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How to Give Oral Antibiotics

PembsGP

PembsGP

Junior Guinea Pig
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Can someone advise me the best technique to give oral antibiotics to one of our piggies please. She needs to have 0.8ml of fluid (0.2ml antibiotics diluted into 0.6ml water) daily. The vet has given me tiny 1ml syringes to do it but I forgot to ask for advice on how to actually administer it. Their mouths are so tiny. I'm also guessing I shouldn't syringe the full 0.8ml in one squirt so she doesn't drown? Is that correct? Any tips and advice on the best way to give her her meds will be greatly appreciated, e.g., do I lay her on her back on my legs or do I need to get someone to hold her up whilst I squirt it, what is the best way to get the syringe into her mouth etc. I am a total novice on this. She is a piggie that is happy to be held - loves grooming me whilst I stroke and cuddle her. Thank you in advance
 
I have never heard of having to dilute one down.

we give meds as two person job. One holds the other gives. With 0.8ml I’d give around. O.3ml then another then finish off

but first off please let us know the ANtibiotic
 
Here is the syringe feeding guide. @sport_billy the photos have gone a bit drunken sailor on us. Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I’ve never heard of diluting antibiotic.

The best tip is to put the syringe into the side of the mouth, behind the front teeth and angle the syringe slightly to the side so you squirt a tiny amount in towards the cheek rather than straight down the throat (avoids the risk of it going into the lungs). Give it in small gentle amounts. Your piggy should start chewing motions on the syringe and only go as fast as they do so that you ensure they get it all but not in one go.
 
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Our vet has suggested diluting baytril with ribena so it doesnt taste so bad but its often easier just to syringe in the smaller amount of nasty taste then apologise with some tasty herbs! We usually do syringe meds with the piggy sitting on my husband's chest, he holds the piggy and gently points their face in the right direction while I do the squirting, from the side of the mouth behind the front teeth like @VickiA says. Once it starts going in they should start chewing motions and swallowing automatically, about 0.2 to 0.3mls like @sport_billy says is a mouthful that shouldnt make them choke x
 
sport_billy said:
What antibiotic is it please?
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Baytril 2.5% oral 100ml. Instructions say give 1 part baytril (0.2mg for her weight) to 4 parts water. Piggie has a UTI but is extremely needle phobic & squeals in distress with needles following needing to have 2 courses of antibiotic injections back to back last year. 1 nurse and then a vet that gave her some of those injections was too heavy handed and hurt her. I then asked for someone else to give them who was a lot more gentle but by then then she was already scared of injections
 
VickiA said:
Here is the syringe feeding guide. @sport_billy the photos have gone a bit drunken sailor on us. Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I’ve never heard of diluting antibiotic.

The best tip is to put the syringe into the side of the mouth, behind the front teeth and angle the syringe slightly to the side so you squirt a tiny amount in towards the cheek rather than straight down the throat (avoids the risk of it going into the lungs). Give it in small gentle amounts. Your piggy should start chewing motions on the syringe and only go as fast as they do so that you ensure they get it all but not in one go.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the link. I didn't find that when I looked around before posting. I'll have a look
 
Oh gosh bless her. Injections aren’t needed for antibiotics I hate it when vets try this.

Septrin is a good antibiotic for uti and is now licensed for piggies so that can be worth trying if no joy with baytril.

Baytril tastes awful and can be a bit of a battle to get in. I don’t think you would have to dilute this our vet gives it us neat so to speak and 0.2 is less of a battle to get in but going to check with @Abi_nurse @ pigglepuggle @piggiesandbuns @furryfriends (TEAS)
 
My new vet suggested diluting the Enrobactin for Phoebe last week. It meant getting a bit more into her but seemed to work ok.

I wrap a piggy up in a towel to keep them secure while getting meds in.
A treat / bribe is essential.
I find cucumber chunks work well.

Patience is also required
 
I would check with vet if it can be given neat I am sure it can but worth checking or have a go with the dilution see if you can get it in her. Sending healing vibes x
 
Yes our vet is quite adamant that baytril tastes better diluted with 3 parts ribena but I dont think there is any medical need to do that, we've only tried that with 1 piggy (mad lady Piggle) and in the end there was no need because Piggle is a bit of a biter if she doesnt like something, she kept attacking the syringe and accidentally swallowing the medicine until it went away whatever was in it! Always best to ask the vet though, but if there's no medical need to dilute I would get it over with fast then follow up with some coriander x
 
Merab's Slave said:
My new vet suggested diluting the Enrobactin for Phoebe last week. It meant getting a bit more into her but seemed to work ok.

I wrap a piggy up in a towel to keep them secure while getting meds in.
A treat / bribe is essential.
I find cucumber chunks work well.

Patience is also required
Click to expand...
Enrobactin is meant to be diluted, I think!
 
Instructions for Baytril specify diluting but I've found it depends on the vet- some do say to dilute, some don't. I've even had a vet say to dilute and the vet nurse dispensing to say don't worry you don't have too!

Personally I always find the smaller amount I have to give the better as it (as previous posters have said) doesn't taste nice! Slow and steady is the way to go plus appeasing piggies with herbs afterwards!

I agree with the above though, check with your vet if you are concerned :-)
 
Thank you everyone. What a great bunch you all are. The video in the link was particularly helpful. All done. She was not keen poor thing. I'm a softie and after each 0.2ml squirt I gave her a coriander leaf to take the taste away as it is her favourite food. She gave me 'the evil eye' when it was all done bless. Even my son said 'she doesn't like you now' hahaha. So I bribed her with a slither of cucumber which is another favourites, and a brush. We're friends again, until next time! And thank you all again for taking the time to reply x
 
FarmGirl said:
Instructions for Baytril specify diluting but I've found it depends on the vet- some do say to dilute, some don't. I've even had a vet say to dilute and the vet nurse dispensing to say don't worry you don't have too!

Personally I always find the smaller amount I have to give the better as it (as previous posters have said) doesn't taste nice! Slow and steady is the way to go plus appeasing piggies with herbs afterwards!

I agree with the above though, check with your vet if you are concerned :-)
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Thanks. It was the vet that gave me the Baytril so I followed her instructions and diluted it
 
Glad you got it done! I'm a bit late, but I usually prop my pig up on her hind legs on my knee, facing away from me, with her back against my stomach and my one hand supporting her chest. Then I reach around with the other hand and put the syringe in the 'gap' between her front incisors and back molars and do it that way. Hope this helps a bit and hope she feels better soon!
 
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