Penny losing weight on abx

[Alissa808]

Hi penny is a 4 year old guinea pig with recent weight loss and diagnosed with thickened abdominal walls. She is on oral baytril .4 ml 2 times a day and meloxicam .2ml 1 time a day. Penny has been having critical care but in the last few days is refusing it. She eats her own food but is still loosing weight. I am also giving a probiotic bene bac.

I think the baytril is making her not eat. Any suggestions? Today is day 10 of antibiotics.

I’m considering stopping it. Any ideas / suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you Alissa.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

Please do not stop the antibiotics without your vets approval.

Baytril can affect their appetite. Giving the probiotic and syringe feeding her through it is important.
As she is losing weight then she is not eating enough (on her own) so she needs more critical care syringe fed to her. I know it can be hard if she is refusing it but it is very important that she doesn’t continue to lose weight due to not have enough fibre intake.

Being in pain will stop her from waning to eat also and she is suffering from what is a painful condition. At 0.2ml once a day, her dosage of Meloxicom is a rather low, particularly if it is the weaker cat (0.5 mg/ml) version so and it may not be helping her pain much. Piggies can need pain meds twice a day and in considerably higher doses.

I would discuss the pain meds dosage with your vet and see if it needs to be increased.

I’ve added guides in below to help further

I hope she is ok

Wiebke's Guide to Tummy Trouble
Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry your piggy is poorly. I hope if you can get her pain under control she will feel better and start to eat more.

 

[Roselina]

I’m sorry too - @Piggies&buns has given great advice and hopefully you can discuss this with your vet
You could try some readigrass …. it is rich so only a little but piggies love it and it does help with putting a bit of weight on
Good luck it’s not nice having a poorly piggy