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Guinea Pig Has A Suspected Ear Infection

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Ben Turner

Ben Turner

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Hi, our guinea pig Squeak was acting strange on the 23rd(2 days ago) by laying down and not doing anything, she tilted her head a bit. We took her to the vets and they say it is likely to be an ear infection. We have been given Baytril medicine which she has had 3 times (0.3ml each time) so far. We also use a syringe to feed her, but she is eating vegetables too. The head tilt isn't all the time she just likes to lay on it sometimes, but she sometime tilts her head forwards and down. Will she recover? How long until she does? Will she ever get better, we want her to get back to full health, feel so sorry for what she is going through. We also have another guinea, do we keep them together while one is recovering? Thanks, just worried as want her to get better.
 
Hi and welcome!

How much does Squeak weigh, how old is she and what is the dose of baytril?

It can take a few days for the antibiotic to kick in. When treated promptly, ear infections can be healed well. Most often the head tilt will disappear, but it can remain if the balance centre is permanently damaged by a severe infection, which doesn't is the case here. A head tilt doesn't affect the piggies quality and length of life, though.

You may want to bolster the effect of the baytril on the gut bacteria with a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/

Please see a vet again if there is no improvement within a week or promptly if there any sign of deterioration. Antibiotics build up in the system, so you have to always do a full course, unless they either clearly don't work or there is an adverse reaction. This goes for humans as well as for animals.

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IMG_5135.JPG IMG_5137.JPG
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

How much does Squeak weigh, how old is she and what is the dose of baytril?

It can take a few days for the antibiotic to kick in. When treated promptly, ear infections can be healed well. Most often the head tilt will disappear, but it can remain if the balance centre is permanently damaged by a severe infection, which doesn't is the case here. A head tilt doesn't affect the piggies quality and length of life, though.

You may want to bolster the effect of the baytril on the gut bacteria with a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/

Please see a vet again if there is no improvement within a week or promptly if there any sign of deterioration. Antibiotics build up in the system, so you have to always do a full course, unless they either clearly don't work or there is an adverse reaction. This goes for humans as well as for animals.
Click to expand...
Squeak is 7months old, the dose is 2.5% of oral solution of Baytril, 0.3ml Twice a day. Those pictures are of her just now, I do not have her weight but I could get it.
 
Also she is being fed food through a syringe as it is easier for her to eat, this food was made with the powder for the guinea pig food and 90ml of water, but as I said she does still eat veg normally
 
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Please weigh any healthy guinea pig once weekly, and any ill piggy daily at the same time in the feeding cycle. it is an important way of health management as many brewing problems manifest first through weight loss. Guinea pigs are prey animals and very good at hiding illness.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...ng-ideal-weight-overweight-underweight.38805/

I strongly hope that she will make a good recovery in the next few days. As she is still eating on her own, you can just top her up with as much syringe food as she is voluntarily taking.
 
Do guinea pigs usually recover from this if they take Baytril? Hoping someone with same experience can come forward with a story of their own where the guinea pig recovered fine
 
Ben Turner said:
Do guinea pigs usually recover from this if they take Baytril? Hoping someone with same experience can come forward with a story of their own where the guinea pig recovered fine
Click to expand...

Yes, they do. There are stronger antibiotics available now if baytril doesn't do the trick. Your girl is a on a reasonable dose for her size, so just give time to get to work. ;)
 
Thanks for the info. I have just bought the ProC probiotics from pets at home, when do I use it?
 
Thankyou for the help! I'll update this thread on Squeaks condition and recovery!
 
She also eats on her side, with one ear to the ground, is she laying on her sides of her head because of her ear infection?
 
Hi, I wanted to add that she sometimes does a loud vibration noise and then slowly puts her head forwards and down, is this from the ear infection? Also how long does it usually take for the baytril medicine to kick in and start help repairing the infected ear ?
 
Ben Turner said:
Hi, I wanted to add that she sometimes does a loud vibration noise and then slowly puts her head forwards and down, is this from the ear infection? Also how long does it usually take for the baytril medicine to kick in and start help repairing the infected ear ?
Click to expand...

I am very sorry, I cannot help you with noise; it is very difficult to interpret them without hearing them and seeing the body language that goes with the sound.

You should hopefully see some improvement within the next two days, but it may take all week; it depends on the severity and well your girl is reacting to the antibiotic. If symptoms have not gone after a week on baytril, please se a vet again.
 
Thankyou for the info, do any guinea pigs not recover or will she definitely recover?
 
Ben Turner said:
Thankyou for the info, do any guinea pigs not recover or will she definitely recover?
Click to expand...

As I have said before, you have caught the infection early on and she has been put on a reasonable dose of baytril, so she has got every chance of recovering. Ear infections can kill, but generally only if they are left untreated or are undertreated, neither of which is the case with yours. ;)
 
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