# About giving oral medication



## Geng (Jan 24, 2016)

I got some anti biotic to heal my russian's runny nose. I have to give her oral medication for 2 weeks. The daily dosage is 0,1. This is her 4th day. I tried to open her mouth by luring her with a banana. She did open her mouth, but the syringe wasn't put good into her, and she spitted the half of the dosage out of her mouth. 

Question:

Should I give her another dosage (half), or should I just let it be and wait till tomorrow?

P.s: because she does take her medication I would like to treat her with a banana. Is this allowed to give my russian a little piece of banana after every medication? Or just once a week?


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## Maggie Cummings (Jan 24, 2016)

Personally, I'd put the dosage into the banana, then she eats it and she gets it that way, much easier.....Or a strawberry is what I use.
Oh, I personally would give the other half of dose, however, some might disagree with me. That's just what 'I' would do.
Start putting the meds into the fruit and you won't have that problem again...
and I been thinking about it, don't give the other half. Meds are exact dosages, and you really don't know that she got half or a quarter or what. Missing some for a day won't hurt.


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## Geng (Jan 24, 2016)

maggie3fan said:


> Personally, I'd put the dosage into the banana, then she eats it and she gets it that way, much easier.....Or a strawberry is what I use.
> Oh, I personally would give the other half of dose, however, some might disagree with me. That's just what 'I' would do.
> Start putting the meds into the fruit and you won't have that problem again...
> and I been thinking about it, don't give the other half. Meds are exact dosages, and you really don't know that she got half or a quarter or what. Missing some for a day won't hurt.



I just gave her the other half because this is bugging me the whole day already. I am pretty sure she spitted the half of her medication out. It was flowing out of her mouth and there was even quite a bit on her slate. Also, someone mentioned that not giving her medication for a day or two may cause the bacteria to live and become resistant to the treatment. So yeah, giving her the other half was out of panic a little bit. 

Anyway, thanks for your advice and caring words. I'm gonna give it a shot with putting her medication in her food. But... I though giving fruits should be limited for russians? Or wouldn't a liiiitle piece of banana hurt that much?


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## Maggie Cummings (Jan 24, 2016)

As long as her regular diet is good, a bit of fruit as a treat now and then won't hurt. You just can't use fruit as a staple of her diet. I give all my tortoises treats now and then. I just had a Russian that was seriously dehydrated, so not only did I give her IV fluids, but I gave her iceburg lettuce and watermelon daily along with her regular diet for a few weeks. It worked.


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## MPRC (Jan 24, 2016)

Hiding the meds inside of a treat food is definitely the way to go with stubborn reptiles. I make Mazuri/banana balls and feed one without abx and one with after to insure they are already in the eating mood. 

With antibiotics it is generally safer to give an extra dose than skip a dose. Some things like pain killers or insulin you never want to give more because you can't be sure how much you gave and their dosages are more exact.


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## Kasia (Jan 25, 2016)

LaDukePhoto said:


> Hiding the meds inside of a treat food is definitely the way to go with stubborn reptiles. I make Mazuri/banana balls and feed one without abx and one with after to insure they are already in the eating mood.
> 
> With antibiotics it is generally safer to give an extra dose than skip a dose. Some things like pain killers or insulin you never want to give more because you can't be sure how much you gave and their dosages are more exact.


There is a lot of videos on Youtube which will teach You how to properly hold tortoise's head and give oral medication, below in my opinion good link. Other person can help You couple first times by putting med in it's mouth.




If the tortoise won't get it's dose more then once and You don't feel sure about it maybe visit to Your Vet will be helpful (he can show You how to do it properly). 

Good luck


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