Pneumonia, teeth problem, not eating!

[perry]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone can offer advice...! My gp is 3.5 and a year ago had a tooth problem and ulcer, we took him to Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton, he was given meds and Simon worked on his teeth and he got better very quickly, started eating again, all fine. Almost exactly a year later, he stopped eating again but this time, my concern was that his breathing was very laboured. Took him back a week ago, Simon diagnosed a lung problem/pneumonia as well as the ongoing dental issue, prescribed antibiotic and painkillers and I've been syringe feeding again ever since plus giving both meds twice a day. The breathing is slightly better - less laboured than a week ago, although still noisy but he's refusing to eat anything himself and hasn't done (no pellets, hay, vegetables or water) for over a week. I took him back to the vet yesterday - luckily he's put on some weight and generally seems fine in himself when he's out (looks well, is interested in things) but continues to sit hunched in his house all the time and is still refusing to eat anything apart from when I syringe feed. Simon said that sometimes the antibiotic can cause anorexia and to monitor for a few more days. It feels like a bit of a catch 22 - if I stop the antibiotic he may start eating but then he may also regress with the respiratory problem, or I carry on with the antibiotic and risk him still eating nothing other than the syringe feeding. Simon didn't think the tooth problem was severe enough to be causing the refusal to eat and has again tidied his teeth up and checked his mouth carefully so I'm at a bit of a loss..

 

[helen105281]

Did Simon mention anything about a diuretic at all? I think he usually prescribes Frusol.

 

[Swissgreys]

Firstly it is fabulous you are seeing Simon - you are int he absolute best hands there.

I feel your pain with the eating problems though.
When Ruby was on an extended course of antibiotics she also became totally dependent on syringe feeding for a while, and there were days when I really thought it would never end.
To be honest unless you are feeding every 3 - 4 hours around the clock (as in 24 hours a day) if your piggy is gaining weight then he is actually eating something on his own. It might not be much, but getting a piggy to gain weight solely with syringe feeds is pretty tough. So you might not notice it, but it does sound like he is at least eating something.
Is he on a probiotic in addition to the other meds?
This can really help with antibiotic associated stomach issues.

I think this is one of those difficult situations when you simply have to keep up with the feeding and have faith that it will end (eventually!).
Chances are it is a combination of antibiotics and also possibly exhaustion from the pneumonia that is making him slow to start eating again.
But you are doing everything right and he will start again
With Ruby we slowly progressed from syringe feeding to her licking some stuff off of a tea spoon, then off of a saucer. I also found that changing the recovery food I was feeding helped to spark her interest (Critical Care, CC fine grind, Recovery Formula, etc), and also mixing the recovery food with different things (puree, juice, etc).
It took time (a long, long time), but she did get there in the end, and I am sure your boy will too - hang in there

 

[perry]

i no, he didn't mention anything like that - when I went back yesterday he suggested continuing the antibiotic for a few more days as well as continuing the painkiller (metacam under a different name.. begins with a d I think? I forget!) but I was just wondering if this antibiotic related anorexia is likely/common? He was still concerned re gp's breathing, hence suggesting I continue with the antibiotic and syringe feeding for a bit longer.

Firstly it is fabulous you are seeing Simon - you are int he absolute best hands there.

I feel your pain with the eating problems though.
When Ruby was on an extended course of antibiotics she also became totally dependent on syringe feeding for a while, and there were days when I really thought it would never end.
To be honest unless you are feeding every 3 - 4 hours around the clock (as in 24 hours a day) if your piggy is gaining weight then he is actually eating something on his own. It might not be much, but getting a piggy to gain weight solely with syringe feeds is pretty tough. So you might not notice it, but it does sound like he is at least eating something.
Is he on a probiotic in addition to the other meds?
This can really help with antibiotic associated stomach issues.

I think this is one of those difficult situations when you simply have to keep up with the feeding and have faith that it will end (eventually!).
Chances are it is a combination of antibiotics and also possibly exhaustion from the pneumonia that is making him slow to start eating again.
But you are doing everything right and he will start again
With Ruby we slowly progressed from syringe feeding to her licking some stuff off of a tea spoon, then off of a saucer. I also found that changing the recovery food I was feeding helped to spark her interest (Critical Care, CC fine grind, Recovery Formula, etc), and also mixing the recovery food with different things (puree, juice, etc).
It took time (a long, long time), but she did get there in the end, and I am sure your boy will too - hang in there

hi ahh thanks that's good to know and no, I've not even been syringing that much due to being at work! In the past when I've syringe fed a gp I've had to come home in the middle of the day to do it but this time, I've just not been able to (50 mile round trip to work and back kind of preventing that - the 4 hour round trip to Simon is bad enough!) but good to know he may be eating.. it's looked like he's not been as nuggets and veggies seem untouched, as does the hay so maybe he's doing it by stealth! I did read on here about probiotic so may try that - what do you recommend/where can I get it? and yes, I did think this morning about adding some pureed veg so I'll try that too!

 

[helen105281]

There must not have been any fluid then if he didn't prescribe one. When my Buzz had it he had a lot of gunk and fluid but each pig is different. What antibiotic is he on?

For probiotics I use either Pro C from Pets at Home or Avipro which I buy online, I always give them at least an hour after the antibiotics though. I think opinions can be mixed on probiotic use.

You could try giving him some baby food, like Ellas organic. I know @furryfriends (TEAS) uses baby food for pigs reliant on syringe food to ring the changes.

 

[perry]

There must not have been any fluid then if he didn't prescribe one. When my Buzz had it he had a lot of hunk and fluid but each pig is different. What antibiotic is he on?

For probiotics I use either Pro C from Pets at Home or Avipro which I buy online, I always give them at least an hour after the antibiotics though. I think opinions can be mixed on probiotic use.

You could try giving him some baby food, like Ellas organic. I know @furryfriends (TEAS) uses baby food for pigs reliant on syringe food to ring the changes.

hi there, argh I can't remember the name of the antibiotic but he said it's very good. yes, in fact I used ella's last year when he had a tooth problem so i'll get some of that and try him tonight. luckily he's good with syringe feeding which helps!

 

[DMS260820]

Ive had great sucess with hand picked grass with sick pigs, ive even had a pig with broken front teeth be able to take it. Just be careful of bloat though with grass. This same pig had pneumonia also before, i would hang in there and keep syringe feeding until the antibiotic course is finished , as knackering as it is.

I used fibreplex from simon at cat and rabbit care clinic. But its only 15ml and is about £12 a tube. Its good stuff though and comes ready to syringe ( it is a 15ml syringe basicly).

Dont know if this helps, but my pig that had pneumonia was given antibiotic by needle syringe everyday for a week. I think it was septrin. It totally wiped out the pneumonia within that week. And i didnt have to worry about the probiotic as much because of this.

 

[perry]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone - I'll check the antibiotic when I get home. His breathing isn't so laboured as it was a week ago, though it's still certainly a bit squeaky/raspy - he sounds like a rusty squeaky gate! I did try him on some grass the other day, will try that again - he did eat some dandelion last week but didn't the next time I tried. I think it's a double whammy as well, with the ongoing dental problems he has.. bit of a vicious circle but fingers crossed.
He's a fighter - in his young life he's had terrible ring worm (which he gave to me), nasty wounds from a fight with cage mate which needed stitches (they've long since been separated from one another!), a nasty mouth ulcer, dental problems (he's also missing a bottom front tooth) and now this.