Update on Goggle

[Goggle's Mum]

Hi everybody,

Just a quick update on Goggle's health.

The Zithromax has definitely done something - there was a marked improvement after only one day. However, after the first consecutive five-day dose her breathing is still bad on occasion, and she doesn't appear to have regained any of the weight she lost. She is due three more doses on alternate days this week coming.

The vets gave two lots of probiotics to try, but Goggle isn't keen on either of them. I've tried them on Porcella too, and she hates them. The small amounts they have had seem to have put them off their fresh food. (Unless the antibiotics have put Goggle off her fresh food, and Porcella is just copying?)

Both lots of probiotics say "for rabbits" on the tub. Is this actually OK for guinea pigs? The ones they have now are called pro-fibre, made by Protexin. I'm certainly not forcing the probiotics on them. I'm sure Goggle's cut flora will naturally repopulate over time if her other health issues are cleared...

Thanks again to everybody who's helped so far...

 

[flips]

Thanks for the updat. I'm glad Goggle is showing some improvement.

Sorry, I can't answer your questions.

 

[Little Piggles]

I too can't answer your questions, but am glad to hear that Goggle is making an improvement

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

I dont know if this is any help at all but my vet recommended probiotic Avipro Plus and my pig absolutely loved it, i couldnt get it in the syringe quick enough.

Good luck x

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Good to hear Goggle has improved somewhat, I hope she fully recovers by her final dose of Zithromax.

It sounds unusual that both girls seem to go off their food after having the probiotic, the probiotic itself is safe for piggies. Is Goggle managing ok without a probiotic e.g. poops and eating habits normal?

 

[Goggle's Mum]

Aw, thanks for your good wishes, everyone!

It seems that Goggle and Porcella's appetites are slowly coming back, so that's good. One of them has ocassional loose stools, and I'm still assuming it's Goggle, but that predates the antibiotics. I can't see anything else wrong with them. I do think it's the probiotics.

If Goggle seems to need them, or ends up on a longer course of Zithromax, I'll try Avipro next!

 

[Wiebke]

I hope that the zithromax will do the trick! I am glad that Goggle is better.

You will probably have to wait with the weight gain - it took Llewelyn quite a long time recover weight wise after his battle with URI and he has never gained his full pre-illness weight.

Have you thought about mushing up Porcella's healthy poos and feeding those to Goggle as an alternative to probiotics? That is what piggies in nature do. Porcella has all the healthy bacteria that Goggle needs, even though it looks a bit disgusting!

 

[Goggle's Mum]

Thanks, Wiebke.

Are guinea pigs actually allowed to eat poo, then? I thought it was just the ceacotrophs they could eat...

 

[Pebble]

Thanks, Wiebke.

Are guinea pigs actually allowed to eat poo, then? I thought it was just the ceacotrophs they could eat...

Oh Lordy yes! Although Caecotrophs in the ormal run of things give them the extra vits etc they need - Peter Gurney's website mentions that ill piggies often stop producing them. Eating normal poos is therefore great as it enables them to get the normal bacteria that help restore their gut flora (bit like a probiotic - but probably more effective - it has been described on numerous threads here as piggie poop soup )

In fact when I have a pair of piggies and one is ill, there are sometimes no poos at all for a few days - they (sneakily) eat each others - causing me no end of worry when I'm trying to monitor their outputs....until I suss out what they;re doing

It's all sounding good for Goggle

x

 

[Goggle's Mum]

OK, thanks for that. Well, I did try to get Goggle to eat some of Porcella's poo, but she was having none of it! Any time a piece of food had even been anywhere near poo she spat it across the room or just wouldn't touch it. Sigh. Goggle always was the hygienic one.

I've decided to just leave her and hope she puts on the weight naturally and in her own good time. She does still have diarrhea, but I think it's slowly going on its own (touch wood).

In general, Goggle has returned to her old (crazy, high-energy) self over the past couple of days. Really, I can't thank the people on here enough who've helped. I think you saved my baby's life.

Thank you.

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

awww hope shes back to 'norm' soon x

 

[missy]

Glad to hear that Goggle is doing well - hope she continues to improve.

I'd still be concerned about her diarrhea though. Is it just squishy poops which aren't quite formed properly or is her poo actually runny and liquid-like?

I know you've already tried but probiotics can often help to firm things up. Perhaps you could try them with some Pro-C probiotic which you can buy from Pets At Home? It's a powder which you can easily add to their drinking water. I've used it a lot and never had a problem with a piggy not liking the taste....in fact, quite the opposite - they tend to drink more when that's added!

I personally would also cut out veg for a day or two, until things improve. Perhaps you could also treat them to some premuim hay, like Oxbow or Alfalfa King Timothy Hay, in the hope that the extra fibre will do the trick?

Did you ever try the Ewell Vets which Laura mentioned in your other thread? Lots of piggy owners travel a very long way to see Anne Taylor (myself included, although many travel much much further than me!) Anne is very highly skilled and experienced when it comes to guinea pigs and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her.