Ear Mites/ear Infection

[animal-lover85]

Hello

I am concerned about my guinea pig darren. Just yesterday I noticed he had a slight head tilt so took him to the vets and she looked in his ears and said he had ear mites. Then put this stuff on his back (sorry don't know the name of it) and said he may need to come back in 2 weeks. I wake up the morning go to give him his breakfast and his head is still tilting which I expected and he was screaming for food I was happy, went out for a bit came back to get him out to his run to stretch his legs and he start running in circles and his head it on the side so much he can hardly stand. I took him straight the the vets turns out he has an inner ear infection. He gave him 2 injections and some medicine to take home.

This is my first guinea pig and have fallen so deeply in love with him, I may be over thinkng things shouldn't the first vet who looked in his ears less than 24hours earlier seen the infection but I feel maybe they should have done more maybe an ear drop or something I don't want to lose him I've only had him 2 weeks.

Sorry for the long message I'm just worried about my little man :'(

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, Sorry to hear your piggy is poorly. The stuff the vet put on his back is probably a medicine called Xeno and is for mites. But it does sound like he has a ear infection also. Ear infections do have the symptoms of running in circles and head tilt. The injection will be an antibiotic to help fight the infection, and the medicine you have been given to give at home is most probably an antibiotic too. What is the name of it?



I am tagging in our Health & Illness posters
@helen105281
@Pebble
@Elwickcavies

Could you add your location to your profile it helps us tailor any advice to your area We have a recommended vet finder here http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

Please drop by again tomorrow we have some knowledgeable members in this area I am sure

Healing vibes to your little one, you acted fast and got him to the vet well done

 

[Wiebke]

A head tilt can also be caused by an ear infection that affects the balance centre. @sport_billy has given you the link to our piggy savvy vets locator.

Spot-on ivermectin takes about 48 hours to get to work, so it will take a few days before you saw an improvement.
http://www.guinealynx.info/earmites.html

 

[sport_billy]

You have a cavy vet nearby in Leeds I am sure. How is he this morning?

 

[animal-lover85]

Thanks for replying everyone. Darren is on baytril twice a day 0.2ml for his ear infection he's not that keen so give it with a small piece of apple. Darren has not got any worse he's eating a little and drinking when offered as he finds it difficult. Just waiting for the medication to kick in.

 

[7squeakers.]

Well done on spotting your little boys problem so soon, before it got too bad. That's the mark of a very caring piggie slave. We all hope the medication works and he gets better. Let us know how he gets on.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for replying everyone. Darren is on baytril twice a day 0.2ml for his ear infection he's not that keen so give it with a small piece of apple. Darren has not got any worse he's eating a little and drinking when offered as he finds it difficult. Just waiting for the medication to kick in.

Baytril is about as foul-tasting as it comes... I don't blame him! It is also somewhat appetite depressant.

Please weigh any ill piggy daily at the same time instead of weekly, so you can monitor the actual food intake, which can be deceptive. If necessary, top up with hand feed to keep him as fighting fit as possible.
It is also advisable to give a pinch of probiotic about an hour or two after the antibiotic to help prop up the guts; either on a bit of veg or mixed in with 1ml of water and syringed. Additional vitamin C is also something you can do help strengthen his immune system, but please take into account the vitamin C he is already getting in his normal diet (veg and pellets). You can find all the necessary information in our hand feeding guide.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/

I am glad that your vet is doing a two-pronged approach. Again, it takes a day or two for an antibiotic to work fully.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-administering-medications-and-wrapping-piggies.36533/