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less stressful way to administer oral medication

sooniesyj

Sitting on the front steps
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So my younger lovie Dou-dou has gotten quite sick and we've brought her to the vet just now for her vomiting and lack of energy. The medication given was a liquid type (with a syringe) but I'm having trouble getting Dou-dou to drink the medicine. The only method that has worked so far is me holding onto her and someone else slowly dropping the medicine bit by bit to the side of her beak. But she struggles quite a bit and it's really stressful for both her and me because I don't want to grab her if she doesn't want me to. I've tried the medicine + treat thing but she isn't motivated at all by food because of her loss of appetite. Is there some way I can get her to take the medicine well? or maybe better way of holding/grabbing her (even though I hate doing that)?

Also, I found several white small ball things around her cage in the afternoon (attached a photo below). Is this undigested food that she has vomited out? I asked the vet when we brought her in but he has no clue what it was. I didn't get much out of the vet consultation, I was just given the meds so should I be worrying this much? Sorry for the question dump, I've never had one of my birds fall sick like this in the past.
 

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Clueless

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I give Secret medication thru food.

Is there ANYthing she likes?

I use a teaspoon with a tiny bit of baby food (must read label... No additives, natural stuff). I use a toothpick and make an indent and put the med in that indentation. After the bird licks it up, I put a tiny bit more and spread on spoon. Again, she licks it up and I know she gets it.

Currently I'm using BeechNut naturals. Ingredients in mine say peas, water.
 

sooniesyj

Sitting on the front steps
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I give Secret medication thru food.

Is there ANYthing she likes?

I use a teaspoon with a tiny bit of baby food (must read label... No additives, natural stuff). I use a toothpick and make an indent and put the med in that indentation. After the bird licks it up, I put a tiny bit more and spread on spoon. Again, she licks it up and I know she gets it.

Currently I'm using BeechNut naturals. Ingredients in mine say peas, water.
I tried that too, but with the baby bird formula (to no avail). Didn't know actual baby food works :wideyed: Thanks for the suggestion!
 

Shannan

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you might try unsweetened apple juice as well. I put it in a small spoon and put just a little bit of apple juice and since Walter likes Apple juice, he sips it right up. It may not work for your bird but it is worth a try.
 

Clueless

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I tried that too, but with the baby bird formula (to no avail). Didn't know actual baby food works :wideyed: Thanks for the suggestion!
I don't know how old your baby is. Secret is probably pushing 50 years old.

I used cooked tri-color organic quinoa and put the meds on that for a while. Secret loved it and gobbled it up. It didn't do well on her blood work though (she has medical issues from bad diet).

I chopped up a red bell pepper and discovered that the bird likes that juice too.
 

Clueless

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When MC was going thru his battle with cancer I had to do the grab thing. Traumatic for him and for me. Sometimes you have to though if it's critical.

Friends here gave me clips to watch.

MC didn't care for it either but there were times I had to do it.

I hope he gets better quickly.
 

Shannan

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I know it doesn't feel like it right now but when it is all over your bird will forgive you. I always try to give Walter something he likes. Now due to his grip issues I have to grab him to pick him up everyday twice a day to move him between the two levels of his cage. He was nervous at first but then one day, I picked him up and as I was moving him, he started his whistling so I knew then that it didn't bother him anymore.
 

sooniesyj

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you might try unsweetened apple juice as well. I put it in a small spoon and put just a little bit of apple juice and since Walter likes Apple juice, he sips it right up. It may not work for your bird but it is worth a try.
Thanks for the suggestion! Dou-dou reluctantly allowed me to grab her just now so I managed to give her the medicine. Definitely will try unsweetened apple juice if she starts refusing being grabbed again
 

sooniesyj

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
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Messages
15
When MC was going thru his battle with cancer I had to do the grab thing. Traumatic for him and for me. Sometimes you have to though if it's critical.

Friends here gave me clips to watch.

MC didn't care for it either but there were times I had to do it.

I hope he gets better quickly.
I've seen many videos on how to do the grabbing thing right, but I'm not really that experienced + my birds both hate being held. I managed to do it in one go just now (for her most recent dosage) so hopefully she'll just get used to it over time. Thanks a lot for the reassurance and replies!
 

Shannan

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I never thought much about training Walter to take medicine until he had to have medicine regularly as well. Since then I have been working to train him to take medicine different ways for the next time. So we have learned to drink from a spoon (which we already knew), take treats from a syringe, specialized "bites' with various things stuffed into it and getting used to being held (lots of Walnut treats for this). I am hoping next time will be much less combative.... Hopefully it will get easier, your bird will get better and the medicine will go down.
 

soundsfun

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You’ve probably seen the same videos I watched but this is the technique I’ve found helpful. I need to grab and keep my budgies still for nail trims about every 3-4 weeks. I’ve found it helpful to darken the room first. Then, I get them to step up, bring them close to my chest, then cup my hand over them. I then place a small washcloth over their back (choose one that won’t snag on the nails). I’ve found the washcloth provides a bit of friction that helps keep their wings from moving. Next, I position my index and middle finger on either side of their neck, gently but firmly resting on their shoulders/collar bones. The thumb and other fingers gently cradle around the bird, being careful not to restrict movement around the rib cage.
 

sooniesyj

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
3/17/19
Messages
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I never thought much about training Walter to take medicine until he had to have medicine regularly as well. Since then I have been working to train him to take medicine different ways for the next time. So we have learned to drink from a spoon (which we already knew), take treats from a syringe, specialized "bites' with various things stuffed into it and getting used to being held (lots of Walnut treats for this). I am hoping next time will be much less combative.... Hopefully it will get easier, your bird will get better and the medicine will go down.
Yes, I never realised that training a bird to take medication was so important. I'll have to start on that with my other bird too just in case it's ever needed in the future (I hope not!) Let's hope our birds all take it well with some training! thanks a lot
 

sooniesyj

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
3/17/19
Messages
15
You’ve probably seen the same videos I watched but this is the technique I’ve found helpful. I need to grab and keep my budgies still for nail trims about every 3-4 weeks. I’ve found it helpful to darken the room first. Then, I get them to step up, bring them close to my chest, then cup my hand over them. I then place a small washcloth over their back (choose one that won’t snag on the nails). I’ve found the washcloth provides a bit of friction that helps keep their wings from moving. Next, I position my index and middle finger on either side of their neck, gently but firmly resting on their shoulders/collar bones. The thumb and other fingers gently cradle around the bird, being careful not to restrict movement around the rib cage.
Yep, this is probably the best way to grab them (which is really so hard because they're small and fast!). I tried it and it's quite effective though still a little stressful for my bird. Hopefully, it gets easier over time. appreciate the detailed response!
 

soundsfun

Walking the driveway
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My budgies don’t hate it any less, but they’ve gotten far less freaked out by it than before. It is really upsetting for me to do it to them - I hate forcing them! So I totally get how you feel.
 
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