Piggie had a URI, he looks depressed?

[Maxellnimons]

My friend's piggie had a URI so he was put on a course of oral antibiotics (which finishes tomorrow) intially it felt like he was getting more interested in food but now my friend says he is sulking and eating little again 8... What do we do? Handfeed? Shouldnt he have gotten better by now?

 

[sport_billy]

Which antibiotics were they? Baytril can put them off there food.

A return to the vets is needed.. Have the pigs symptoms of the URI gone? If they are not eating they will need to syringe feed and weigh daily so you can see how much is going in and out.

 

[biscandmatt]

poor little piggy. what antibiotics is he on? and is he on metacam aswell? this can be just as important for not only pain relief, but also to reduce inflammation in the nose aswell. sometimes uri's take a long time to get under control, sometimes the best you can get is for them to be stable. i have two rabbit with long term respiratory problems and it can be really difficult and take a long time to get them stable again. but there are many options to try so don't panic yet.

are the vets exotic vets? this is so important.

some antibiotics can reduce appetite aswell, so look at giving some probiotics aswell, and if he isn't eating enough then he will need to be handfed. and weighed every day aswell.

x

 

[Maxellnimons]

It is Baytril that he's on. The symptoms as my friend says are completely gone but she can't really watch her all the time to know more mallethead apparently he IS eating, just less than usual and the vet has told her to give him a little plain yogurt every day as a probiotic @) i recommended poop-soup (lol somebody here recommended it and it seemed like a reasonable idea) but she says its too disgusting... She wont even weight her everyday because she doesn't have a kitchen scale.... And the vet is not even exotic (the exotic vet I take my little girl to was much too expensive for my friend)
Thank-you so much for the information...I'm gonna have a long conversation with my friend @) I might end up adopting the poor little guy

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Human yoghurt is a definite no no
There are some great probiotics available, I keep Fibreplex in stock and it's never let my piggies down.
I'd really attempt to advise your friend on how important the care of a poorly piggy is...could you offer to care for him temporarily and become very attached :x

 

[Maxellnimons]

Ah I'll tell about the yogurt asap
Awww yeah the little guy is so cute I see what you mean about becoming attached
I might spend the weekend with her though, so I can watch the poor thing REALLY closely