Diarrhoea After Antibiotics? Please Help!

[melodyjosie]

My piggy Pippi was on a round of oral antibiotics (I looked at the label on the bottle and it says it's Enrofloxacin liquid). He was on that twice a day for five days. On the sixth day I noticed his stools are mushy (not runny but very very soft). I only give him veggies early in the morning and for the rest of the day he has unlimited hay, however his poo haven't started to go solid again. I skipped out this morning giving him any vegetables and put plenty of new timothy hay for him and so far all day he has still had mushy poos. He is still eating and drinking as per usual and seems like his normal self but the hay isn't making his stools solid again.. What would you suggest? He doesn't seem "sick" so I haven't rushed to a vet, I read online to withhold all veggies for a couple days until poos are back to normal, but wouldn't it happened by now if he's been eating hay all day? He usually does get softer poos after eating his veggies in the morning but it usually clears up during the day after eating hay but this time it seems different? Any similar experiences? Any advice? Please help!

 

[helen105281]

He welcome to the forum. Are you in the US? I think Enrofloxacin may be Baytril in the UK. The vet should have advised you to give probiotics an hour or so after each dose of antibiotics as it is notorious for stripping the good bacteria from the gut. You definitely need to stop all veggies for a few days until the poos firm up, together with probiotics (it may be worth looking on Guinea Lynx for US brands www.guinealynx.com). He will also need lots of hay and his pellets. Fluids are important too, and a product like Dioralyte to replace the electrolytes he is losing from the diarrhoea. I again am not too sure of US brands though. If things don't improve he will need to see the vet.

 

[melodyjosie]

He welcome to the forum. Are you in the US? I think Enrofloxacin may be Baytril in the UK. The vet should have advised you to give probiotics an hour or so after each dose of antibiotics as it is notorious for stripping the good bacteria from the gut. You definitely need to stop all veggies for a few days until the poos firm up, together with probiotics (it may be worth looking on Guinea Lynx for US brands www.guinealynx.com). He will also need lots of hay and his pellets. Fluids are important too, and a product like Dioralyte to replace the electrolytes he is losing from the diarrhoea. I again am not too sure of US brands though. If things don't improve he will need to see the vet.

I am from Australia, if the poos haven't become more solid tomorrow, I will ring my vet and see what she can do. I hope this can be resolved as i am stressing out so much! I will continue to withhold vegetables from him and leave plenty of timothy hay as well as water and pellets. Thanks for your help

 

[Lilly]

Hi, I'm in OZ too. Both my boys have been on various anti-biotics over the years and have always had a pro-biotic as well & have never had runny poops & no change in diet. We don't really seem to have pro-biotics for small animals here, but I use advice from the Australian Cavy Sanctuary.

Give probiotics about 1.5 to 2 hours after antibiotics & another 1 or 2 times during the day depending on whether the antibiotics are once or twice daily.

Get InnerHealth Plus Dairy Free from any chemist, mix the powder from 1 capsule into 16mls water. Syringe 2mls per session. i.e. dosage is 1/8 powder per session

.

 

[melodyjosie]

He isn't taking any antibiotics anymore, as they finished yesterday.. Would it still be safe to give him that inner health plus? i am kind of scared to use something on my guinea pig that is for human so I just need reassurance.

Hi, I'm in OZ too. Both my boys have been on various anti-biotics over the years and have always had a pro-biotic as well & have never had runny poops & no change in diet. We don't really seem to have pro-biotics for small animals here, but I use advice from the Australian Cavy Sanctuary.

Give probiotics about 1.5 to 2 hours after antibiotics & another 1 or 2 times during the day depending on whether the antibiotics are once or twice daily.

Get InnerHealth Plus Dairy Free from any chemist, mix the powder from 1 capsule into 16mls water. Syringe 2mls per session. i.e. dosage is 1/8 powder per session

.

 

[Lilly]

He isn't taking any antibiotics anymore, as they finished yesterday.. Would it still be safe to give him that inner health plus? i am kind of scared to use something on my guinea pig that is for human so I just need reassurance.

Yes, it is perfectly safe at the doses outlined, just make sure it is the dairy free version. It would not hurt him to have it once a day until the 1 capsule mix is finished. That would be about 8 days. You may also find that he will enjoy the taste as most piggies love the stuff.

 

[helen105281]

Thanks for the probiotic info @Lilly

Is he a good drinker @melodyjosie? if nto you will need to slowly syringe him fluids.

 

[melodyjosie]

Thanks for the probiotic info @Lilly

Is he a good drinker @melodyjosie? if nto you will need to slowly syringe him fluids.

He seems to be drinking as he usually would and he is still eating hay and pellets as he usually would, so far I haven't seen any appetite or behaviour change so I'm hoping it's just a case of him needing some probiotics. I will try this today! Wish me luck

 

[melodyjosie]

Yes, it is perfectly safe at the doses outlined, just make sure it is the dairy free version. It would not hurt him to have it once a day until the 1 capsule mix is finished. That would be about 8 days. You may also find that he will enjoy the taste as most piggies love the stuff.

So I started him on some Inner health plus diary free today, how long do you think it will take until his poos going solid again? (if you have any idea)

 

[Lilly]

So I started him on some Inner health plus diary free today, how long do you think it will take until his poos going solid again? (if you have any idea)

Sorry no idea as I haven't had to cope with runny poops due to the boys always having pro-biotics along with anti-biotics. Give him the 8 day pro-biotic treatment, hold off on vegies & see how he goes. Whilst he isn't having vegies just make sure he is getting vitamin C, either in his pellet food or syringe in his mouth childrens liquid sugar-free vitamin C 5 mls per day.

 

[helen105281]

I would think it would take at least a couple of days and so fluids are important too so he doesn't become dehydrated.