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Question About Meds Prescribed By Vet

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Natasha

Natasha

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi,
Just wondering how you guys would view his situation...So last wednesday I brought oreo to the vet because he was not eating much and was breathing very funny and fast...once the vet saw him she said that he had the flu and fluid on is lungs...the vet then prescribed him Baytril and critical care food...it is now a week later and Oreo still is not eating and still on Baytril but now he is not pooping hardly at all. I have checked for impactions and have been trying to force feed him water and critical care...I put oreo in a bath of warm water and after spending a little in the bath Oreo began pooping but the poop was like in a string.. almost like pearls...and since friday he hasn't done anything...so today I called back to the vet so now she added more meds which are Metacam, Laxatone ,Ranitidine and more critical care...is it just me or does this seem like a lot of meds for one little pig
 
i would be concerned with the advice you have been given. is your vet exotic/guinea savvy? if not, then i would switch. guinea pigs don't get flu. it sounds like he has a respiratory infection to me, or possibly a heart issue if there is fluid on his lungs.

baytril is not the best antibiotic for the above issues either and is also harsh on the digestive tract so giving a probiotic at the same time may help. metacam is good for both pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory though. the other two meds i am not sure of so can't advise. it's not too many meds, it's just whether they are the right ones in the right combination.

i am very concerned that he is hardly eating and pooping. i personally think he may need to be admitted to a specialist vets now as he may also be dehydrated by this point.

hopefully others will be along to advise soon. sending lots of luck x

eta: asking to stop the baytril and switch to something else may really help his digestive tract get more on track. it doesn't sound as though he is tolerating the baytril very well. it is quite harsh. x
 
now that you say it it was a respiratory infection...and he shouldn't be dehydrated because i have been syringing water into him every chance i get...just so frustrating when your piggie is sick and you try to do all that you can to help
 
Natasha said:
now that you say it it was a respiratory infection...and he shouldn't be dehydrated because i have been syringing water into him every chance i get...just so frustrating when your piggie is sick and you try to do all that you can to help
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sometimes if they're really ill, they need extra fluid injected under the skin. it is really worrying when they're poorly. sounds like you're doing all you can though. if you don't think he's right, keep on at the vets. you know him best x
 
I am very sorry. it sounds like your piggy has been diagnosed with a URI/pneumonia.

Baytril is the only officially licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs, but it is well known for killing the appetite and on occasion slowing down the guts (partial or complete gut stasis). We therefore recommend to additionally give a pinch of probiotic about 1-2 hours after the antibiotic. Extra vitamin C can also help to boost the immune system.

How much Citical Care have you been hand feeding him in a day? The poos indicate that he hasn't had enough food and water and that not enough is being processed. I would strongly recommend to see your vet again asap as an emergency for rehydration, a gut stimulant and, if there is still water on the lungs, a diuretic to ease the breathing and help with regaining his appetite.

You may find our detailed hand feeding guide helpful, as many general vets underestimate the amount of food a piggy needs to survive; they are used to larger pets that live off protein rich meat, not prey animals that need a constant supply of nutritionally poor grass/hay and therefore need a lot more to keep going compared to their body size. The guide also contains information on probiotics and vitamin C. it can take another day or so for any food to filter through the guts, but please see your vet for a gut stimulant sooner rather than later if there is no improvement. Can you get hold of dioralyte or an equivalent local isotonic powder to mix with water for rehydration?
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
 
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The ranitidine is a gut stimulant, and the laxatone is a lubricant that is supposed to help cats with fur balls. I would definitely ask for a diuretic as fluid on the lungs can cause real problems for a pig with a URI, and just one dose at the start of reatment can make all the difference. Weibke has given good advice about hand feeding. I hope you can get things sorted out for your piggie. xx
 
I second the Diuretic recommendation, it really can save lives.
 
so I found another bet today because I wasn't impressed with the other vet just prescribing meds and me not knowing what they are for... The second vet did a X-ray and told me it was gas and other then the gas he was fine and they can see that there is hay in his stomach but they didn't do anything about the gas... And he pooped today think it was because I stopped the baytril. Is there anything I can do to help with the gas?
 
Do you have an electronic toothbrush? one that vibrates? if so you could massage her abdomen with it a few times a day to help things move through. Also, do you know if you can get Gripe water where you are? it is given to babies for colic. Fluids are also very important.
 
It's a gut stimulant so in theory yes. The gripe water should help make things a bit more comfortable. The brand I use here in the UK is Woodwards and I dose at 3ml every few hours.
 
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