How to Give a Pet Squirrel Medication

Pet squirrels squirm, twist, bark and may bite if you don't know how to get that horrible medication into their tummies properly. This guide walks through possible ways of trying to get your pet squirrel to take medication.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Medication
• Syringes
• Treats
• Towels

1. Take a syringe (usually provided by your veterinarian) and draw the dosage of medication into it.
2. Try to give the dose to your squirrel without restraining him. Sometimes fate is on your side and he'll actually take the medications without struggling.
3. Wrap your squirrel in a towel and hold him. Make sure he/she feels safe and secure. Sometimes a good snuggle is just what your pet needs to feel calm and secure.
4. Bribe your pet. The last thing you want is for your squirrel to associate the syringe with a bad experience. Bribe your pet into nibbling on the syringe with veterinarian-approved treats such as applesauce or special wildlife peanut butter by placing these treats on the end of the syringe.
5. Slowly push on the syringe so that the medication is administered to your squirrel while he/she is occupied with nibbling on the syringe.
6. Mix the medication with small amounts of veterinarian-approved substances. Gatorade, applesauce and mashed or puréed fruit are favorites here. Mix a small amount with the medication and feed to your pet.
7. Lift your pet's head slightly and insert the syringe or eyedropper into his/her mouth behind the front teeth. Administer the dose this way. If there are several mouthfuls in the dosage, give your pet a break between doses and give him/her a treat. You can try to push it into the side of the mouth as well. Do this as the last resort. They aren't generally fond of it so try to exhaust bribery first.
8. Talk to your pet in a soothing voice. Be upbeat and positive when giving your squirrel medication.
9. Give your squirrel more treats. He/she took the medication and it is all over now until the next dose. Reward him/her with a favorite treat and some quality time with you.