New owner- baptism of fire!

[Magpie]

It sounds like it isn't a 1 ml syringe, but a larger one. Hope the vet can help sort something

They are 1ml syringes. This is one with the antibiotic in the tip ready to use

 

[Magpie]

Practicing with water in one of the empty syringes I can dispense the dose in 2 single smaller drops. It’s quite a marked difference and makes sense why I couldn’t mask it!

May be more difficult with the meds given the viscosity may be different from the antibiotics vs water I was playing around with.

I might have more success splitting the dose into 2 drops given in pea sized corned beef balls or one meatball plus maybe a drop on a tiny piece of prawn cracker or weetabix?

I know it’s not ideal but even getting half a dose in would be better than nothing tonight

I spoke to vet receptionist who passed on my query. Vet called me back but for some reason my phone never rang so I only got his voicemail after close of business. I will discuss all in detail with him tomorrow and hope we can reduce volume and spread over more days.

 

[Maz]

Ok you don’t need to worry about the tip - it’s the bit under the black plunger down to the top inside of the tip that is the dose. There is always a bit left inside the tip so it’s not counted - that’s what my vet said anyway!

So it looks like it might be drawn up to the 0.005. Meaning you’d need to push it out down to 0.025. Which would be very difficult to judge because the smallest markings are only 0.01 and to judge half of one of those would be pretty impossible I think. And you might end up with a bigger fuse one day and a smaller one the next day.

To give those 0.05 ml doses I think you might need to just try holding her (swaddled in a blanket eg) and squirting it in the side of her moth but as mentioned before, she might just spit it out again.

I suppose you could try a slightly larger amount of the corned beef but then she might not eat it all. She might bit it would probably be half at night and half the next morning! But it could be worth a try …..

Alternatively just wait for the vet to get back to you.

 

[Maz]

I suppose if yoou measured the distance between the plunger and inside end of the tip (ie bottom part of the syringe) you could make a half way line with a thin marker pen eg - to work out a half dose / bit the line would probably be too thick to be accurate.

 

[Maz]

I also think you’d need to check a daily dose from the vet first for a longer period - sometimes it’s only about 0.02 mls.

 

[Maz]

Thinking about the corned beef option again. What you could try is two separate dishes/jar lids - each with a pea sized amount of corned beef and squirt about half the dose on one and the other half in the other. Put both dishes out - if she eats one that’s a start / but by morning she may have eaten both of them

This might be better than one larger amount of corned beef and hope get the full 0.05 ml dose in one day.

You could try that and if it doesn’t work see what the vet suggests tomorrow.

 

[Magpie]

Thinking about the corned beef option again. What you could try is two separate dishes/jar lids - each with a pea sized amount of corned beef and squirt about half the dose on one and the other half in the other. Put both dishes out - if she eats one that’s a start / but by morning she may have eaten both of them

This might be better than one larger amount of corned beef and hope get the full 0.05 ml dose in one day.

You could try that and if it doesn’t work see what the vet suggests tomorrow.

This is what I’m thinking.

I know there is no way I can fit the full dose in one portion of the Corned Beef. It’s just too much and too potent.

I can reliably split a drawn up volume of 0.05ml water into 2 equal drops (equal to the naked eye that is) so hopefully will work with the meds.

I think that’s my best chance of getting at least some into her today.

I only plan to do this for tonight as going to speak to vet in the morning and see what he says. If we are looking at a smaller dose over longer term then I will get a new prescription. Otherwise it will be an early wake up call for Maggie and a trip for another injection.

Thanks again for spending so much time helping me today. I really appreciate it!

 

[Maz]

It doesn’t even matter if the two doses aren’t exactly half of there are two pea sized amounts of corned beef - if she eats both of them! If she doesn’t - well she’ll have had half a dose. It usually takes a strong meaty flavour like beef to disguise the taste (also something the hamsters can’t resist).

I keep pouches of that country hunter dog food in, in case they’re ever needed! They have a really long life (maybe a year or three) unless they’re opened.

 

[Magpie]

It doesn’t even matter if the two doses aren’t exactly half of there are two pea sized amounts of corned beef - if she eats both of them! If she doesn’t - well she’ll have had half a dose. It usually takes a strong meaty flavour like beef to disguise the taste (also something the hamsters can’t resist).

I keep pouches of that country winter dog food in, in case they’re ever needed! They have a really long life (maybe a year or three) unless they’re opened.

Guess what I’m going to do right now… shop for emergency dog food!

Think this is my best shot at success for tonight for sure. Let’s hope she’s a fan of corned beef!

 

[Maz]

It’s not cheap at £8 but there are 12 pouches in the box! Ie 36 doses. I haven’t seen it anywhere locally - just on Amazon. Most dog food is too chunky but this is more the texture of soft corned beef.

 

[Magpie]

It’s not cheap at £8 but there are 12 pouches in the box! Ie 36 doses. I haven’t seen it anywhere locally - just on Amazon. Most dog food is too chunky but this is more the texture of soft corned beef.

Ordered! At this point I’ve spent more money than I care to admit so what’s another £8.

I hope I’ll never need to use them but at least they will be there if any future meds required and I can always donate to the food bank if it gets close to their use by date and order again for the cupboard.

 

[Magpie]

Maz you are my actual hero.

Maggie has just got up and eaten both balls of corned beef and licked the jar lid clean!

I will sleep well tonight and repeat tomorrow! Such a weight off my mind and so much less stressful.

THANK YOU!

 

[Maz]

So glad! She clearly liked it

 

[Magpie]

So glad! She clearly liked it

She absolutely did!

I am so relieved. Fingers crossed for a repeat performance tomorrow night and that she’s not too thirsty after double CB meatballs.