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Scent Gland Infection

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Lorryporry

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Hi there
I am really concerned about my guinea pig and I am hoping you can help me. His name is Russell and recently we noticed that he went off his food so immediately took him to the vet. The vet thinks he has an infected scent gland and so we have been sent away with oral antibiotics for the next 5 days. However, it is now day 3 and there has been no improvement. He is still off his food and seems incredibly uncomfortable. We are currently syringe feeding him to make sure he has something. Recently he has started to rock up on his front legs every so often and it almost looks like he is struggling to poo. I checked his bottom and pushed out a small amount of watery poo which was incredibly smelly. I am so worried about him and I have no idea how best to help him. I feel like the vet is clueless and is just guessing!
Has anyone experienced anything similar?
 
I hope someone with more knowledge can help soon but in the meantime have you looked at the forum vet recommender? There's a link at the top of the page and that will tell you the nearest good vet for guinea pigs in your area as unfortunately a lot of vets do not have a very good knowledge on guinea pigs. When you have found the closest reputable vet I recommend you take him as soon as possible. What antibiotics has your pig been given? And have you got probiotics to be giving him? Also if he's not eating much then it's so important for you to be syringe feeding him a good amount every few hours. What have you been syringing to him?
 
He is on 8ml of Baytril once a day. The vet gave us recovery food to give him but hes not keen but he is nibbling it. Just so worried :(
 
Lorryporry said:
He is on 8ml of Baytril once a day. The vet gave us recovery food to give him but hes not keen but he is nibbling it. Just so worried :(
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Are you sure that it is 8 mls? That is ten times the usual dosage of 0.8 mls! Please check your label and your syringe. Normally, you get a 1 ml syringe with your guinea pig medication.

Baytril is an appetite killer at the best of times (it kills off the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad bacteria). If there is no improvement and if there is still real discomfort, please contact your vet promptly.

In the interim, please weigh your piggy daily at the same time to keep an eye on his food intake and start syringe feeding him asap if he is not eating properly. Our detailed step-by-step guide also contains tips for what you can do with what you have at home for an emergency.
It would also be good if you got some probiotic to help prop up the gut. About one pinch. In an emergency, a shop probiotic will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Wiebke said:
Are you sure that it is 8 mls? That is ten times the usual dosage of 0.8 mls! Please check your label and your syringe. Normally, you get a 1 ml syringe with your guinea pig medication.

Baytril is an appetite killer at the best of times (it kills off the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad bacteria). If there is no improvement and if there is still real discomfort, please contact your vet promptly.

In the interim, please weigh your piggy daily at the same time to keep an eye on his food intake and start syringe feeding him asap if he is not eating properly. Our detailed step-by-step guide also contains tips for what you can do with what you have at home for an emergency.
It would also be good if you got some probiotic to help prop up the gut. About one pinch. In an emergency, a shop probiotic will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Click to expand...

Wiebke said:
Are you sure that it is 8 mls? That is ten times the usual dosage of 0.8 mls! Please check your label and your syringe. Normally, you get a 1 ml syringe with your guinea pig medication.

Baytril is an appetite killer at the best of times (it kills off the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad bacteria). If there is no improvement and if there is still real discomfort, please contact your vet promptly.

In the interim, please weigh your piggy daily at the same time to keep an eye on his food intake and start syringe feeding him asap if he is not eating properly. Our detailed step-by-step guide also contains tips for what you can do with what you have at home for an emergency.
It would also be good if you got some probiotic to help prop up the gut. About one pinch. In an emergency, a shop probiotic will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Click to expand...

Yes sorry I mistyped it is 0.8ml a day. Thanks for the advice. I think the baytril is putting him off :(
 
Baytril can upset a pigs gut and the watery poo suggests that. Please administer some probiotic. You can get 'ProC Probiotic' by Vetark from Pets at Home.
What do you mean by his scent gland is infected? I've never heard of this problem before.
 
Unfortunately Russell is not doing great :( took him back to the vets today who say he has a swollen abdomen and now a RI due to all the stress. I think the whole scent gland thing was nonsense that the vet came up with on Sunday. The vet gave him 4 injections, painkiller, antibiotics and something to get his digestive enzymes going again. He suggested to give him overnight and if no improvement he will need to be put to sleep. Absolutely devastated but we are trying our best. We were told to syringe feed him again when we got him home after an hour, we have tried and he point blank refuses. He holds it in his mouth and won't chew :( he is very flat and lying flat on the floor which he never does. Just cannot believe how quickly he has deteriorated :(
 
Lorryporry said:
Unfortunately Russell is not doing great :( took him back to the vets today who say he has a swollen abdomen and now a RI due to all the stress. I think the whole scent gland thing was nonsense that the vet came up with on Sunday. The vet gave him 4 injections, painkiller, antibiotics and something to get his digestive enzymes going again. He suggested to give him overnight and if no improvement he will need to be put to sleep. Absolutely devastated but we are trying our best. We were told to syringe feed him again when we got him home after an hour, we have tried and he point blank refuses. He holds it in his mouth and won't chew :( he is very flat and lying flat on the floor which he never does. Just cannot believe how quickly he has deteriorated :(
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HUGS

I am very sorry; just keep him as comfy and warm as you can. Guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly. If he is very apathetic, please don't force any syringe feed into him; it is not going to be processed.
 
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