When will berry start getting better?

[Caseyhaigh123]

Berry caught another UTI we got her to the vet and got some medicine which we give twice a day for a week we went to the vet yesterday, so she’s had medicine 4 times. She still doesn’t move a lot and his make odd noises when breathing and won’t eat much, shouldn’t she be improving by now it was £40 for that medicine!

 

[Caseyhaigh123]

*URI

 

[Swissgreys]

Sorry to hear your piggy is not feeling well.
Persistent infections can be hard on a piggy, and it can take them a while to bounce back.

What medicine is she getting - I am guessing some sort of antibiotic?
Is she also on additional support like probiotics or anti inflammatories?
How is her weight?
Is she has been ill for a while has she lost any weight?
Is she eating ok or are you helping her with syringe feeding?
How long is the course of medicine.

Take heart - it can take a few days for the effects of antibiotics to kick in, so I am sure she will perk up soon, but in the meantime we could give you more ideas if we know a little more about the situation.

 

[Wiebke]

Berry caught another UTI we got her to the vet and got some medicine which we give twice a day for a week we went to the vet yesterday, so she’s had medicine 4 times. She still doesn’t move a lot and his make odd noises when breathing and won’t eat much, shouldn’t she be improving by now it was £40 for that medicine!

Hi!

What did the vet say? What antibiotic and what dosage is she on? Please be aware that it can take up to a week or sometimes longer for the medication to work. It can also happen that a guinea pig will not respond well and may need another antibiotic.

Are you support feeding her? The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to drink. Add to that the appetite dampening or even killing effect of an antibiotic, and you have a big problem! Guinea pigs need to eat; they cannot fast and run out of steam quickly. Your syringe feeding home care is as important as any medication; if a guinea pig is starving to death, no medication can get to work.
You can use mushed up pellets in an emergency but you need to cut off the tip of the syringe as shown in our syringe feeding guide to allow any fibre to come through.
You can also give a pinch of probiotics 1-2 hours either before or after the antibiotic to help the affected gut bacteria.

Please take the time to read these two guides here. They can make the difference between life and death for your guinea pig!
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Syringe Feeding & Medicating Guides, Probiotics Links, First Aid Kit...

You can help ease the breathing by placing a bowl of steaming water next to the cage and keep it changed.

All the best. Be patient; it just a day and the antibiotic needs time to build up. Your piggy will also start feeling a lot better with some food and energy in the belly!

 

[Caseyhaigh123]

Thanks for the reply’s
All we got for £40 was some baytril she was weighed and examined, the vet said wasn’t as ill as last time because she can actually walk this time.
We have been syringe feeding a bit but I will do it more after reading that,
I will place some hot water near the cage. Hopefully within a few days she gets better

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the reply’s
All we got for £40 was some baytril she was weighed and examined, the vet said wasn’t as ill as last time because she can actually walk this time.
We have been syringe feeding a bit but I will do it more after reading that,
I will place some hot water near the cage. Hopefully within a few days she gets better

Just hang in there; look after your piggy. It is not pleasant, but important. If your vet thinks that the infection is less bad than the last time, then your girl will hopefully bounce back in the next few days.

Don't force any more food down than fills the mouth (about 1/3 - 1/2 of a syringe but it can be less in a very weak piggy), wait until she has chewed and swallowed before giving more; the last thing you want is food ending up in the lungs and make the problem worse.
Weigh her daily at the same time (ideally before you offer dinner) to see whether she needs more or less syringe top up; you kitchen scales are perfectly fine for th job.

Please be aware that while baytril is well tolerated in the majority of cases, it can massively impact on the appetite in some piggies. A bad reaction can happen to any antibiotic, by the way.

All the best!