an owl. I've never seen a guinea pig able to swivel his head so far around to avoid a syringe. So I pull him out and cuddle him in a little fleece blanky in my arms. I cover his head and pet him and give him kisses and talk baby talk to him. His eyes start to close and....wham! In goes the syringe.

Paravati · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:22 pm

When I have a difficult pig, I put their butt into the crook of my left arm at the elbow. Right hand holds the syringe. With my left hand, the heel of my palm covers the pig's eyes and my thumb and first finger "pinch" right behind the nose on the pig's face. I pull his little head up and, wham, the jaw drops open. With your whole hand sort of wrapped around his head and his eyes covered, and also with your fingers "pinching" the top of his jaw and pulling it up, he can't go anywhere. They always take their medicine. This is a lot like the Hamster Grab if any of you have given medicine to hamsters or gerbils. Note: it is a gentle, but firm, technique. Some pigs scream bloody murder because they don't like being manipulated, but you know when or if you're hurting them. Just be firm.

MommyofGus · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:12 pm

When I give medicine I have the same feeling I get when I'm drying my hair...I always wish I had a third hand!

Para I'll try your technique tomorrow.

GP Lover · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:38 pm

Good luck! If you still need another method to try give this one a go:

Wrap the pig in a towel so that just his head is sticking out. If you're not alone then someone else can hold his mouth and put the syringe in.

If you are alone then lay on the bed or couch with your knees propped up. Place the pig with his back against your knees, facing you.

Now, place one hand across his belly to secure him against your knees. You now have two hands free to hold his head and insert the syringe.

You'll eventually find a method that works for the two of you!

carol

Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:49 pm

Carol, generally I've been advising people not to feed or give medicine to guinea pigs if they're on their back as it's possible to aspirate some of the food or liquid. If you can get the pig vertical using this method, it would be better.

GP Lover · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:52 pm

Lynx, geez, I didn't say anything about the pig being on their back. Is that why you don't include my method on the medical reference page?

The pig will be vertical because...

"lay on the bed or couch WITH YOUR KNEES PROPPED UP".

Must I post a pic or can you get the visual? Ha. Ha.

Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:01 pm

I can only understand small bits at a time. A phrase here or there. Not sentences all strung together. You are mean and cruel to point out my disabilities.

p.s. if I were doing this, the pig would still be sloped slightly backwards. You didn't mention that the pig should be vertical to prevent aspiration. Now people will hopefully notice.

Paravati · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:02 pm

I still think my method is the best. Let me see if I can try to take a picture.

GP Lover · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:14 pm

The towel method is great for piggies who just had surgery and have stitches in their abdomen. Wrapping them in the towel gives them some padding and I think it's less stressfull for them.

I buy baby blankets now and use them instead of towels. They have ones made out of fleece that are so soft. I'm sure that feels better than my hand against their stitches.

Lynx, I know you're only joking about your disabilities...guess it's been a long time since you've done any sit-ups however!

Paravati · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:19 pm

Okay. This is Para's Giving Meds to Ruthless Pigs Method:

1) Place pig on comfortable flat surface. Apologize in advance with a good chin-scratching.

2) Place pig's butt in the crook of your elbow (not shown). Slide your hand down the head to cover the eyes and prepare for.. The Pinch. (Notice the glare she's giving me..)

3) Pinch with your thumb and fingers on the upper jaw, just behind the nose. Pull up slightly, making sure the eyes are covered, and the jaw drops open. The pig is now in prime position for medicinal insertion.

monique2 · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:49 pm

This has been an extremely useful discussion. I'm filing this one away for future reference. The tips and pics were awesome. I grovel to your mastery.

Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 9:58 pm

Great pix! Who's your victim? I like her murderous glare.

Pinny Gig · Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:32 pm

Ouch! I'm laughing so hard, it hurts! Para, you really know how to make your pig pucker up, don't you?

Those pictures were indeed helpful. I again tried Pinta's method but, I swear, the brute strength that my boar has is unequalled in the guinea pig world...or the animal world, for that matter. Para, I've tried a version of your method but I didn't cover the eyes. I'll give that a go tonight and see what happens. At our last dosing party, I walked away with Baytril spit on my sweatshirt as a parting gift.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with a stubborn pig.

Post » Mon Jan 26, 2004 11:33 pm

Love your pictures, Para. I'll make a duplicate dedicated post in the reference forum (or you can if you want, you can post there now) for "Giving Medications -- Paravati's Tips"