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Reaction to Baytril - How Long Until the Appetite Returns?

piglette

piglette

Junior Guinea Pig
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Southern Moreton Bay Islands, QLD, Australia
My poor little pig Theo had a bad reaction to Baytril, prescribed for a mild UTI (x-ray showed no bladder stones). I haven't used antibiotics in years and forgot how savage Baytril can be.

I stopped giving the Baytril as soon as Theo stopped eating. That was three full days ago. In that time I've given 4-6 hourly Critical Care (only about 20mL/day though), probiotics, poop soups (thanks to my other boys), and plenty of different foods to stimulate his appetite - but he's still not keen to eat or drink on his own.

I have also noticed him nibbling the corflute in his cage, not normal behaviour for him. Not sure if this is pain or just a need to chew? I've pegged up fleece to stop this anyhow.

He isn't bloated, is passing plenty of small poops/clear urine and seems bright (though a little withdrawn). I assume his appetite will return soon? Is there anything else I should be doing?

Pretty exhausted after so many days of full-time care and worry. Thanks in advance for everyone's help :)
 
Hey, really sorry to hear this :( I would be asking the vet for a gut stimuliant and to give at home metachlopromide to help pushing things through and keep up with the syringe feeding. Is he eating hay? Keep up with the poo soup a great idea of yours

Tagging in @Wiebke for you
 
Thanks @sport_billy

He is sniffing and nibbling hay but not enough (I've offered Timothy, oaten and rye plus dry grass from the yard with no luck!). He is keen to eat veggies and wet grass - but don't want to give too much of this in case I cause bloat. It's the crack of dawn here but I'm planning a vet visit today.
 
piglette said:
My poor little pig Theo had a bad reaction to Baytril, prescribed for a mild UTI (x-ray showed no bladder stones). I haven't used antibiotics in years and forgot how savage Baytril can be.

I stopped giving the Baytril as soon as Theo stopped eating. That was three full days ago. In that time I've given 4-6 hourly Critical Care (only about 20mL/day though), probiotics, poop soups (thanks to my other boys), and plenty of different foods to stimulate his appetite - but he's still not keen to eat or drink on his own.

I have also noticed him nibbling the corflute in his cage, not normal behaviour for him. Not sure if this is pain or just a need to chew? I've pegged up fleece to stop this anyhow.

He isn't bloated, is passing plenty of small poops/clear urine and seems bright (though a little withdrawn). I assume his appetite will return soon? Is there anything else I should be doing?

Pretty exhausted after so many days of full-time care and worry. Thanks in advance for everyone's help :)
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Hi! Please keep on syringe feeding and contact your vet for another antibiotic and gut stimulants.

It is unusual to have such a strong reaction to baytril; normally the appetite returns within a few days of the antibiotic course finishing. but it can happen with any antibiotic.

Guinea pigs whose gut microbiome has crashed often show a predilection for very rough fibre to help rebalance the gut. Nibbling on some rough cardboard etc. may help as long it is not too much.

Please continue to feed very freshly made poo soup and probiotics; the fresher the poos the more effective.
 
Many thanks @Wiebke for your quick response.

I've just offered him a cardboard tube and he had a good nibble on that! I will ask the vet for a gut stimulant - I wasn't sure if that would be useful if there was no stasis/bloat, so that's good to know. Fingers crossed.
 
Our Ruby also had a fairly severe reaction to Baytril and I will be honest and say it took her a while to recover.
Probiotics (we liked Benebac) and a gut stimulant helped a lot, but I also had to keep up with the syringe feeding for far longer than I expected.
To keep her interest I used a variety of foods, but recovery formula was her favorite.
I also mixed them with different things like pureed apple.

She also ate a lot of cardboard for weeks afterwards, and this definitely helped her feel better. I made sure she always had a selection of cardboard bits to chew including a carrot cottage, cardboard tubes, and some smaller pieces I ripped off boxes.
Don't give up - I think it just takes some piggies a while, but you will get there in the end.
Sending many healing vibes to sweet Theo.
 
Many thanks @Swissgreys

Very helpful to know that it takes some pigs a little extra time to recover - I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong, or missing something. I'll add in the feeding tips you suggested, and hunt down some Benebac and a cardboard cottage today :)

Poor little thing, we're both over it - but certainly won't give up ❤
 
My Peanut had an abcess removal 5 weeks ago, he had a bad reaction to something. We thought at first it was the anaesthetic but are now wondering if it was the baytril. I am still syringe feeding 2 - 3 times a day to keep his weight from going any lower, he lost about 150 gms in all. He's had gut stimulant, metacam, probiotics, eats cardboard and paper. He's eating for himself but not enough, he's getting a lot brighter in himself and is active around his cage. Just wanted you to know it's not just you and you are certainly not doing something wrong. Progress here is slow, but there is some improvement.
 
Huge thanks @piggieminder

Glad to hear your little Peanut is on the mend - but wow, five weeks of syringe feeding! Looks like I'd better prepare for the long-haul. (As an aside, Theo also had an abscess a few years ago after neutering, they're not much fun at all.)

We have another vet appointment in a few hours, so I'm hopeful a gut stimulant will help.
 
Good luck today.
The syringe feeding's okay, I've got him on two a day at the moment as a top up. He gets it first thing and evening so I get the day time to do what I need to. It was the two weeks at the beginning when it was every 2 or 3 hours a few mls at a time just to keep him alive that was tough. He's still being fussy with food, not eating any pellets, only favourite veg, a bit of grass (they get mostly grass), some hay. I've got 4 brands of hay, meadow and timothy and top up his box with a fresh handful regularly which stimulates interest.
 
That sounds just like Theo - very fussy, despite lots of quality food options and regular encouragement. The vet gave him subcut fluids plus metaclopramide, and she also sent me home with 12-hourly metaclopramide injections (I'm a nurse). Theo's very bright but he just won't eat! I've increased to four-hourly feeds at 5-6mL per feed, though he's stopped cooperating and I'm having to wrap him. Thank goodness I work from home and can dedicate the time, it's taking me 1 hour per feed.

Amazingly, I found out today that Bactrim liquid has been discontinued in Australia! As a result, there is also a shortage of Septrin. The vet couldn't prescribe either as a replacement for the Baytril. The underlying UTI was minor so we agreed to focus on his gut for now and meet later in the week to sort out a plan of action for the UTI. Makes me a little anxious, though, thinking that Baytril (and maybe doxycycline) are really the only antibiotic options for pigs in Australia at the moment :no:
 
Oh goodness, there seems to be a lot of medicine shortages at the moment, human and animal.

Theo sounds to be at the stage Peanut was at a couple of weeks ago. Peanut has gradually eaten more for himself, just not enough.
I'm retired so have been able to put all my energy into caring for Peanut and his cage mate Spike who is battling a very persistant respitory infection. I must admit at the beginning when I was syringing him 24 hours a day and wasn't getting more than 2 hours sleep at a stretch I wasn't sure how long I could keep going. Peanut took an hour to take a few mls to start with, now he takes 12ml in 10 minutes!
I've got everything crossed for Theo.
 
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