Flip Has Streptococcus

[Law Ram]

So after all this week, I have just got off of the phone to the vets and Flipflop has Streptococcus in her throat, tongue and gums.
Vet said she is now on strong anti inflammatorys and antibiotics. She said if there are any signs of improvement it will be buy Thursday and then we have to make a decision.

Please anyone with information about this can you let me know. I am crying my eyes out here. 7 weeks ago I lost Celery and now all of this....

 

[Wiebke]

So after all this week, I have just got off of the phone to the vets and Flipflop has Streptococcus in her throat, tongue and gums.
Vet said she is now on strong anti inflammatorys and antibiotics. She said if there are any signs of improvement it will be buy Thursday and then we have to make a decision.

Please anyone with information about this can you let me know. I am crying my eyes out here. 7 weeks ago I lost Celery and now all of this....

The streptococcus is likely at the bottom of her eating problems and loose poo. Please continue to syringe feed round the clock, so she and her guts keep going. Make sure that you keep up the probiotics.

All the best - and try to be strong for her! Sadly, serious problems are like London buses, you get several in a row.

 

[Law Ram]

She has been admitted to the vets till Thursday as they are injecting her with all the stuff that she needs.
Is strep a bad thing for her to catch.

Please be honest

 

[Wiebke]

She has been admitted to the vets till Thursday as they are injecting her with all the stuff that she needs.
Is strep a bad thing for her to catch.

Please be honest

It is not common for guinea pigs, so I am tagging @Abi_nurse for you to answer that question.

 

[Law Ram]

Hey
So i have found out that she is on Marbocyl injection. They have had to split up her a baxter to see who is eating the food

 

[Wiebke]

Hey
So i have found out that she is on Marbocyl injection. They have had to split up her a baxter to see who is eating the food

It is likely Baxter... Fingers firmly crossed! I hope that they also give her water with her syringe food.

Marbocyl is a stronger form of baytril.

 

[Law Ram]

They are doing. She is being rehydrated and syringe fed.
She has eaten a little bit of cucumber that I saw as well

 

[Abi_nurse]

I hope she starts to make some improvements. Marbocyl is probably best for this infection, though to be sure I would have to look up exactly what type of bacteria strep is and check out the antibiotics useful for it. I'm assuming though that the vet has had a culture and sensitivity test back to suggest what is the best antibiotic to use. Injectable is best but Thursday is not a very long course? I would be considering a longer time on the marbocyl even if you switch to oral medication. The tablets can be split and crushed in water to give, we do this often.

I don't really have a lot i can add I'm afraid, I just hope the antibiotics do the trick for her as that's all that's going to clear it.

Thinking of you both.

x

 

[Law Ram]

Hey I thought I would check in here after the stressful two weeks I have had!
Flip was admitted to the vets for a week with Baxter. She was really sick. They were having to syringe feed her a lot and her poos were almost non excistant. She was on an injectable form of Marcbyl and also Callsone (I cant remember how to spell it!). I took her and baxter home for the weekend, which seemed to do them some good (and also me!) I retook them to the vets and all the pus and infection had cleared up but there were ulcers left. She was showing signs of wanting to eat and drink, but you could tell she was scared still to do it. I carried on syringe feeding and watering her, and her poos became about 60% the size of a normal poo. So all going in the right direction

Yesterday I noticed she was eating and drinking for herself! Her voice is back (louder than ever!) and she is doing really good progress.
She does still have an upset stomach, so I am not giving her veggies, much to her disappointment but today they seem firmer.

I know we havent won the war yet, but a couple of battles have been won. I was told it could be a long old recovery but so far we are doing well.

I was told, had I not stepped in when I did, we would have lost her. I now know how to syringe feed properly which makes life eaiser for all of us!

 

[Critter]

Wow what a dreadful time she (and you) have had, and I hope very much that this upturn in her health continues to a full recovery. x

 

[Wiebke]

Hey I thought I would check in here after the stressful two weeks I have had!
Flip was admitted to the vets for a week with Baxter. She was really sick. They were having to syringe feed her a lot and her poos were almost non excistant. She was on an injectable form of Marcbyl and also Callsone (I cant remember how to spell it!). I took her and baxter home for the weekend, which seemed to do them some good (and also me!) I retook them to the vets and all the pus and infection had cleared up but there were ulcers left. She was showing signs of wanting to eat and drink, but you could tell she was scared still to do it. I carried on syringe feeding and watering her, and her poos became about 60% the size of a normal poo. So all going in the right direction

Yesterday I noticed she was eating and drinking for herself! Her voice is back (louder than ever!) and she is doing really good progress.
She does still have an upset stomach, so I am not giving her veggies, much to her disappointment but today they seem firmer.

I know we havent won the war yet, but a couple of battles have been won. I was told it could be a long old recovery but so far we are doing well.

I was told, had I not stepped in when I did, we would have lost her. I now know how to syringe feed properly which makes life eaiser for all of us!

Thank you for the update! I am so pleased for Flip and you that things are moving in the right direction!

You can start giving her a sprig of fresh herbs like coriander or parsley once the poos are firm and a normal texture for at least 24 hours; that will give her a boost of vitamins and minerals without upsetting the still tender digestion - it is the best way of starting to re-introduce fresh food. Continue to weigh her daily and if necessary to top her up with syringe feed. You can add about 1/8 - 1/4 of a vitamin pill if you wish to boost her immune system.

To help stabilise the guts, at this stage (recovery), "poo soup" is also something that can help. You make it by soaking fresh poos from a healthy guinea pig in a little bit of water and then syringe it; even the normal poos contain all the right stuff to help re-stock the guts after the strong antibiotics that have killed off a lot of the good gut bacteria. it is a bit gross, but it mimics what you see many recovering guinea pigs do - they are forever digging in their companions' bums for caecotrophs to eat for that reason.
Nutritionally poos fibre, like brown cardboard or paper (cut through any handles) also help to re-balance the guts at this stage.

All the best for a full recovery soon!