Antibiotic Resistant URI

[Vanesg4]

Hello, my guinea pig has had a URI that complicated into bronchitis for over a month now, he also had clear nasal discharge. He was on enrofloxacin for two weeks, and that did not make much of a difference, and then he was on doxycycline and that cleared the infection out of his lungs and the vet gave him a clean bill of health. It’s definitely back now as he is sneezing again and has clear nasal discharge. I called his vets today but they were out for the day, and the technician told me they would be in contact with me tomorrow with recommendations (whether he should come in again, though it’s been snowing and very cold out so they want to avoid that, or whether since they saw him just a few days ago they can prescribe another course). My pig had a similar URI bout at around the same time last year and they even tried chloramphenicol, which nearly killed him as he had a horrible reaction to it that destroyed his appetite and caused a severe bloat that landed him in the emergency vet. Eventually a very long series of doxycycline seemed to resolve the uri symptoms minus persistent nasal discharge, but not without lasting digestive side effects. I’m worried that this year he is too antibiotic resistant and that nothing will fix it. I keep his room very warm and per the vet’s instructions I put a warm humidifier in the room, across the room from his cage. I guess my question is, can antibiotics still fix this? My pig is 4 years old, and I’m so worried about losing him. His behavior is fine besides the sneezing and discharge, he’s got a fantastic appetite and poops plentifully (though smaller poops since the antibiotics). He’s very lively too.

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry your boy has a uri. He could just need a longer course of antibiotics or a different antibiotic altogether.

I am tagging in @PigglePuggle whoes piggy was poorly with a uri for almost a year before she was referred to a specialist

 

[VickiA]

I’m so sorry but I don’t know the answer to this. @PigglePuggle had a piggy with persistent URI who required several different and prolonged courses of antibiotics. I’ve tagged her so when she pops on hopefully she may be able to comment.

 

[PigglePuggle]

I dont think antibiotic resistance is too much of a problem in piggy URIs because we are very careful with how many courses of antibiotics they get, due to the gut problems they cause.
A bigger issue is finding the right antibiotic for the infection. Perhaps the vet could take some nose or throat swabs for lan tests to find the best antibiotic to use? Baytril/enrofloxacin is the standard first line treatment, doxycycline is very good for respiratory chlsmydia, which can be hard to shift and recur- it can be dormant and asymptomatic then flare up after you think its gone- so another course of doxycycline may be in order now.
I've never heard of chloramphenicol being safe for guinea pigs, except as an eye ointment perhaps- but there is also sulfatrim, and azithromycin, in the vets antibiotic arsenal that are safe for piggies and some bacterial infections are more responsive to these.
But if doxycycline cleared a recent URI perhaps the course just wasnt quite long enough/dose quite high enough- vets always give the shortest possible course because this is very harsh on the gut bacteria too.
When our Blodwen pig had her chlamydia pneumonia she did need a second course of doxycycline after her symptoms returned a couple of weeks after she seemed fine- but another 10 days at a slightly higher dose did the trick.
So maybe that is what the vet will do, another slightly longer/stronger course of what worked best, but if that doesnt help then swabs for lab tests may be the answer, and/or then trying sulfatrim or azithromycin.
Best of luck!

 

[Vanesg4]

I dont think antibiotic resistance is too much of a problem in piggy URIs because we are very careful with how many courses of antibiotics they get, due to the gut problems they cause.
A bigger issue is finding the right antibiotic for the infection. Perhaps the vet could take some nose or throat swabs for lan tests to find the best antibiotic to use? Baytril/enrofloxacin is the standard first line treatment, doxycycline is very good for respiratory chlsmydia, which can be hard to shift and recur- it can be dormant and asymptomatic then flare up after you think its gone- so another course of doxycycline may be in order now.
I've never heard of chloramphenicol being safe for guinea pigs, except as an eye ointment perhaps- but there is also sulfatrim, and azithromycin, in the vets antibiotic arsenal that are safe for piggies and some bacterial infections are more responsive to these.
But if doxycycline cleared a recent URI perhaps the course just wasnt quite long enough/dose quite high enough- vets always give the shortest possible course because this is very harsh on the gut bacteria too.
When our Blodwen pig had her chlamydia pneumonia she did need a second course of doxycycline after her symptoms returned a couple of weeks after she seemed fine- but another 10 days at a slightly higher dose did the trick.
So maybe that is what the vet will do, another slightly longer/stronger course of what worked best, but if that doesnt help then swabs for lab tests may be the answer, and/or then trying sulfatrim or azithromycin.
Best of luck!

Thank you so much for your reply! My vet contacted me today and recommended I schedule an appointment with a university about two hours away for some more advanced diagnostics to figure out why this is happening. She said as long as my pig’s nasal discharge is clear and he is eating and drinking well and overall himself that she would rather not put him back on antibiotics. The thing is, the earliest I booked him for is February 18th, and I am worried that he will go downhill with no treatment for so long.