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Emergency Please Help - Guinea Pig Not Eating..

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f.m123

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Hi Everyone,
sorry to post in someone else's thread. I can't start a thread for some reason, and am in urgent need of assistance.
I have a guinea pig that's about 4 years old. I moved her to a bigger cage and took her outside a couple of weeks ago, which is when her health started to deteriorate. Over the past two days she has not been eating or drinking, and today she stopped both drinking and eating all together. I've contacted vets, but they are clueless as to guinea pig care (I'm in Greece - yay! Clueless doctors!) and one of them prescribed Amoxil, which I read is deadly for guinea pigs. She seems to have all symptoms for URI so I am in a huge dilemma of buying a medicine without consulting a vet or .. using Amoxil or nothing? She's going to die and vets here won't help. I really need to take a decision and need to know the amount she ought to be given if I get a medicine like Bactrimel, and I need to do it now as her condition is getting worse by the minute, there is no hand-feeding food here, it is a Saturday and I have to go to the drug store to buy the med like NOW.
 
"My pigs were given Sulfatrim antibiotic for URI. For hand feeding, you can use their normal pellets soaked in water"

--> quoting from the other thread to keep it handy until others post as well.

I've found this info: A vet will prescribe a safe antibiotic like Bactrim or Doxycycline to treat these bacterial infections. Baytril, another frequently prescribed medication, is usually not given to young guinea pigs because it can cause arthropathies (bone abnormalities) although it can be an effective treatment (Guinea Lynx :: URI)

Should I just go grab some Sulfatrim and give it to the guinea pig without medical advice?
 
Hi,

We have moved your thread to it's own topic.. If you piggy is not eating you need to hand feed it as a matter of emergency. If you use guinea pig pellets you can make a soup by mixing them with cooled boiled bottle water.. Please have a look at this thread.. Syringe Feeding & Medicating Guides, Probiotics Links, First Aid Kit...

We don't have any experience of Amoxil, We are tagging some of our experienced members who may be able to advise you ... @Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS) @helen105281

Lisa & Ali..
 
lisaali said:
Hi,

We have moved your thread to it's own topic.. If you piggy is not eating you need to hand feed it as a matter of emergency. If you use guinea pig pellets you can make a soup by mixing them with cooled boiled bottle water.. Please have a look at this thread.. Syringe Feeding & Medicating Guides, Probiotics Links, First Aid Kit...

We don't have any experience of Amoxil, We are tagging some of our experienced members who may be able to advise you ... @Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS) @helen105281

Lisa & Ali..
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Τhank you! I hope they see it before drug stores close for the weekend.
 
I'm not sure you can buy antibiotics over the counter can you?

Ask for baytril or septrin (look up the actual name as these are trade names) from the vet- say you have been advised the antibiotic he prescriped is lethal given orally (penicilin) and the other 2 are safe. If he cant give you them from the vet hospital he may be able to give you a prescription, which you can take to other vets that have the meds in stock. Thats all i can advise, I'm sorry you dont have the veterinary care available that she needs x
 
I gave 0.3mls of Sulfatrim twice daily for 2 weeks for a URI. You'll also need to give a probiotic along with the antibiotic to help her guts as the antibiotic can really put them off eating
 
I wasn't given Baytril as it can be really harsh on their guts and do more damage than good sometimes
 
You really need to start the syringe feeding with mashed up pellets and syringe some water as her guts will close down otherwise.I hope your vet can give you the right medication you need xx
 
I am really sorry to hear your piggy is poorly. Well done on spotting the prescribed lethal medication that your vet gave you. We have heard of tragic incidents in the past on this forum of that particular Antibiotic .

Sending your piggy lots of love and hoping they will make a full recovery

Can I remind members to never self medicate a veterinary professional must always be consulted. In the UK, US and OZ we have vets with a high level of understanding in small furries and different animals as a whole. Unfortunately not all countries do have this. Please remember it is Illegal to self medicate in the UK.
 
sport_billy said:
I am really sorry to hear your piggy is poorly. Well done on spotting the prescribed lethal medication that your vet gave you. We have heard of tragic incidents in the past on this forum of that particular Antibiotic .

Sending your piggy lots of love and hoping they will make a full recovery

Can I remind members to never self medicate a veterinary professional must always be consulted. In the UK, US and OZ we have vets with a high level of understanding in small furries and different animals as a whole. Unfortunately not all countries do have this. Please remember it is Illegal to self medicate in the UK.
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Thank you for your wishes. I would also like to state that what I am doing should not be an example to anyone. I may be harming my piggy instead of saving it. Feel free to delete my thread after a couple of days to avoid members reading it and thinking it is a good idea to self-medicate!
 
