WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR RUPERT|?
1) BUGS identified
Ignore the coliform results unless the lab have identified particular species of bugs.
You need to clarify with vet if it is just Staph or also Strep (bearing in mind result 3)
Streptococcus and Staphylococcus groups are present in all animals....mainly on the skin and in the respiratory tract
Some species of each group are harmless commensales.
Some other species are opportunistic pathogens and could" cause disease
but only in the right circumstances (trauma, lowered immune system etc).
As far as guinea pigs are concerned....certain Staphyloccal and Streptococcal species "could" cause URI's & pneumonia (e.g. Staph aureus, Strep pneumonia) , and also abcesses/cervical lymphadenitis (e.g. Staph aureus, Strep.zooepidemicus). These bugs are presently residing quite harmlessly in all our guinea pigs....with no problems...(but awaiting for an opportunity)
It looks like, in common with other guinea pigs,, Rupert has the normal exposure to Staph and Strep.
So all the results are telling you is that Rupert is at risk of opportunistic infections from these bugs (BUT SO IS EVERY OTHER GUINEA PIG!). Hence why I say that the results per se are not anything to immediately worry about.
2) Antibiotic resistance/Future treatment
You need to clarify with the vet if antibiotic sensitivity testing was done and if so, what the results were.....If it wasn;t done, then ,I'm sorry to say that the results are completely unhelpful to Rupert and a waste of money
Staph and Strep used to be very sensitive to penicillin but this is not a good drug in guinea pigs so they are given baytril.
Sadly, over the years these bacteria have managed to build up resistance to certain more commonly-used antibiotics in both humans (e.g. MRSA) and guinea pigs (worryingly we are now also starting to see the occurrence of baytril and septrin-resistant Staph and Strep in routine guinea pigs swabs). So "just" prescribing baytril or septrin (especially in recurring cases) is not the best course of action as the antibiotic may be useless and allow the infection to spread.The purpose of a swab therefore should be to identify the antibiotic-resistance profile to save weeks of "trying" the wrong drug
My biggest concern therefore is that you have received no information on any antibiotic resistance profile in Rupert's results (if indeed it was done)
From my own experience of swabbing multiple guinea pigs in my house over the last 4 years, most of them now carry baytril and septrin resistant Staph and Strep (be it faecal, oral or nasal swabs). My vet's policy now is to swab first before treating and (if an emergency and the piggie can't wait 48hours for results) then the first broad-spectrum antibiotic of choice is now doxy-cycline rather than baytril or septrin.
3) Bone involvement?
Extrapolating what we know in humans for these diseases to guinea pigs...."Strep" sore throat, if not treated early enough with the right antibiotic, could spread and cause rheumatic fever/arthritis and also endocarditis (infection of the heart valves leading to congestive heart failure). Staphylococcal species (Staph.aureus) that normally cause limited and treatable skin infections/boils/URI etc could, if given the right opportunity, also cause such diverse diseases as food poisoning and osteomyelitis (bone infection)...which is why I think your vet made the remarks they did.
CLOSING MESSAGE
- Guinea pigs, like humans, carry all sorts of bugs that "could" cause disease in the right circumstances and that will show up on swabs
- These bugs often carry resistance to the normally prescribed antibiotics...and if allowed to fester can lead to other complications such as heart disease and bone disease.
- It is important to realise that baytril and septrin may no longer be the most appropriate first line of attack when a guinea pig is ill - but apart from baytril, all other antibiotics are STILL off license and many vets are therefore not happy to prescribe without diagnostic justification.
- Guinea pig slaves need to accept that diagnostics (in the form of swabs and sensitivity cultures....which cost money) are becoming an increasingly important as the first line of guinea pig treatment...providing the lab/vet knows what they are doing and reports back properly to the slave concerned..
- Swabs/lab results are only worth the money if antibiotic sensitivity testing is included
Phew - sorry for the epic epistle! But hope this helps everyone - mods feel free to make the info into some sort of sticky if it helps.
x