This is Susie Lee writing from the Ferret & Dove Sanctuary, Inc.  in
Pensacola.
 
Many medications are bitter tasting, some which may be prescribed for
various ills are so bitter they make the pepto seem downright sweet,
but in all cases, if it's bitter or bad-tasting and we, as their human
care-persons know this, then it's up to us to try to give it as the vets
prescribe if it's as all possible.  Pepto tends to be a first choice
among many vets for upper gastric problems, including suspected stomach
ulcers.  just one or two drops from a (hard plastic) eyedropper.
 
As a nurse, and mom, I am aware that if something bitter hits the
Tastebuds on a persons' or critter's tongue, then it's quite natural for
strong rejection to take place.
 
What one does is get the dropper with the critter's bitter or bad-tasting
med into the very back-corner of one side of their mouth and squirt the
one or two drops towards the back of their throat...avoiding the tongue
or only making contact of the medication with the very BACK of their
tongues where they have much fewer or no tastebuds and do not taste and
therefore are Not as bothered by any bitter or bad flavors.  If one has a
medication to be given which is more than just one or two drops, like a
crushed pill or more liquid, then one administers no more than two drops
at a time until the entirety of the prescribed dose has been taken.
 
I do not scruff any ferrets to do this, either.  Just use a hard plastic
eyedropper, pick up the ferret, perhaps coat the OUTSIDE of the dropper
with ferretone or simething nice, if you need to, just to get it in, but
put the tip end in the back-corner of one side of the mouth and carefully
squirt.  Watch them swallow.  You may get a head shake or two, but not so
much extreme reaction.
 
Just remember that if you have to give a bad-tasting med of any sort on
your vet's advice, then skip the tastebuds!
 
(Susie, a retired practical nurse. Been there!)
[Posted in FML issue 4476]