:blink: If your little one has been deteriorating for 2 weeks, it certainly sounds like the URI may have a grip - she really needed to be seen as soon as she showed the first symptoms :( Guinea pigs really go downhill very quickly :(
Antibiotics along with anti inflammatory medication usually are very successful.
If she is not eating, you need to syringe feed to keep her gut moving or stasis can set in :(
Hope someone with more advice can help...
 
Guinea pig slave said:
:blink: If your little one has been deteriorating for 2 weeks, it certainly sounds like the URI may have a grip - she really needed to be seen as soon as she showed the first symptoms :( Guinea pigs really go downhill very quickly :(
Antibiotics along with anti inflammatory medication usually are very successful.
If she is not eating, you need to syringe feed to keep her gut moving or stasis can set in :(
Hope someone with more advice can help...
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At first I assumed she was stressed because I moved her to a bigger home and took her cage outside. Then I checked on her every day, moved her to the front balcony to see if she was just too hot, and then saw that she was getting worse real fast, which is when she stopped eating, and when I freaked out and came here after talking with my vets. She doesn't seem well, I've put her back into her old cage, took her into my bedroom and put her little wooden house thingy so she could hide. She has fresh hay, water and pellets, and does not move or run at all. She is clean and warm, fed a little with the syringe (she won't accept any more food at the moment, just lets the water fall down), has taken her medication, and I'm just hoping she makes it :(
 
Guinea pig slave said:
Are you certain this is not heat stroke - piggies cannot cope well in extreme heat.
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There was no extreme heat, she was under shade, and shows no symptoms of a heat stroke.. She has mucus in her nose and has difficulty breathing, which shows that her respiratory system may be infected. That's why my guess was URI, along with all the other symptoms, but again, I'm no doctor.
 
You must feel so helpless having no vets who can help. :no:Did you manage to get some probiotics? They can really help to stop the antibiotics dampen their appetite. I really hope she gets better x
 
You can only continue to try to contact a vet for advice as it does seem like a URI or possibly pneumonia needing urgent treatment :(
Do you have any Vicks vapour rub ? I have used a dab in emergencies on tissue and placed close to the pen (out of reach) until I'm able to get to a vet.
 
I'm sure I read somewhere on here that @Wiebke mentioned Vicks is toxic to guinea pigs..? a few drops of Olbas oil in hot water would be better I think.. Poor piggy :(
 
Guinea pig slave said:
Are you certain this is not heat stroke - piggies cannot cope well in extreme heat.
Click to expand...
It wasn't that hot, and she was under shade. She has none of the symptoms of a heat stroke and I was careful not to expose her to extreme weather. She has mucus and difficulty breathing, which indicate a respiratory issue.
Then again, I am no doctor.
There's not much I can do at this point, she's getting worse. I don't think she'll survive the night :( Thank you all for your invaluable advice.
 
Anything with Eucalyptus is toxic - years ago, a tiny dab of Vick on piggies noses the size of a pin head worked fab with new bondings :) Not something I would recommend today, it never harmed any of mine as they are still with me 6 years down the line :luv: Really grasping at straws with this post...:(
 
f.m123 said:
It wasn't that hot, and she was under shade. She has none of the symptoms of a heat stroke and I was careful not to expose her to extreme weather. She has mucus and difficulty breathing, which indicate a respiratory issue.
Then again, I am no doctor.
There's not much I can do at this point, she's getting worse. I don't think she'll survive the night :( Thank you all for your invaluable advice.
Click to expand...
:soz:
 
Guinea pig slave said:
You can only continue to try to contact a vet for advice as it does seem like a URI or possibly pneumonia needing urgent treatment :(
Do you have any Vicks vapour rub ? I have used a dab in emergencies on tissue and placed close to the pen (out of reach) until I'm able to get to a vet.
Click to expand...

Please do no longer recommend vicks; it contains ingredients which are noxious to guinea pigs.

Olbas oil is fine or simply a bowl of steaming water next to the cage will also help ease the breathing.
 
Good morning to all.
The poor piggy passed away tonight. It's terrible seeing your pet suffer until it all ends. Thank you all once again.
 
Sulfatrim is another form of Septrin, same sort of ingredients from what I've been told.

Very sorry for your loss :(
 
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