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Baytril and probiotics?

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Teejay

Teejay

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi all, Pudding & Squeak are currently on Baytril for a URI (had 2 doses so far) When I was at the vets last night, I asked about the need for a probiotic, but she assured me that Baytril isn't damaging to the gut flora, and that no probiotic was necessary. She advised me to check the poos, and, if there was any diarrhoea, to get back in touch with her.

I was a bit relieved, actually, as I wasn't sure where I'd get a probiotic from locally at that time of night.

However, is this correct? Surely all antibiotics cause some disturbance to the gut flora?

Tracey
 
Dont quote me but I'm pretty sure Baytril is the worst for it, my vet defo recommended a probiotic when i used it.

:{
 
Hi doglovinpiggylover, thanks for your reply. I've been doing some searching, and you seem to be bang-on........:{........I'm not impressed with the vet, cos I specifically asked about the probiotic and she assured me that I shouldn't need it.

So, now I'm faced with a problem......the boys have already started on their antibiotics (had 2 doses and due 3rd dose shortly). So, where do I get a suitable probiotic from immediately? As it's Saturday afternoon, the vet is closed. I have a P@H nearby; would they sell it?

I also have a problem with the actual giving of the probiotic. As a new-ish piggy owner, with relatively unhandled piggies, I'm not particularly confident about giving them their medicine on my own......it's currently a two man job, with me holding and my OH syringing! This means that for the next couple of days, I will have to get up at stupid o'clock in the morning with my OH (who starts work quite early), so that we can give the piggies their morning medicine together.

I understand that the probiotic should be given about an hour after the antibiotics, but that would mean that my hubby would already be at work and I'd have to give the morning probiotic alone......not sure I'd be able to manage that!

Sound pathetic, don't I? Hehe!

So, what should I do about getting a suitable probiotic and, also, would it be ok to only give the probiotic once a day, instead of twice a day?

Tracey
 
Id get a probiotic tbh as Baytril can give them a tummy upset and may stop them from wanting to eat altogether. Pets at home have one but I use Avipro plus that you can add to the water or directly syringe feed it too them.

You can also try Vetuk's website
 
We have used Aviproplus. We just sprinkled it on some water melon and Putt hoovered it up.
 
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i used Aviproplus, i got it online, but i think you can get it from petshops. I syringed mine and put in their water bottle and i gave them as much as they needed. Luckily they loved it and took lots!
 
I use the Vetark Pro-C from Pets at Home. My pigs love it :)

I used to give my old boy who had kidney problems a bottle with probiotic in it alongside his bottle of plain water & he would always polish off the probiotic bottle first.

Antibiotics DO kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad & baytril is well known to be harsh on the gut as DLPL has said.

Just had a thought, if your boys are hard to syringe, offer them the probiotic in their water bottle, you can get the spout into their mouths & they shouldn't fight it like they would a syringe. :)
 
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Hi all, thanks so much for the advice and the tips. I got some Vetark Pro-C from Pets at Home, and the label suggests to put it into the water bottle. However, my boys barely drink any water, so that seems unlikely to work. I'll try it though!

I really don't want to resort to syringing it, Squeak especially hates the whole syringing lark!

I read somewhere that piggies love Ribena.....so I made up some and popped it into a bowl. Squeak loved it, lapped it up, but Pudding didn't go anywhere near :(

I've bought some apple sauce today, and I've mixed some probiotic into that, so I'll be trying that later, maybe spread onto their favourite veggie.....or, if that fails, I'll get a watermelon and try that!

Thanks again for the tips, Tracey
 
My Nibbler is on Baytril at the moment and I got the Pro-Biotic from P@H. I tried mixing it with water and syringing it to him but he wasn't too impressed with that and both of us ended up soaked. So I have been sprinkling it on a bit of veg and that seems to be working. He has been quite happily munching it all up.
 
There is actually some debate on if or not probiotics is necessary. I know when Pebbles was on Baytril, I found it so hard to get her to take priobiotics. She rarely drinks water, so I put it on her veg and she wouldn't eat it.

In the end, I much rathered she was eating, rather than taking probiotics. Her appetite remained healthy and her stools were fine, so I opted not to give probiotics, giving the Baytril was hard enough.

If she showed any symptons of being ill, ie stools not formed or off her food. Then I would have tried harder to get the probiotics in her, but she was fine and I decided not to stress her with another syringe of probiotics.
 
i totally agree, when you have a sick piggy its hard enough getting stuff in them without adding to the list mallethead
 
Some of my piggies have been fine on Baytril, others, namely George didn't get on well with it at all so a probiotic was a must. I usually give it a couple of doses of Baytril and see how they are before starting the probiotic unless it's a piggy I know gets an upset tummy. Giving meds can be a bit of a battle to start with but if you can get them in the routine of a treat straight afterwards it can help with a piggy who's particularly open to blackmail!
If you're ever stuck and trying to do it on your own I found a little trick. Won't work on the very wriggly pigs but for the calmer ones pop them on a piece of vet bed or fleece on a table in front of you, (assuming you're right handed) sit them facing the right and wrap your left arm around them so your body is against their right side and arm around their bum, put your left hand gently on their nose and open the corner of the mouth with a finger, you can then pop the syringe in cause they can't see it coming. It's quick and less stressful than playing the head tossing game! Of course much easier with two people!

I use Fibreplex which you can order online from Vet UK. It comes in a big syringe which takes a little getting used to. I've got some who love the taste of it and some who hate it! It comes out easier if you store it pointing down so my vet says.
 
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Just to add you'll know if a probiotic is needed as the poos are often a little whiffy! Often black and soft. (hope no one's eating their tea!)
 
Hi all, thanks for the advice, it's very much appreciated.

The boys had their first dose of Baytril on Friday evening, and I didn't get hold of any probiotic til late yesterday, so they'd already had 3 doses before they had any probiotic. I've kept an eye on their poops, and they are the same shape, consistency and smell (delightful :red ) as they always have been, and both boys are eating as much as ever, so their appetites aren't affected at all.

Anyway, erring on the side of caution, I've decided to use the probiotic (I have it anyway), so I got a watermelon today, cut up a small piece and pressed the probiotic powder into it and.....Bob's your uncle.....they scoffed the lot!

On the positive side, they're both hardly sneezing at all now, and no coughing at all.........:))

Tracey
 
Hi katiepops, thanks for that tip.....I'll try it one day.....I'm laughing to myself though, cos my two are polar opposites.......Squeak wriggles and shrieks like he's being tortured, and Pudding just freezes like a statue!

Tracey
 
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