Unwell Guinea

[Florenceandwillow]

Hi all,

I have been doing some research and would like some advice if possible regarding our unwell guinea pig, willow, a four year old rescue.

Four days ago I noticed she had a runny nose and was sneezing. We took her to the vet who said she had a respiratory infection and prescribed her Baytril for a week. She was eating until 2 days ago, but has since lost her appetite and is very lethargic. She has three full days left of her treatment. Since she started treatment, she has lost over 10% of her body weight.

I am going to call the vets in the morning, but I am just looking for advice on whether to stop the antibiotics or not? Her sniffles have improved but haven’t fully gone, so feel it may be too early to stop antibiotics.

I started critical care yesterday but she is a fussy eater and has been fighting us every time we try to feed her. We have probiotic arriving tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear that.

Please do not stop the antibiotics without vet advice. Stopping prematurely can mean bacteria remain and then start off a worsening infection, plus it can lead to resistance.

It is vital that she is weighed daily (each morning) and syringe fed to replace hay intake. Use the weight checks to ensure you get enough syringe feed into her but you are looking to a minimum
of 60ml per 24 hours.

I hope she is ok

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[Florenceandwillow]

T

I’m sorry to hear that.

Please do not stop the antibiotics without vet advice. Stopping prematurely can mean bacteria remain and then start off a worsening infection, plus it can lead to resistance.

It is vital that she is weighed daily (each morning) and syringe fed to replace hay intake. Use the weight checks to ensure you get enough syringe feed into her but you are looking to a minimum
of 60ml per 24 hours.

I hope she is ok

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

I’m sorry to hear that.

Please do not stop the antibiotics without vet advice. Stopping prematurely can mean bacteria remain and then start off a worsening infection, plus it can lead to resistance.

It is vital that she is weighed daily (each morning) and syringe fed to replace hay intake. Use the weight checks to ensure you get enough syringe feed into her but you are looking to a minimum
of 60ml per 24 hours.

I hope she is ok

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Thank you. I will let you know what the vet says.

We have been trying to feed her as much critical care as possible but she fights every mouthful. The fight feels like it is exhausting her.
For what it’s worth, I am sure she would be fighting this if at full health too!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Respiratory infections are a double whammy for the appetite as the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat. Combine that with many antibiotics also impacting on the digestive bacteria in the gut and sometimes killing the appetite altogether it can make for a very tough battle. Please also offer a little water in between several syringes. Try to aim for as close as you can get to 5 ml in each session and feed every two hours during the day and once during the night with a critical piggy. We have been there ourselves and you have our full sympathy.

If things do take a turn for the worst overnight, here is our emergency and crisis care information collection. Please contact your vet first thing again tomorrow morning.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[Suki&Indie]

Antibiotics can be very hard on their digestive system which makes them feel worse (even though they should be getting over their illness) because of that they don’t want to eat
Probiotics are very helpful for replenishing the good gut bacteria and should help make your poor piggy feel better. I personally love fibreplex but whatever you can get your hands on will work - I think pets at home sells a powder version called vet ark or something?
I wouldn’t stop the antibiotics and deffo focus on syringe feeding, if shes fighting it try different things to see what she likes - warm/cold runny/thick - some people mash banana in for flavour and my piggies loved a bit of baby food (veggie only!) mixed in

 

[Florenceandwillow]

Antibiotics can be very hard on their digestive system which makes them feel worse (even though they should be getting over their illness) because of that they don’t want to eat
Probiotics are very helpful for replenishing the good gut bacteria and should help make your poor piggy feel better. I personally love fibreplex but whatever you can get your hands on will work - I think pets at home sells a powder version called vet ark or something?
I wouldn’t stop the antibiotics and deffo focus on syringe feeding, if shes fighting it try different things to see what she likes - warm/cold runny/thick - some people mash banana in for flavour and my piggies loved a bit of baby food (veggie only!) mixed in

Fibreplex arriving tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

 

[Florenceandwillow]

Hi

Respiratory infections are a double whammy for the appetite as the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat. Combine that with many antibiotics also impacting on the digestive bacteria in the gut and sometimes killing the appetite altogether it can make for a very tough battle. Please also offer a little water in between several syringes. Try to aim for as close as you can get to 5 ml in each session and feed every two hours during the day and once during the night with a critical piggy. We have been there ourselves and you have our full sympathy.

