harder than others make these things look

[ratcreature]

So, it seems my hope that it can't be that difficult to inject a rat with antibiotics was wildly optimistic. Turns out that when I try this it is not nearly as smooth or painless as when the vet does. Leo squeaked and struggled after I pricked him (from his behavior you'd have thought I was gutting him with a rusty nail or something), and while I managed to depress the plunger fully, he managed to bend the needle of the syringe during the mess, so I'm not sure how much of the antibiotic even got in. So I'll have to call the vet asking whether they can give him another full dose this afternoon, or what should be done. Also I don't think I'll manage to get a needle into him myself any time soon, because afterwards Leo wouldn't let me hold him on my lap, even when I had nothing in my hands anymore (he's rightly suspicious of all syringe shaped objects), and just wanted to give him his rice waffle bribe (he did remember to grab that though before he fled from my lap to hide beneath a shelf), and later when I tried pick him up to pet him some to apologize, he ran from me as if in terror that I might do even more nefarious things to him.

ETA: I called the vet and was advised that since some of the antibiotic got injected, I should give him the next dose tomorrow, or bring him by to their emergency hour for injection if I can't manage myself. I wish treating pets wouldn't always devolve in such nightmare scenarios. And Leo now sulks and hates me. I tried to lure him out of the house where's he still hiding with a treat, but he would not come, but only did a snatch and grab once I came close enough for him to do so without exposing himself. :(

Comments

[astridv]

Ah, not fun at all. It would make things so much easier sometimes if you could just explain to your pets what you're doing and why.

[ratcreature]

Yeah. The worst is that I didn't even get the antibiotic into him for all that I hurt him. I mean, I think some, but because the needle was bent when I was finished, I think some of the antibiotic leaked upwards, which would explain why it was harder to press the plunger than I thought it would be. It could only have been worse if I had injured him or left him with some bleeding hole. D: