Probiotics

[jesse1234]

My guinea pig was just prescribed some anti-inflammatory medicine and the vet told me it wouldnt hurt to give him some probiotics with it. I know the US recommendation is an hour before, but I am not sure how much to give. I have Bene-Bac Plus, which came in 4 tubes of 1g in each. The back of the package says 1 tube for 10lbs and Oswald is definitely not 10lbs, but then it also says to give 2 times, 3 days apart, which I dont understand at all. Its a gel, I dont know if that changes the dose or something. I am just unsure of how much to give him.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Has he been prescribed antibiotics too? Usually it's ABs that probiotics are given with as ABs destroy bacteria and don't discriminate against good and bad bacteria. It will never hurt to give it though, a bit like people having the probiotic drinks or yogurts to boost their good bacteria

 

[jesse1234]

Has he been prescribed antibiotics too? Usually it's ABs that probiotics are given with as ABs destroy bacteria and don't discriminate against good and bad bacteria. It will never hurt to give it though, a bit like people having the probiotic drinks or yogurts to boost their good bacteria

He is getting the anti inflammatory Cisapride and then Metacam, which he was on before, which is also an anti inflammatory medicine.

 

[jesse1234]

Has he been prescribed antibiotics too? Usually it's ABs that probiotics are given with as ABs destroy bacteria and don't discriminate against good and bad bacteria. It will never hurt to give it though, a bit like people having the probiotic drinks or yogurts to boost their good bacteria

He is getting the anti inflammatory and then Metacam, which he was on before.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I have no experience of cisapride but I didn't think anti inflammatories affected the gut bacteria. I could be wrong though

 

[Wiebke]

He is getting the anti inflammatory and then Metacam, which he was on before.

The cisapride is a strong gut medication. It is not influencing the gut microbiome to my knowledge but your vet is recommending the probiotics in order to give your gut additional support/protection.

Follow the advice on the label or otherwise give a pinch twice daily. Some piggies don't like the taste, so it is easier to mix with a little water and syringe, mix it into their syringe feeding formula or some mushed up pellets, but some piggiies the taste of it in their water and will happily drink there (change at least once daily to prevent the growth of algae and use rice with a little to scour the bottle walls by shaking the bottle vigorously with its spout blocked). You will need to change the quantity accordingly to what your piggy drinks on average in the second case as it won't drink the whole bottle.
All About Drinking And Bottles

 

[jesse1234]

Well, technically, the vet didnt recommend it, I asked if I could and she said it should be fine. I'll just give him a pinch once a day, during his 2nd dose, because he gets the one medicine 3 times a day.