If things do take a turn for the worst overnight, here is our emergency and crisis care information collection. Please contact your vet first thing again tomorrow morning.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Thank you. We are trying to balance feeding her as much as possible without stressing her out too much which is proving to be difficult.

 

[Merab]

When mine need syringe feeding I add a bit of mashed banana to the mix.
It goes down very well.
I usually put a small dish of the critical care ( with added banana ) into the cage to help encourage eating.
A small dish of grated carrot and raw oats also goes down well.
It doesn’t matter if cagemates help.

Hope everything works out well for your piggy

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. We are trying to balance feeding her as much as possible without stressing her out too much which is proving to be difficult.

HUGS

It is always a horrible battle when a piggy is totally off their feed and you have to stay tough in order to give them a chance to live. Been there often enough myself and no doubt will be there again sooner rather than later. Stay focused on why you are doing what you are doing now.

Try to hang in there but also make sure that you look after yourself during that time.

 

[Florenceandwillow]

Quick update.

Just spoke to the vet - he said to stop antibiotics and painkillers now. He is worried about the weight loss and worried it could be something more serious. We need to carry on with critical care and probiotics and hopefully she starts eating/putting on weight.

He said if she’s not eating within 24-48 hours of stopping the medicines we should take her back in

 

[Wiebke]

Quick update.

Just spoke to the vet - he said to stop antibiotics and painkillers now. He is worried about the weight loss and worried it could be something more serious. We need to carry on with critical care and probiotics and hopefully she starts eating/putting on weight.

He said if she’s not eating within 24-48 hours of stopping the medicines we should take her back in

BIG HUGS

Fingers very firmly crossed! My thoughts are with you.

 

[artcasper]

ah i hope your piggy is ok.... When mine had to have critical care - I used to make it warm and feed off a spoon - they loved it like that... It is hard work syringe feeding so all the best x

 

[weepweeps]

Sending lots of healing vibes to Willow

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my heart

 

[Florenceandwillow]

Quick update - she’s deteriorated but still fighting.

The vet gave her an injection of penicillin due to the Baytril’s affect. Does anyone have experience with this? From what I’ve seen, Guineas can have it as a last resort. (Not orally)

I am asking because she is barely moving now, and taken a real turn since the penicillin shot. This may be just a coincidence, but they have scheduled two more shots (three days apart). If it is the penicillin troubling her, I fear one more dose could finish her off.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Quick update - she’s deteriorated but still fighting.

The vet gave her an injection of penicillin due to the Baytril’s affect. Does anyone have experience with this? From what I’ve seen, Guineas can have it as a last resort. (Not orally)

I am asking because she is barely moving now, and taken a real turn since the penicillin shot. This may be just a coincidence, but they have scheduled two more shots (three days apart). If it is the penicillin troubling her, I fear one more dose could finish her off.

Please speak to the vet if you are noticing a deterioration.

You are right, Injected penicillin can be given but it is usually only as a last resort antibiotic. Oral penicillin should never be given to guinea pigs.
Did the vet not feel any other oral antibiotic could be tried?

I have had a rabbit who contracted a rare illness and she and her cagemate had to have injected penicillin (the cage mate due to the risk of her contracting it also). The same goes for them, they can have it injected but never orally.

 

[Florenceandwillow]

Please speak to the vet if you are noticing a deterioration.

You are right, Injected penicillin can be given but it is usually only as a last resort antibiotic. Oral penicillin should never be given to guinea pigs.
Did the vet not feel any other oral antibiotic could be tried?

I have had a rabbit who contracted a rare illness and she and her cagemate had to have injected penicillin (the cage mate due to the risk of her contracting it also). The same goes for them, they can have it injected but never orally.

Thank you. I take it your rabbits recovered through the penicillin? Did they have one shot or was it multiple?

The vet didn’t mention/seem to think about any other oral antibiotics for some reason. Just trusting them with this one really.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you. I take it your rabbits recovered through the penicillin? Did they have one shot or was it multiple?

The vet didn’t mention/seem to think about any other oral antibiotics for some reason. Just trusting them with this one really.

I'm pretty sure they had two injections (it was a few years ago now). Yes, recovered well. Penicillin was the only antibiotic the infection would have responded to in our case.