Milly on Baytril again - any advice?

[Goldie]

Milly has been prescribed Baytril again for her bumblefoot.
Today, after cleaning her foot - only because she had stood on a poo, otherwise I would have left it alone - I noticed that the scab had come off but the foot is still nice and dry.

The vet has given me enough to last one month at 0.2ml twice a day. I haven't ever given antibiotics for this long before and was wondering if there was anything I could give Milly to help her tummy cope?

Any recommendations would be great.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Probiotic should help immensely. Bio Lapis or Avipro Plus are both good probiotics. Given about 2 hours after the Baytril (no earlier as it could cancel out the Baytril) it should keep the gut flora steady.

How are you treating the foot aside from the Baytril?

 

[helenllama]

Bio lapis or a fresh poo from a healthy piggy mixed in water....
BUT 2 hrs after the dose of antibiotics.

 

[helenllama]

Given about 2 hours after the Baytril (no earlier as it could cancel out the Baytril)

Actually the baytril would kill of the friendly bacteria... Antibiotics will kill off all bacteria as they cannot discriminate between good bacteria and bad bacteria.

 

[rw3399]

I don't know of anything sorry but Chrissie at gorgeous guineas was treating one of her piggies a while ago with a long course of antibiotics for bumblefoot. Maybe she might be able to suggest something. My sow had a terrible case of bumblefoot. I hope the antibiotics work for little Milly.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

That is true of that point, but if given within 2 hours of each other the antibiotic and probiotic may work against each other.

Chrissie actually has run/is running a trial of bumblefoot ointment - which is why I ask what treatment is already being practiced. I was on the trial for a few days earlier this year but couldn't continue as the pig died of a tumour and stroke shortly into the trial.

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

I've used Avipro, which you can buy online at sph supplies I think, you just mix it with water and syringe it down them. I've also used Biolapis, which I think is better but more expensive.

A month seems a long time on antibiotics, I've only ever had them prescribed for a week or 10 days but I guess it depends on the condition - hopefully someone else can advise on that!

Sophie
x

 

[helenllama]

Yes antibiotic kills the probiotic...
Anyway be prepared to have to disguise and fight the piggy to get the baytril in....
I had to fight a very ill spice to take it... and disguising it only works once in a while

 

[MemberY]

Sending lots of love to you and Milly x

Fibreplex is good for the tum too, I have used this with success. Have you contacted Chrissie for advice re the bumblefoot? I believe she is trialling a new cream at the moment.

 

[MemberY]

I've used Avipro, which you can buy online at sph supplies I think, you just mix it with water and syringe it down them. I've also used Biolapis, which I think is better but more expensive.

A month seems a long time on antibiotics, I've only ever had them prescribed for a week or 10 days but I guess it depends on the condition - hopefully someone else can advise on that!

Sophie
x

Sunny was on baytril for a month, at 0.4ml x twice daily.

 

[Goldie]

How are you treating the foot aside from the Baytril?

Rachel, the vet, suggested that it is best to keep the foot dry and let air to it. She was not inclined to bandage it - she wanted it to harden off and not let it get moist. She said if it did become an open wound to try diluted Hibiscrub on it, alongside the Baytril.

I have used Hibiscrub before, but did a quick check on it on the internet which said ...

HIBISCRUB is an antimicrobial preparation for pre-operative surgical hand disinfection, antiseptic handwashing on the ward, pre-operative skin antisepsis for patients undergoing elective surgery.

How does it work?

This preparation contains chlorhexidine gluconate in the form of an alcoholic solution.

Chlorhexidine gluconate is an antiseptic effective against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, some fungi and viruses. It is most active at a neutral or alkaline conditions. Its activity is reduced by the presence of blood or body fluids. It binds strongly to skin, mucosa and other tissues and is therefore poorly absorbed.

It is used routinely as an antiseptic hand-washing preparation and as a skin cleanser for patients undergoing surgery.



What is it used for?

• Disinfection (removal of surface bacteria) of the skin.

I will check Milly first thing in the morning and see how her foot looks.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

It may be worth stepping up the cleansing of it just a little, but I do see your vets point in keeping it dry and open. It's up to you if you try any of the following.
Foot soaks in diluted Povidone Iodine or diluted Chlorhexidine Gluconate (Hibiscrub) for a few mins twice a day, let it dry and then apply some Bepanthen to the sores. The CCT recommends Orabase Protective Paste on top of that, but before I could find any I got onto the GG trial and replaced the Bepanthen with the Bumblefoot ointment. It helped hugely, softened it enough for the scabs to come off and for the feet to start to heal, though we only got to use it for 2 days.

 

[rw3399]

If you want to keep the foot dry, I used the spray-on savlon on my sow when she had bumblefoot, as this contains iodine which will protect the foot, whilst keeping it dry.