Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

[Wiebke]

These chapters have been copied from the complete hand feeding guide with the kind permission of @helen105281 to help members to source the products more quickly either in a medical emergency or for their first aid kit. All products mentioned are available internationally; they are shown in their current packaging, so members from abroad will hopefully find them more easily when googling suppliers for their own country.

Overview of recovery foods

The following products can be used for hand feeding and can be obtained from your vets or online, mix according to the instructions on the packet:
- Emeraid herbivore (new product)
Information: Emeraid Intensive Care Herbivore - Emeraid
Available from hyperdrug, viovet etc.

· Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-supplies-pet-rabbit-care-c-649_197/oxbow-critical-care-for-herbivores-p-2426
Fine grind (easier to feed): Oxbow Critical Care Fine Grind 100g - From £10.34

· Supreme Science Recovery for Herbivores
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/guinea-pig-food-supreme-science-guinea-pig-food-c-665_667_1321/supreme-science-recovery-10-x-20g-p-5643

· Any pelleted brand of dry food, soak in warm water, leave to cool and then mash

 

[Wiebke]

Probiotics and vitamin c

During syringe feeding it is also a good idea to give both probiotics and vitamin C. The following products are suitable.

Avipro Plus (available online):
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-supplements-cat-supplements-prebiotic-probiotic-products-c-5_172/avipro-plus-p-1225


Bio Lapis (available from the vets or online):
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Bio+Lapis


Fibreplex (available from the vets or online):
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Fibreplex

Pro C (available from pets at Home and other pet shops):
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/proc-probiotic-100gm-by-vetark-15796

For Vitamin C, the Daily C tablets from Oxbow are excellent:
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Oxbow-Daily-C-tablets-pack-of-90/productinfo/DAILYC/

Probiotics should be given as much as possible throughout the day. However, if the pig is on antibiotics there needs to be at least an hour gap between the two, whether you give the probiotics before or after the antibiotic..
Aim for at least 5ml of probiotic each time it is given. This dose applies to Avipro, Bio Lapis and Pro C. For Fibreplex, give as stated on the tube.
Probiotics can be given for as long as needed and ideally should be continued for at least 10 days after a course of antibiotics has finished.


Emergency alternatives

Alternatively or additionally, you can give 'poo soup' - the water in which very freshly dropped poos from a healthy piggy have been soaked. If you can keep the period between the poo being dropped by a healthy companion and you syringing the water in which the fresh poos have been soaked to 10-15 minutes, then a good deal of the gut microbiome will arrive still live in the ill piggy's gut.

Live healthy gut microbiome transfer mimics natural behaviour in which recovering piggies pick poos straight from the anal opening of their healthy comrades. Redigested poos would be ideal but are hard to come by; but even normal waste poos will do the trick.

If the poos are really fresh from the source, poo soup can be very effective; more so than probiotic powder! Piggies tend to make poos reflexively when eating, so giving a healthy companion their veg dinner outside the cage on a towel will provide you with a convenient supply!

For Vitamin C, in an emergency it is possible to give a vitamin C tablet from the supermarket at a dose of 1/4 to 1/8 of the tablet. it is however not recommended for the longer term unless there are really no other pet specific alternatives available where you live.
Please be aware that guinea pigs can get used to high levels of vitamin C, so it is much more effective to conduct 2-3 weeks boosters if your guinea pig is very ill or recovering from a serious illness.