Rat won't swallow medicine, what to do?

[Danielle]

what's it called?

 

[Wolfie]

Chocolate is fine for rats. They don't have the same reaction as dogs. It can actually help URI symptoms I've read. Mine used to LOVE it. As a treat of course, not as regular food.

I'd worry about too much peanut butter choking them more than I would about chocolate.

 

[Danielle]

pshhh they get chocolate as their main food - instead of lab blocks.
and instead of water - chocolate soy milk.
Kidding. I don't trust people when they say don't feed rats chocolate because they are probably assuming since dogs can't have chocolate, rats can't either. Even though their bodies are entirely different.
I don't think hardened peanut butter would be a choking hazard. The sticky kind, however... yeah. An idea I kinda have is to mix the pb and meds together, and let it get hard.. Maybe he'll take it that way? -shrug-
Wow, this looks like a younger version of Edward (the rat that refuses to take his meds )

 

[Blobbenstein]

maybe you could mix some sugar in with that peanut butter....as in the quote I posted, she thought that sugar would mask the bitter taste.

 

[Wolfie]

Kidding. I don't trust people when they say don't feed rats chocolate because they are probably assuming since dogs can't have chocolate, rats can't either. Even though their bodies are entirely different.

The whole "feed older dogs a low-protein diet" idea also came from studies done on rats. Like you said, their bodies are entirely different and unless a medical problem dictates otherwise, higher protein diets are fine for and actually benefit older dogs. My soon to be 12 year old dogs have perfectly normal kidney and other lab values.

That rat is absolutely adorable, by the way.

 

[Danielle]

Wouldn't have known that.. It's weird how they would think that rats and dogs would both need low protein as seniors.
Found it online but it looks like my boy xD
Actual pic of Edward

 

[KLS52]

Edward is adorable!

 

[Amy SF]

Edward is adorable!

A real cutie-patootie!

 

[hungryraccoon]

Ohhhh, how are they doing?!

 

[Danielle]

Getting better at it. Just have to put it in his mouth a drop at a time, then wait a minute for him to swallow..
By the looks of it, it appears Adam (another rat) only has a week to live. Poor thing. He can't pick up his food. Like he tries to just eat it with his mouth.. So I guess I'll have to soften up his food so he doesn't have to use his hands. Can't walk properly... Took him to the vet and he got metacam (for pain and inflamation) and baytril.

 

[RascalsMom]

Your little guys are having a rough time of it lately -big hugs-

 

[Amy SF]

Danielle. Sorry about your rats.