Need help figuring out how to force-feed

[Akeath]

My Beardie Hope is sick. After a vet visit, a full blood panel, a fecal smear, and a fecal float we've found his electrolytes are low and he has parasites. There are two medicines I have to administer by force feeding, the first is an electrolyte solution that I just need to give him today and the second is metronidazole that he needs for three days and then once a week until he has a clean fecal check. The vet says the parasite levels aren't too bad, but she treats every time she sees these particular parasites, and that he should be okay after a week or two of treatment.
I bought a needle-less syringe to try the electrolyte solution and discovered this is going to be a lot harder than I thought. He won't open his mouth. I'm not sure how to get him too, and I think maybe the tip is too big because I can't slide it in...
How do I get him to open his mouth? He doesn't mind the taste of the electrolyte solution and will lick it off, but he's not drinking anywhere near the amount the vet said he needs to get in there, and he's not opening his mouth wide enough for me to fit the syringe tip in.
Will any needle-less syringe do, or is there a size or brand that is easier to use with Bearded Dragons? Where would I get it?
Once his mouth is open, is there any special way to proceed? I'm completely confused here. And the electrolyte solution needs to be used up by this evening, so I need to figure this out before it spoils. I'm really worried about accidentally hurting him or making him choke in this procedure, and I'm also worried about messing up and him not getting enough medication to treat his problems.
Oh, and one more thing: should I use a probiotic with metronidazole?

 

[AHBD]

Try wiggling the tip of the syringe on the side of his mouth, between his lips. That usually works....if not, try a credit card to gently pry it open. Probiotics would probably be helpful too. Was he, or is he , eating well before ?

 

[Akeath]

His eating has been fine, especially with crickets.
I just got back from the compound pharmacy to pick up the metranodizale, and they had two very small syringes included, so I'm going to try and use those with the wiggling technique.

 

[FBradshaw]

You can also try injecting crickets with the solution right before feeding time.

 

[wckdbtch]

I'm sorry you are having troubles! Mine are both currently on the second round of coccidea medication, so I can feel your pain. I prefer to mix their meds with either baby food, or baby juice, to make the meds go down a bit easier. I also have to pull down the side of the lip of one of our dragons, but a credit card should also work. With my other one, there is no ways of getting his mouth open if he doesn't want to. I drip a little mixture on his nose and patiently wait for it to dribble down his chin. He would usually taste it once he feels the movement, and from there on, it's easy as he then eagerly laps up his "treat". The only other advice I have, is to burrito your beardie so he doesn't wriggle too much, try to give the meds about half an hour before bedtime (they don't resist as much then), and to not squirt it straight into the mouth from the front. If they don't lick it up and I have to resort to squirting, I squirt into the side of the mouth (more between the lip and gum area).

Hope my ramblings make sense to someone other than myself and that your beardie feels better soon!

 

[Akeath]

The wriggling and credit card trick had no effect, but when I gave up and just put the new, itty bitty syringe towards his mouth with the electrolyte solution in it he decided to see what it was, and opened his mouth to try to lick the syringe - the way they do when they are exploring new things. While he was exploring I took the opportunity to slip the tip into the back side of his mouth and gently start trickling the solution in. He accepted this, and after that allowed me to pull back his lip in that area and gently insert the syringe again. I put a finger on both sides of his head in the rear of his head with an extremely light amount of pressure, and this kept him from shaking his head or walking off. After a couple of tries I found out the angle I needed to prevent the solution from dripping it out and getting him to swallow. Then I tried the parasite medication - which he loves! He drank it from the syringe eagerly, and after he'd taken the 1 mL dosage licked his lips over and over and looked at me like, "isn't there more?" He's always disliked sweets; strawberries, watermelon, red apple, baby food, rasberries, and blueberries have been lovingly offered in vain over the years, and he's always gone for the weird bitter foods that normal grocery stores only carry sometimes. But now I'm so glad he has a weird sense of taste, because it means he'll take his medicine happily.

 

[wckdbtch]

You are very lucky! Even after two weeks of medicines, we still occasionally have an odd struggle sometimes. Good work!