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Weightloss due to antibiotics?

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JayneG

JayneG

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Morning everyone. You may know that my 4.5 year old boar Eric is having 0.5mls baytril twice daily for a respiratory infection. He's also having probiotic 1.5-2 hours afterwards. He was 1300g last week and is now down to 1150g. Do you think this could just be due to the antiobiotics upsetting his tummy a bit? He's still got a very good appetite. Anything I can do to help keep his weight up? It'll be his last day on the antiobiotics tomorrow, maybe his weight will start to pick up after that. :^-
 
Maybe down to him falling rough and the antibiotics. Do you have critical care? You could maybe supplement his diet with that so he gets a bit extra. :)
 
Hmm I was thinking about that. I'll google now and get some critical care pronto. Thanks!
 
I'd probably say what the others have and add a bit of critical care to his diet for a couple of days.
 
Thanks, well I've just ordered some to arrive tomorrow morning. It's usually syringe fed isn't it? His appetite is good so I'm hoping he'll just eat it when I mix it up and give it to him.

What a difference in price this stuff is on various websites!
 
I must say that when I'm on antibiotics, I lose weight as they always make me feel sick! So the poor little critter may be like that too, but piggies cant vomit. Maybe give him extra hay aswell, carbohydrates can help a dicky tummy xxxxxxx
 
Yeah its syringe fed. Mine cost £7.50 for a small bag at the vets. :)
 
If the pig is eating for himself, you don't need to syringe the critical care, what I find best with mine if they're keen to eat is to mix up the critical care a bit mushy (but not liquid), cut a chunk of cucumber an inch or two wide, then use a teaspoon to scoop out a 'bowl' in the middle of the cucumber which can then be filled with critical care. You can do this with apples and carrots too. Vikki taught me that trick, and it really works - they munch the cucumber and the critical care just sort of follows..

Good luck

Sophie
x
 
I'm sorry to hear Eric hasn't been well.

I have nothing to add on the antibiotics side of things, but do have experience with supplementing (as well as syringe-feeding). Mine eat supplemented feeds straight off a plate, they get them every other day due to elderly pigs and various illnesses. Except I use NutriPowder from Galen's Garden, MUCH cheaper than Critical Care. (1kg for £30, it is that price for half the amount of CC).

Critical Care failed to help my dental pig gain weight; within 4 days of giving just 20ml NutriPowder daily (thick consistency, given on a plate at her leisure) she was back over 2lb. Didn't put excessive weight on her at all, just picked her up to her normal weigh and helped her hold it.
 
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