# How do you give a pill to a rat?



## HappyMooCow (Jan 10, 2009)

Ok so I got told to give them pepcid to protect their tummies..

How do I get them to take it? I have wrestled a good 20 minutes here but have not got them to eat it.

I tried cheeze, hot dogs etc, and still no result. 

Does anyone have a good advice please.. Thank you..


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I wouldn't worry about the pepcid this time, if it was a pill of medication you could crush it and add it to a tasty liquid (I make up my own oral solutions of doxy, baytril, etc with pills and 1/2 water/1/2 strawberry Quik syrup.


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## dkirschling (Mar 20, 2007)

What would the rattie dosage for Pepcid be? I had a cat with renal failure and she only got 1/4 of a tablet every day and she was 5lbs. 

Lilspaz-that's just what my mom would do when I was a kid and had to take medicine. It got me to take the pills, but I never want strawberry Quik again!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

dkirschling said:


> Lilspaz-that's just what my mom would do when I was a kid and had to take medicine. It got me to take the pills, but I never want strawberry Quik again!


thank god my rats aren't like you! They lunge for the syringe day after day


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## HappyMooCow (Jan 10, 2009)

he sai the dosage was 1/8 of a pill.. I have a feeling pepcid is rather kind towards them so therefor it aint no biggie if they get a bit more... 

Never even heard of the quick suryp.. Better get some for next time cause getting them to take a pill is impossible!


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## MadCatter (Aug 12, 2008)

Any particular reason why you need to give them pepcid for their tummies? 

Why are their stomachs upset, and how do you know? I'd be hesitant to dose for symptoms and cover them up, rather than knowing for certain what the underlying cause is.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

MadCatter said:


> Any particular reason why you need to give them pepcid for their tummies?
> 
> Why are their stomachs upset, and how do you know? I'd be hesitant to dose for symptoms and cover them up, rather than knowing for certain what the underlying cause is.


Moo panicked and gave a sick resp. rat Theraflu, and the vet wanted them to have pepcid. I wouldn't myself, but you know vets. :


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## MadCatter (Aug 12, 2008)

I personally would avoid adding extra chemicals to your rat's body. Sure, pepcid is supposed to help OUR stomachs, but did you dose it out? Do you KNOW that it isn't going to cause more problems or be toxic to your rat? 


It'd be more tempted to feed pro-biotic yogurt with other 'filling foods' (oatmeal, brown rice, etc) and make sure they have plenty of water

It's *safer*, more natural, and while I can't guarantee it's going to make them feel better, it's not going to damage your rats further. 



> Does anyone have a good advice please.. Thank you..


My advice is to _stop_ feeding your rats 'people medicine' without a vet's advice, and without knowing what any of these things will actually do to your rats! If you just start feeding all sorts of medicines in hopes of curing some ailment that you don't even know exists, you are going to cause problems (or death) to your rats.


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## HappyMooCow (Jan 10, 2009)

I took your guys advice and have given filler foods instead.

However, both pups are doing fine and are playfull as ever..

there was some wheezing sunday evening but now it's only sneezing, andthey sneeze less and less so I think the baytril is kicking in. 

Thanks everyone for the help, I have learnt my lesson and I really did appreciate the support... 

Thanks again!


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