How can I give rats medicine in their drinking water?

It’s probably no surprise that rats generally don’t like taking medicine.  Sometimes, it is easier and less stressful for both you and your rat if you can medicate their drinking water.  This is an option for medicines that dissolve well in water and are stable at room temperature.  Here is the OC Dumbos online rat medicated water dosing calculator.  Please feel free to bookmark and share it.

Because of the small quantities involved, it is sometimes more convenient to pre-mix medicines that some in pills, capsules or packets with water to a specific concentration, so the OC Dumbos dosing calculator allows you to specify how many mg medicine there was per capsule (for example) and how many ml water you pre-mixed it with in a small bottle which you should usually store in your refrigerator.  You would always first shake the bottle to mix the contents, then use a syringe to measure the specified amount from the bottle, and either add it to the drinking water or give it directly to the Rat.

Bottle for pre-mixed medicine
Bottle for pre-mixed medicine

 

1ml syringe for measuring and giving medicine
1ml syringe for measuring and giving medicine