Senior pig with URI

[Lizabel]

Kevin (5 yrs 4 mths) has been breathing with a wheezy/snuffly sound for a couple of days so I took him to the vet this morning. Vet diagnosed possible URI and has prescribed 7 days of Baytril (0.25ml twice a day). Kevin currently weighs 1.2kg, has not lost any weight and is eating as normal, no loss of appetite for hay and veg. The vet was happy with his overall condition apart from the breathing which he could hear through his stethoscope. There is no eye or nose discharge, poops and urine normal.

Kevin has never had Baytril before and I am slightly nervous about administering and any potential ill effects. I've read the medicating guide here which really helped. The first dose went down OK this morning, diluted with water as instructed by the vet and followed by his favourite red pepper. I'm aware that future doses may not be so straightforward now he knows what's coming.

I've ordered pro-c supplement in case the antibiotic upsets his gut. Is there anything else I should be aware of with Baytril, any side effects to look out for? Or does anyone have any experience with URI they can share? He's been so healthy until now. TIA.

 

[Truffolo]

Biolapis Fibreplex is good as a probiotic with live bacteria. You feed if at least two hours before or after the antibiotic. Syringing Baytril is a bit of a tricky job. Some piggies like Ribena so you could try that. I hope it goes well and your lovely piggy gets better soon

 

[Piggies&buns]

Baytril tastes awful (do not taste it yourself as it’s harmful to humans) so yes it is possible next time won’t be as easy!

Weigh him daily to keep a close eye on hay intake. Baytril can knock the appetite so keeping a close eye on his weight, and being prepared with syringes in case you need to step in with critical care feeds.

When you say diluted with water as instructed by the vet, does that mean they have given you the undiluted version?
Baytril is caustic so has to be diluted first but vets normally do the dilution prior to dispensing as it has to be done in the correct amounts.

Or did they mean to add some water just to take the (awful) taste down a bit?
The issue with adding any other liquid to the dose is that is you then end up having to give a higher quantity of liquid which given piggies have a huge amount of tastebuds, they can still taste it and then the process can backfire and they don’t end up getting the whole dose

 

[Lizabel]

[/QUOTE]
When you say diluted with water as instructed by the vet, does that mean they have given you the undiluted version?

Or did they mean to add some water just to take the (awful) taste down a bit?
[/QUOTE]

Yes, the vet has given me the undiluted version and advised me to dilute in the syringe with the same quantity of water/juice as Baytril, to hide the taste.

He did say that diluting and therefore increasing the volume of liquid can make it harder to administer. He didn't tell me it was caustic though.

I've read online it can be given undiluted followed immediately by water/juice.

I have apple and mango high juice squash - is that safe to try as a taste disguiser?

I'm grateful for your reply but I'm feeling even more anxious now, I don't want to cause other problems! I understand that antibiotics have a job to do but why do they have to be so unpleasant....

 

[Piggies&buns]

You cannot give the undiluted version and then follow it up with liquid after -
(that only applies to the diluted version (ie the vet has diluted before dispensing and you as an owner are simply following the dose up with something sweet to take the taste away and to get them to associate it with having something nice after).

- The undiluted version must be diluted before being administered to your piggy.
You can then still give something nice tasting after.

Diluting due to being given the undiluted version (must be done) and diluting to hide the taste (done for ‘cosmetic’ for want of a better phrase) are two different things - I hope that makes sense.

Please don’t feel anxious about it.
It is unusual for the vet to give the undiluted version (normally they dilute then dispense to the owner and the owner) but it is not the first time we have see owners prescribed the undiluted version in recent months. Hence why I mentioned it when I saw you say you dilute as per instructions

You can try the squash, but personally I would make up a glass of the squash with water a normal. Draw up the Baytril, and then draw up the squash - so he isn’t getting the squash as concentrate

 

[Lizabel]

That all makes sense, thank you. I'm glad I posted. Interesting to note the variation in prescribing diluted/undiluted. I will make up a glass of squash before this evening's dose which I'll be doing shortly. Thank you for the reassurance.

On a lighter note, I never imagined I would ever say that I'm making a glass of squash for one of my pets!.

 

[Lizabel]

Five doses delivered so far although I can't guarantee 100% of every dose has gone in! The fruit squash seems to be helping although the faces Kevin pulls are quite dramatic and the tactics he's finding to avoid opening his mouth are getting more extreme!
I think his breathing is less noisy today but I might be imagining it. It's only day 3.
He will forgive me for this, won't he?
Don't tell him but he's due a bum bath when the stress of meds is over.

 

[Truffolo]

Sweet Kevin. Yes, Polo seemed to realise the meds were helping him and was quite forgiving. His wheezing episodes cleared up at about day three, but he has needed a few courses of antibiotics as there was some recurrence At the moment he is breathing OK with no symptoms (touch wood) I hope your lovely piggy gets better quickly