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Should I give Gertie probiotics at the same time as her antibiotics?

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helen105281

helen105281

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Hi, Gertie is on a course of Baytril at the moment as one of her wounds was infected. It could be me, but I think she is pooing slightly less than normal and I think it may be due to the baytril. Is it worth getting some probiotics for her? she is only on the Baytril until Saturday. I could be wrong, she is not using her litter area and pooing in her bed more, so could just be a change of location but thought I should check. Thanks for your help :)
 
I give the probiotics about two hours after the baytril... but that is just how i do it I am sure you will get lots of differing opinions....
 
I was prescribed a different antibiotic to Baytril as well as a probiotic by my vet in the past to treat an infection and we didn't have any problems
 
Yes yes yes yes yes!
Baytril without a probiotic will cause gut problems in 98% of cases. We were prescribed them by our new vet and I must confess I would always be suspicious of vets who don't now! We used Bio Lapis, added to 50ml of drinking water. I would suggest, whichever probiotic you use, start them now, don;t wait for a problem to develop.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Thanks for your help, will get what I can on way home from work, she sees the vet on Saturday so will get her to prescribe some, though am now completely unimpressed with my vet.
 
Will look at the thread thanks very much. Not any in Jollyes so off to p@h in a bit. If I order online they won't arrive before her appointment so will get a prescription on Saturday. Am annoyed with the vet though as I asked if she needed them and she said no. Have had bad experiences with this vet before when she misdiagnosed our first hamster as having mites when if turned out to be cushings disease. May have to look fir a cavy savy vet in North Herts.
 
helen105281 said:
Will look at the thread thanks very much. Not any in Jollyes so off to p@h in a bit. If I order online they won't arrive before her appointment so will get a prescription on Saturday. Am annoyed with the vet though as I asked if she needed them and she said no. Have had bad experiences with this vet before when she misdiagnosed our first hamster as having mites when if turned out to be cushings disease. May have to look fir a cavy savy vet in North Herts.
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Good idea! It is usually not bad to start asking your closest specialist rescue which vet they are using or which they would recommend.
http://www.guineapigrehome.org.uk/gp/centres.asp#Hertfordshire

Sue, who runs this rescue near Hitchin, is a member on here and might be able to help you. http://www.hillsbrookerescue.co.uk/
 
That's who we should be getting Gert's friend from. I will ask her, thanks.
 
We have got home tonight and Gertie does not seem her usual self, there are no poos in her cage (I cleared the others last night) and she has not eaten the fresh stuff we left for her. She has been out for a run and had a few bites of carrot and cucumber but has now gone back to bed. I am worried that she is constipated but she does not seem hunched up. I got some probiotics that I can either put in her water or sprinkle on her food but as she is not eating or drinking am not sure how I will get them into her. Any advice would be wonderful. She has the vets on Saturday morning but I am thinking of getting her an appointment for tomorrow if they have any. Should I be worried? We are not giving her her antibiotics tonight.
 
I would get to the vets tomorrow if it were mine. You could make the probiotic up with water as per the instructions, then syringe into her mouth little and often. Its not particularly easy and certainly not fun but necessary. Keep checking her for impaction http://www.guinealynx.info/impaction.html
Another suggestion that helped us was to syringe (or even spoon feel if you don't have asyringe) some fruit or veg based baby food into her. Or you could mush up some nuggets with water and syringe that.
Good luck Helen. I'm going to pm my mobile number, in case I can help or you just want someone to text or talk to.
 
Thanks, Devonbelle, things have got a bit better since I posted. I searched her bed when we got her out and found some fresh poos most of which were normal colour and shape. She hasn't eaten much all evening but has just stuck her head out and snatched some cabbage and cucumber. Will ring the vets first thing in the morning though. Will check pms now thank you. She also shouted a bit when I was chopping her veg earlier. Not as much as normal but a little bit.
 
Off to vets after work, she seems ok in herself this morning and we left her running around the living room as there is nothing dangerous and she will most likely have gone straight back into her bed via her run after we left. She has eaten a bit over night as the herbs next to her food bowl are squashed so she must have sat on them and the odd bit of veg has gone. Also a few poos in her bed, most are normal looking but a few are a bit small. Will see what they say later. She sat in ross' arms for a while this morning licking his arm so I dribbled some of the water with the probiotic in it on his arm and she licked that up too.
 
Small poos usually indicate a small food intake.
 
That makes sense. I have got a list of things to ask the vet, i.e teeth, antibiotics affecting appetitie and needing a probiotic, sore mouth, her breathing etc.
 
Back from the vets, am a bit happier now, she ate a bit on the way there and did some poos so he could see that they aren't all perfectly formed. Was a different vet today and he was so much more cavy savy. He thinks it is most likely the antibiotics and so said to stop them as she doesn't need them now. She has some fibreplex and he gave her the first dose and also a cream for the wounds she has reopened though a lot are healing now. She also had her second ivermenctin jab so hopefully will help a bit too. He also checked her teeth and for sores in her mouth. She is not eating loads but it's a start.
 
Thanks Devonbelle. She seems even brighter this morning and was eating her hay when we left. She has had some of her probiotic (though had to lick it off Ross' hand rather than directly into her mouth) and the cream and has done a fair few normal looking poos too - all over the living room:) She is still scratching a bit much but hope her injection will start to kick in soon. Lots of the wounds are starting to heal much more though. Have got the tubigrip ready in case though.
 
Gertie is much better today and back to her usual self. She is pooing lots and shouting when we open the fridge again. She has been up most of the evening eating her hay and veg and keeps eating her pellets too. Am so relieved. Even seems to be scratching a bit less too.
 
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