T
Theodora
One of my girls has been on antibiotics for over a month now with a chest infection.I wondered if manuka honey might help her,and if it is ok for guinea pigs.Any advice would be appreciated?/?/
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L
Linden
Not recommended by my vet
Hi! This was something I asked about when my piggy had a tooth abscess and I wanted to find ways of helping the wound heal. The advice I got from my vet was that while Manuka honey is a useful antiseptic/antibiotic treatment, problems could arise if the guinea pig ingested it. If eaten it could reduce the good bacteria in the gut which are essential for their digestion. As it's a chest infection, rather than a wound, I'm assuming you are considering feeding the honey to your piggie - based on the advice from my vet, I wouldn't. Also I think the honey is only effective if it is in direct contact with the bacteria. As I understand it, it's bacteriostatic which means that it doesn't so much kill the bacteria, but rather creates conditions which stops them multiplying. I don't think it is absorbed into the blood stream in the same way as antibiotics are, therefore, it's beneficial properties are unlikely to reach the lungs.
One other word of advice, are you feeding extra probiotics to your piggy? Probably a good idea since she has been on antibiotics for a while. You can add it to their drinking water. Your vet should be able to provide a suitable one, or Pets at Home do a powdered one - my piggies love it!
Hope she's well soon!
Hi! This was something I asked about when my piggy had a tooth abscess and I wanted to find ways of helping the wound heal. The advice I got from my vet was that while Manuka honey is a useful antiseptic/antibiotic treatment, problems could arise if the guinea pig ingested it. If eaten it could reduce the good bacteria in the gut which are essential for their digestion. As it's a chest infection, rather than a wound, I'm assuming you are considering feeding the honey to your piggie - based on the advice from my vet, I wouldn't. Also I think the honey is only effective if it is in direct contact with the bacteria. As I understand it, it's bacteriostatic which means that it doesn't so much kill the bacteria, but rather creates conditions which stops them multiplying. I don't think it is absorbed into the blood stream in the same way as antibiotics are, therefore, it's beneficial properties are unlikely to reach the lungs.
One other word of advice, are you feeding extra probiotics to your piggy? Probably a good idea since she has been on antibiotics for a while. You can add it to their drinking water. Your vet should be able to provide a suitable one, or Pets at Home do a powdered one - my piggies love it!
Hope she's well soon!
R
rw3399
It's supposed to be good for packing wounds such as ulcers, abscesses, etc but I don't think I'd feed it to my piggie. If the antibiotic she is on hasn't cleared her chest infection after one month then maybe you could approach the vet about changing it. There are a lot of knowledgable people on here who could recommend a good antibiotic for that problem 
T
Theodora
persistent chest infection
Many thanks to both of you.It seems manuka honey is the opposite of what i need.The vet has supplied probiotic powder,but we are on our second antibiotic.Baytrill didn't work at all.Septrin did,but the problem comes back as soon as it is stopped.Luckily my girl doesn't appear to feel ill,and is acting and eating normally.Has anyone been in the same position?Any advice would be really welcome.
Many thanks to both of you.It seems manuka honey is the opposite of what i need.The vet has supplied probiotic powder,but we are on our second antibiotic.Baytrill didn't work at all.Septrin did,but the problem comes back as soon as it is stopped.Luckily my girl doesn't appear to feel ill,and is acting and eating normally.Has anyone been in the same position?Any advice would be really welcome.
Laura-CCC4
Senior Guinea Pig
I'm sorry your piggie hasn't been well for such a while. Has she been investigated for heart issues? Recurrent and stubborn respiratory infections can often be caused by a heart disorder.
http://guinealynx.info/heart.html
http://guinealynx.info/heart.html
T
Theodora
rattly chest
Thank you for your suggestion.No Kim hasn't been checked for a heart problem.They have suggested it might be asthma,or a tumour on the lung,and are considering an xray.She is going back to the vet on Friday.At the moment she is fine,apart from sounding like someone with a heavy cold.
Thank you for your suggestion.No Kim hasn't been checked for a heart problem.They have suggested it might be asthma,or a tumour on the lung,and are considering an xray.She is going back to the vet on Friday.At the moment she is fine,apart from sounding like someone with a heavy cold.
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