Tummy Issue On Antibiotics - Will Fibreplex Help?

[Sarah.aJones15]

Fergie's tummy is firm & uncomfortable while he's on antibiotics. Will Fibreplex help? He weighed 858g at the vet's but is now fairly constant at between 890g & 900g so how much would I give him please?

Background
Fergie is a heart pig on antibiotic Zithromax (again) for pneumonia. None of that is a problem as we've got it all under control & he's scrutinised by us & the specialist vet on a daily basis, lol! This is week one of a four week course & I am keen to support his digestion which is a bit unhappy. He pursues his companion for poop as one would expect and is otherwise eating normally.

Current action
Gets:
Piggy-happy veg daily (1 sl cucumber, 2 sl celery, 1 French bean, 1" strip lettuce or spring greens, 1 sprig coriander, 1 sl green pepper)
Piggy-restricted veg once per week (carrot, yellow pepper, basil, parsley, kale, sugarsnap and so on)
Unlimited biccies & hay
Pro-C probiotic in his water (except for an hour after his antibiotic)

Heart meds (all the usual: benazepril, vetmedin & frusol)

Have him on a wobbler-pad a few times a day & massage his tummy til he gives me "the look", lol.

Thanks gang. What would we do without you, eh?

S

 

[Wiebke]

If the tummy is hard, then it is likely to be a build-up of gas and he may need some meds for that.

Fibreplex and hand feed will certainly help. Keep off fresh veg until the tummy is soft again and then introduce them only slowly. I would also syringe the probiotic rather than put it in the water where it will go off.

 

[Sarah.aJones15]

OK thanks Wiebke, that's a good plan. I'll email the vet re meds for gas or is there a standard one?

 

[Wiebke]

OK thanks Wiebke, that's a good plan. I'll email the vet re meds for gas or is there a standard one?

As your boy is already on a cocktail of meds, I would strongly recommend to speak to your vet!

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Oh no poor boy! Unfortunately I have found this is a side effect of Zithromax in one of my piggies Keep food going through him, he may need some Emeprid & Zantac/Cisapride. Meanwhile keep him mobile as much as you can, massage his tummy gently or sit him on a massage pad or use an electric toothbrush handle on his tummy. Fingers crossed he feels better soon x

 

[Sarah.aJones15]

My local vet has given Cisapride & Emeprid on Sarah Pellet's recommendation &, before I give it to him, just want to check the dose. Apparently neither impact on his other meds (good to know) so, as he's 903g, does the dosage sound about right please?

Cisapride 0.2ml twice a day
Emeprid 0.8ml twice a day

Thanks as always xx

 

[Poppy'sMum]

I think Petal was on 0.7 Emeprid 3 times a day, I will check, she is a big girlie though

 

[Pebble]

The dose will depend upon the strength of the solutions you have been given:
My cisapride is 5mg/ml concentration. My vet prescribes 0.5mg/kg so a 1kg pig gets 0.1ml twice daily. The dose range for cisapride in piggies is 0.1mg-0.5mg/kg so in this case my pig is getting the upper range dose.Your pig is receiving double the upper range dose of cisparide assuming your solution is 5mg/ml
My emeprid is 1mg/ml concentration. Dose range is 0.2-1mg/kg so a dose range of 0.2-1.0ml for a 1kg pig. My vet prescribes 0.1-0.5mg/kg ie 0.1-0.5mml for a 1kg pig.

In a severe case of bloat, my vet may up the doses.so it may be this is why you have a higher dose of cisapride (however worth checking with the vet)

Also I too have had a bad bloat reaction to azithromycin in a pig with a dental abcess. The abcess and the bloat cleared up but then both came back. We cultured the bug and it was a streptococcus that was sensitive to all antibiotics EXCEPT azithromycin - so pig is now on baytri and that is working well.
I don;t know if this is the first record of an azithromycin-resistant strep infection diagnosed in piggies here in the UK but clearly once a piggie has received azithormycin for one infection.....there is a chance that any subsequent infection may be caused by a bug that has developed resistance following exposure to the drug first time round. As we often also find baytril and septrin resistant staphylococcus and streptococcus in swabs, my vet will not prescribe antibiotics without first doing a swab/culture sensitivity test.

Wishing Fergie a speedy recovery
x

 

[Sarah.aJones15]

Thanks gang. I've emailed my Exotic specialist to see what she says.