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Really Struggling With Giving Antibiotics

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Muffin&Crumble

Muffin&Crumble

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

I'm sorry if posting this frustrates anyone because there's an excellent guide already on here for giving medicines, but I'm getting so frustrated and stressed and need to let it out.

Muffin and Crumble had their spay last Monday and are recovering well, they are eating and drinking, toileting normally and running and jumping around. However, this Tuesday I had a quick look at Muffin's wound and was dismayed that there is a tiny gap at the top of the incision where the stitched and glue must have come loose.

Back to the vet's she went on Wednesday, he agreed they were recovering fine and thought that Muffin's wound looked healthy and like it was healing, so he didn't think it advisable to interfere with it. He gave us a course of an antibiotic - I think it's a brand of Baytril - which we need to give her twice a day for 10 days, to make sure it doesn't get infected.

I'm not coping very well with giving Muffin the medicine. It's literally a few drops via a syringe, but she absolutely detests it and refuses to take it. It's taking about 15-20 minutes each time I administer it, and she ends up covered in the stuff from all the misfires at getting it in her mouth. I've tried squirting it in a grape but she's far too clever and knows it's there, and I've used the methods described on here but she wriggles free, and also I'm scared to hold her too tightly in case I irritate her wound.

I'm also noticing that she is different around me. She won't eat from my hand anymore and runs away when I reach into her hutch. I'm really scared that the stress of everything has broken our bond.

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that it gets better - I know I'm just being an over-worried mummy but having to put my Muffin through this for another week is breaking my heart!
 
Hiya, my son medicates our guinea's and is pretty good at it, he has two ways of doing it, for our awkward boar Tyrion he puts him on his knee, holds his head then pops the syringe in and done, he does struggle a little but it needed to be done, the others are sort of more easier for him, he puts the syringe in the corner of the mouth and administers that way, they still do move their heads, but not like Tyrion does! If they like the meds, he really has no trouble, in fact one of them who is on long term meds bites the syringe because he wants more lol.
 
I use the method that I think is in the guide with the hand over the front of the face so the fingers are either side of the mouth which makes it open slightly. I only use this for the fidgety ones though as most of mine are used to their meds as they have been on them for ages (heart pigs). I think you need to be a bit firmer with her, I know you are worried but it sounds like she is playing you up like mine do if I let them. Could you get a vet nurse to help show you the best way?
 
I might call the vet and ask that. I live across the road from my mum so she's going to let herself into my house to check how Muffin is doing. I've asked if I can leave work a couple of hours early because I'm in such a mess, but got into trouble for asking because 'it's just a guinea pig'. I've got such a bad feeling about her - my partner keeps telling me not to worry because she is behaving completely normally, but I just can't help it :no:
 
you could try using a little bit of juice - syringe up the meds and then a bit of juice and see if that helps. they usually smell the juice and by the time they realise the meds is in aswell, they've had it! we used the copella apple and raspberry for maisie a few times when she absolutely hated one of her meds. :)
 
Sorry you are going through this.

Piggies hate baytril it tastes really horrible. I know it is distressing to try and give it them and also they start to run off from you, you just have to remember you are helping them. After the course of AB's are finished she will stop runnign away from your hand in a few weeks, you'll soon gain her trust again.

We use a table technique for Baytril. I will hold a pig on the table while Rach syringes the baytril in as quickly as possible the table is slippery against their feet so they have no grip so it lessens the fighting if that makes sense. We have all gone through this at some point, I remember being so upset when first syringe feeding our first piggie - she used to scream the house down.... it made me feel awful.

Muffin&Crumble said:
. I've asked if I can leave work a couple of hours early because I'm in such a mess, but got into trouble for asking because 'it's just a guinea pig'.
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Awww that is rotten, people are pathetic at times. Love is love and they are poorer spiritually for their attitude.

Massive hugs x
 
Thank you x

Still worried about the wound itself, in fairness it looks a lot less yucky than it did when we first spotted it but it is still open. I'll try and post a pic when I get home. Wish I could put a plaster over it!
 
Muffin&Crumble said:
Thank you x

Still worried about the wound itself, in fairness it looks a lot less yucky than it did when we first spotted it but it is still open. I'll try and post a pic when I get home. Wish I could put a plaster over it!
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Definitely need to get it checked over at the vet, sending lots of recovery vibes x
 
We did, less than 48 hours ago, but he said it was best left as it is because it's healing. He is a specialist vet so don't want to doubt him...
 
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