step 1.- coat the business end of a meat tenderiser hammer thing.
step 2. - swing

I had to do the same thing for one of our cats a while back - our vet showed me this method.
It requires 2 people, but works a treat:

- one person restrain snarling/hissing/spitting creature in an upright position.

- approach from the front, using one hand, aim your thumb for one corner of the mouth, your finger for the other.

- gently apply pressure to the corners of the mouth with thumb and finger and they open their mouths.

- use other handle to place syringe into mouth and administer.

- gently close mouth and rub their neck, doing this just under the chin encourages swallow reflex (otherwise they just spit it back !).


It works very well, but I'm not sure how you could translate the method if the animal is really small.

Cheers Winter - I know of that method, but these are dwarf hamsters, and the bit about putting your thumb in the jaw? Your thumb would cover the whole face!

We're gonig to get some grapes, as biscuits didn't seem to work - he'll happily eat them without the antibiotics, but once it's on there he won't touch it. Hopefully grapes will mask the flavour better.