How to Medicate Your Rat

Administering medication to a rat can be difficult. Rats usually don’t enjoy being restrained and don’t take medication willingly. Giving the medication quickly is necessary to reduce stress and anxiety. Below are techniques for giving liquid and tablet medication.

Liquid Medication

• Draw up the prescribed amount of medication in a syringe or eyedropper.
• Hold the head and neck of the rat with one hand.
• Use the other hand to place the tip of the syringe or eyedropper just behind the front teeth.
• The rat will usually open his/her mouth to try to remove the syringe.
• While the rat is chewing at the syringe or eyedropper, slowly administer the medication.

Tablet Medication

• Tablets are very difficult to give to rats. Consider obtaining a pill crusher at a local pharmacy.
• Crush the medication using a pill crusher or other method.
• Once the medication is in powder form, mix the medicine with a small amount of flavored Sustacal or Ensure.
• About 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) of flavored diet supplement should be enough.
• After mixing the powdered medication with the supplement, follow the instructions for administering liquid form medication.