Proper care for piggies on doxycycline

[Michellesalvino]

Hello! I currently have two piggies on doxycycline because when I got them I soon noticed they we’re sneezing way too much and took them to the vet. I just want to make sure I am giving them a good diet while they’re going through this. I give it to them twice a day. Should I also be giving them bene bac 1-2 hours after? They’re quite young, one of them I think is only a few weeks old and the other has got to be no more than maybe 5 months..

I did make the mistake of getting my four pigs from a pet store so I’ve also set up an appointment for my other two just Incase..

 

[sport_billy]

Are you US based? Doxycycline is prescribed not so often in UK.

Give a probiotic at other times I would think the time frame you are saying is a good one.

Are they breathing okay? Is sneezing the only symptom? Did the vet listen to their lungs?

 

[Michellesalvino]

Are you US based? Doxycycline is prescribed not so often in UK.

Give a probiotic at other times I would think the time frame you are saying is a good one.

Are they breathing okay? Is sneezing the only symptom? Did the vet listen to their lungs?

I am! I am from Los Angeles, I’ve always looked at this forum for questions I have so I decided I’d ask here. They do seem to be breathing ok, they are also eating and drinking water regularly. Sneezing and they seem a little shy but I feel like it’s because I haven’t had them for more than a few days. He did listen to their lungs, doc said that it doesnt sound like there is liquid or anything inside.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello! I currently have two piggies on doxycycline because when I got them I soon noticed they we’re sneezing way too much and took them to the vet. I just want to make sure I am giving them a good diet while they’re going through this. I give it to them twice a day. Should I also be giving them bene bac 1-2 hours after? They’re quite young, one of them I think is only a few weeks old and the other has got to be no more than maybe 5 months..

I did make the mistake of getting my four pigs from a pet store so I’ve also set up an appointment for my other two just Incase..

Hi and welcome

I assume that you are US or Canada based using bene bac for probiotics and dxycycline for respiratory infections?

You can support the guts of your piggies on any antibiotics by giving some probiotic either 1 hour before the antibiotic (US recommendation) or about 1-2 hours after (UK recommendation). Either way works about the same.

If you have healthy piggies, then using totally freshly made poo soup by soaking healthy poos that have literally just been dropped to soak in a little water and then syringe the water with the live healthy microbiome straight away. This is even more effective than probiotics you mimic natural behaviour and inoculate exactly the 'right stuff' if you do it correctly.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

You can also do a 2-3 week vitamin C booster course for your affected piggies. Please be careful to not constantly keep them on a high level of vitamin C as their body will get accustomed to that and will ironically react with scurvy symptoms as soon as the high level drops for whatever reason. Keep in mind that most people are not aware that the reason why guinea pigs have not developed the need to make their own vitamin C is because their mainstay of food, grass and hay is actually very high in vitamin C.
On a good hay based diet (over 80% of the daily food intake with mainly green veg/fresh herbs and pellets more in the way of a daily treat), there is no need for extra vitamin C.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Please contact your vets and step in with syringe feeding support promptly if one of your piggies is having adverse reaction to the antibiotic. Thankfully the vast majority of piggies are OK (even on baytril), but it can occasionally happen with any antibiotic.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to location in your account details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

 

[Michellesalvino]

Hi and welcome

I assume that you are US or Canada based using bene bac for probiotics and dxycycline for respiratory infections?

You can support the guts of your piggies on any antibiotics by giving some probiotic either 1 hour before the antibiotic (US recommendation) or about 1-2 hours after (UK recommendation). Either way works about the same.

If you have healthy piggies, then using totally freshly made poo soup by soaking healthy poos that have literally just been dropped to soak in a little water and then syringe the water with the live healthy microbiome straight away. This is even more effective than probiotics you mimic natural behaviour and inoculate exactly the 'right stuff' if you do it correctly.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

You can also do a 2-3 week vitamin C booster course for your affected piggies. Please be careful to not constantly keep them on a high level of vitamin C as their body will get accustomed to that and will ironically react with scurvy symptoms as soon as the high level drops for whatever reason. Keep in mind that most people are not aware that the reason why guinea pigs have not developed the need to make their own vitamin C is because their mainstay of food, grass and hay is actually very high in vitamin C.
On a good hay based diet (over 80% of the daily food intake with mainly green veg/fresh herbs and pellets more in the way of a daily treat), there is no need for extra vitamin C.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Please contact your vets and step in with syringe feeding support promptly if one of your piggies is having adverse reaction to the antibiotic. Thankfully the vast majority of piggies are OK (even on baytril), but it can occasionally happen with any antibiotic.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to location in your account details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

Yes I am from the US! I will go ahead and give them some probiotics about two hours after their medication.. how do I know if they’re getting enough vitamin C and when to use supplements?

 

[Wiebke]

Yes I am from the US! I will go ahead and give them some probiotics about two hours after their medication.. how do I know if they’re getting enough vitamin C and when to use supplements?

Please read the diet guide; with unlimited hay, vitamin C reinforced pellets and one or two high vitamin C veg and fresh herbs (like a slice of pepper and some cilantro/coriander) with each meal, your piggies will get enough vitamin C in their diet without the need to give extra unless they are acutely ill. Also keep in mind that recovery formulas and many probiotics are also reinforced with vitamin C.

Thank you for adding your location; this will allow us to adjust our recommendations accordingly straight away.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

We've used Karidox (doxycycline) quite a lot, here at TEAS. I have found that it affects appetite, more than other antibiotics we have used. I tend to top the piggy up with syringe food, with a scoop of probiotic added. I also give Fibreplex too.

 

[Michellesalvino]

We've used Karidox (doxycycline) quite a lot, here at TEAS. I have found that it affects appetite, more than other antibiotics we have used. I tend to top the piggy up with syringe food, with a scoop of probiotic added. I also give Fibreplex too.

That’s good to know, I’m going to watch their diet as I continue the medicine. Should I be documenting weight through this process as well?

 

[Claire W]

That’s good to know, I’m going to watch their diet as I continue the medicine. Should I be documenting weight through this process as well?

It will do you know harm to weigh them daily to make sure the antibiotic isn’t killing off their appetite