Chapter 178 – The Medicine Mash
Enzo sat on the examination table, listening to the vet talk to Dad. “He has a massive infection in his back leg. I can’t tell what caused it. Let’s put him on antibiotics once a day for 21 days to see if we can knock down the infection. It’s very swollen, so I’m sure it hurts, which is why he is limping. Give him pain medication twice a day for two weeks," she advised.
Dad had trained at a spay/neuter clinic, so he was experienced at giving oral medication to rabbits. But with his own bunnies, Dad had discovered that rabbits are often more cooperative in an unfamiliar environment like a vet’s office than they are at home.
The first couple of times, Enzo expressed his displeasure mildly when Dad inserted the syringe in his mouth. By the third time, Enzo figured Dad just wasn’t getting the message, so he kicked – really hard.
“Calm down, little guy,” said Dad. Dad wrapped Enzo in a towel like a burrito. Enzo thought, "No! You're not listening; I don't want it!" as he fought his way out of the burrito.
"This is not going to work," thought Dad. They had developed a trusting relationship, and he was afraid Enzo would begin fearing him and run away whenever he approached.
"Try putting the medicine between two slices of banana," suggested Auntie Heather. Dad gave it a try, but the medicine didn't soak into the banana; it just ran out the edges. Enzo ate the banana, but half the medicine was still left on the tray. “Well, this isn’t going to work, either,” thought Dad.
The next time, Dad diced up a grape and mixed it with three slices of banana. Then he added the medication and stirred it in until it was the consistency of chunky apple sauce. As he mashed up the concoction, he sang, “He did the mash. The monster mash!” He dumped the mash onto Enzo’s dinner tray. It didn’t look very appetizing, but it was worth a try.
Enzo watched as Dad set down his green dinner tray. Dad said, "OK, Enzo. I made you some medicine mash. See what you think.” Dad crossed his fingers.
Enzo limped over to the tray and sniffed each of the items in the buffet until he came upon the mash. “Mmmm. This smells good!” he thought. He began eating the mash. Before long, he had licked the tray clean! Dad was relieved. “I’m so glad you like that!” he said. The mash was a smash!
From then on, the first thing Enzo ate on his tray was the mash.
A few days passed by and Dad noticed Enzo was hobbling rather than limping. Was it progress? Or just wishful thinking? But after a week passed by, Enzo was walking normally on his back leg and could even sit up on his back feet and hop onto things!
“Enzo, you’re going to be OK! I told you we’d take care of you!” said Dad as he nuzzled Enzo’s head. Enzo was grateful. He wondered, “Will I still get the mash even when I don’t need the medicine?” Dad just laughed, “If that’s what you want.”
Dad finds a way for Enzo to love taking his medicine.
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