First trip to the vet... How do you give guinea pigs medication?

[mandykat]

My new guinea pig Bissau developed a spot on the very top of her head that appeared irritated. It was very small when I noticed it - just a little bit of missing hair, but I made an appointment with a local vet anyway because I am new to guinea pigs (and pets) and I was not sure. Yesterday it was a little larger, and appeared to have a scab on top, and it was evident that she had scratched during the night. We just returned from the vet, and he took a culture but said that instead of waiting for the results, he thought it would be good to act quickly, and she now has a topical cream for the spot and the area around, and antibiotics that I am to give her using a dropper. He said that it was butterscotch flavored and that she would probably not mind the taste. (Do guinea pigs like butterscotch? I would never think to feed them any.) As I have never given a guinea pig medicine, I would be grateful for any advice on this.

On a side note, my other guinea pig, E.Q., is in a separate habitat since I only got Bissau 2 weeks ago and I had read that it was best to sequester them, and let them talk before making introductions. I have checked EQ several times, and there is no sign of any signs of infection or fungus that I can see, but I will continue to check.

 

[Wiebke]

It is more likely to be fungal than mites, but please keep an eye out and use good hygiene, as some fungal (especially ringworm) can spread to other species, including humans, not just other piggies. Good that you are quarantining. Always feed and treat your ill piggies after the healthy ones to prevent things from spreading. With fungal, incubation is about 10-14 days. make sure that you wait another 14 days with intros after the last symptpms disappear.
http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html
http://gorgeousguineas.com/indentification.html

Ideally, a piggy is quite good at taking meds it likes, but it can be quite a battle if it doesn't. Make sure that you get the syringe in from the side behind the front teeth, about as far in as the 0.2 ml mark; that will prevent the piggy from spitting it out again.
Here are more tips for an uncooperative piggy:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...dministering-Medications-and-Wrapping-Piggies

 

[AppleMom]

I'm a first time owner of piggies also. And last month I took mine to the vet and he had a cold. He gave me antibiotics, but in pills. I had to crush mine a mix them with pineapple juice. He said about 1cc of juice with the crush antibiotics. He gave me a syringe and show me how to. Just pick the piggie up and place him in your lap. Have a napkin because the medicine can drip or piggy will fuzz and give you a hard time at first. My Ugo did not like taking hes medicine. Place the syringe at the side of his mouth and make sure it's place right. And drip it little by little and it will be fine. I hope your piggy gets better soon. Mine looks like he needs another visit to the vet he still sneezes from time to time.

 

[klee]

With regards to the question about butterscotch, don't give your piggies actual butterscotch . Piggies are suckers for sweet tasting foods, so medication that tastes sweet we have had antibiotics for them that they love and are banana flavoured and also pain medication that is honey flavoured- both of which they can't get enough of.

Best of luck.

 

[Briony_S]

if you find they don't like the taste of meds and won't take them mix a little neat Ribena in and that works a treat