Antibiotics, Loss Of Appetite And Now Diarrhea!

[ESeidel]

I took our beloved 7 year old pig Rosie to the vet a couple of weeks ago because she had slightly crusty eyes for a while and although she had no other symptoms, I was worried she might have a respiratory infection. Oh how I wish I never did! The vet didn't think she had an infection but put her on an antibiotic just in case (I'm out of town right now and am not sure what antibiotics). It pretty much immediately put her off her food and we just thought it was maybe because she hated the taste so much. But after 5 days of the antibiotics we decided to stop because she was probably eating only half as much as before. We feed her fresh food in the AM and PM and she was really not wanting that, stopped wanting her vitamin C tab (even though she used to gobble them up). She has been eating hay pretty well and drinking ok. She's been off the antibiotics for almost a week and her appetite has not returned and tonight she had diarrhea. I've been reading a lot about probiotics and am a bit miffed my vet hasn't suggested that! Is it typical for her lack of appetite and now the diarrhea to happen this long after the antibiotics have been stopped? Should we give her probiotics and should it help? Thanks!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Hi, sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it!

Yes pro biotics will help, I'm currently using Pro C for my piggy and he seems to really like it too!

Are you syringe feeding her? If not I would definitely start, if she's not eating by herself she could go down hill especially with the diarrhoea. There are some great threads on here that will help.

Hope she gets better soon!

 

[DM030819]

Probiotics are great. They definitely come in handy when a pig is on antibiotics.

Make sure you weigh her daily, at the same time so you can track any weight loss. If she is declining then it's best to start syringe feeding.

It is actual diarrhea that she has or just soft poops. They're very different things.

 

[ESeidel]

Probiotics are great. They definitely come in handy when a pig is on antibiotics.

Make sure you weigh her daily, at the same time so you can track any weight loss. If she is declining then it's best to start syringe feeding.

It is actual diarrhea that she has or just soft poops. They're very different things.

Not sure, I'm out of town and my daughter called to tell me-she had to give her a little bath because she had poop all over her rear-my daughter called it diarrhea. She's been eating ok. So we haven't started the Critical care. I'm telling them to not give her fresh food today and start probiotics with I've ordered and are supposed to be delivered today-can she have people probiotics? We have capsules I can open and give her a bit of the powder?

 

[DM030819]

It's a good idea to stay off the fresh food for a few days until her stomach has settled.

The human probiotics should be okay. You'll have to check what the strength of them are so you don't give her too much.

 

[ESeidel]

Hi, sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it!

Yes pro biotics will help, I'm currently using Pro C for my piggy and he seems to really like it too!

Are you syringe feeding her? If not I would definitely start, if she's not eating by herself she could go down hill especially with the diarrhoea. There are some great threads on here that will help.

Hope she gets better soon!

Haven't started syringe feeding yet because she been eating ok-not as much as normal, but ok. Today we will stop fresh food for a bit and start a probiotic. I also read that

It's a good idea to stay off the fresh food for a few days until her stomach has settled.

The human probiotics should be okay. You'll have to check what the strength of them are so you don't give her too much.

I also read that letting them chew/eat cardboard or a toilet paper roll can help-have you heard that?

We're just so perplexed because she been off the antibiotics for a week! It must of really screwed up her little system!

 

[DM030819]

@ESeidel Plain cardboard is great for them when they're feeling a bit off. I have a pig who has recurring stomach issues and I can tell when he's feeling off as he'll eat a lot more of his toilet roll and cardboard house.

It's strange how their stomachs can get affected isn't it?! It might be just a coincidence that her tummy is off when she's finished her antibiotics as it could have been a stray piece of slightly off veg. It's happened to one of my boys before.

 

[Wiebke]

I took our beloved 7 year old pig Rosie to the vet a couple of weeks ago because she had slightly crusty eyes for a while and although she had no other symptoms, I was worried she might have a respiratory infection. Oh how I wish I never did! The vet didn't think she had an infection but put her on an antibiotic just in case (I'm out of town right now and am not sure what antibiotics). It pretty much immediately put her off her food and we just thought it was maybe because she hated the taste so much. But after 5 days of the antibiotics we decided to stop because she was probably eating only half as much as before. We feed her fresh food in the AM and PM and she was really not wanting that, stopped wanting her vitamin C tab (even though she used to gobble them up). She has been eating hay pretty well and drinking ok. She's been off the antibiotics for almost a week and her appetite has not returned and tonight she had diarrhea. I've been reading a lot about probiotics and am a bit miffed my vet hasn't suggested that! Is it typical for her lack of appetite and now the diarrhea to happen this long after the antibiotics have been stopped? Should we give her probiotics and should it help? Thanks!

Is it just soft poos or full fluid?

With any loss of appetite, please start offering additional syringe feed. In an emergency, this can be simply mushed up pellets, but it is always good to have some recovery formula and syringes at home; you may also want to stock some probiotic. Any antibiotic also impacts on the gut bacteria, which are vital for the digestive process; some piggies are more affected than most. It can happen with any antibiotic.

Please accept that a) probiotics are not medication and b) their effectiveness is not proven. Many vets have doubts about that. They are a merely supportive measure that you as an owner take at your own discretion.

Please weigh daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (the weight swings around 40g throughout 24 hours dpending on how/empty tummy and bladder are) and adjust any syringe feed according to the weight. keep in mind that hay is making 80% of the daily food intake, which you cannot control otherwise and which is often the first food group that is dropped.

Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

All the best for a good recovery! Try to get as much fibre in for the time being and stop any fresh veg if the diarrhea is fluid and until it has firmed up again for at least 24 hours. Speak to your vet if necessary.

 

[ESeidel]

Is it just soft poos or full fluid?

With any loss of appetite, please start offering additional syringe feed. In an emergency, this can be simply mushed up pellets, but it is always good to have some recovery formula and syringes at home; you may also want to stock some probiotic. Any antibiotic also impacts on the gut bacteria, which are vital for the digestive process; some piggies are more affected than most. It can happen with any antibiotic.

Please accept that a) probiotics are not medication and b) their effectiveness is not proven. Many vets have doubts about that. They are a merely supportive measure that you as an owner take at your own discretion.

Please weigh daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (the weight swings around 40g throughout 24 hours dpending on how/empty tummy and bladder are) and adjust any syringe feed according to the weight. keep in mind that hay is making 80% of the daily food intake, which you cannot control otherwise and which is often the first food group that is dropped.

Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

All the best for a good recovery! Try to get as much fibre in for the time being and stop any fresh veg if the diarrhea is fluid and until it has firmed up again for at least 24 hours. Speak to your vet if necessary.

Just soft serve, not watery. Does that mean she can have fresh veggies? She is quite mad this morning that she hasn't gotten her fresh morning breakfast!

 

[ESeidel]

Just soft serve, not watery. Does that mean she can have fresh veggies? She is quite mad this morning that she hasn't gotten her fresh morning breakfast!

Is it just soft poos or full fluid?

With any loss of appetite, please start offering additional syringe feed. In an emergency, this can be simply mushed up pellets, but it is always good to have some recovery formula and syringes at home; you may also want to stock some probiotic. Any antibiotic also impacts on the gut bacteria, which are vital for the digestive process; some piggies are more affected than most. It can happen with any antibiotic.

Please accept that a) probiotics are not medication and b) their effectiveness is not proven. Many vets have doubts about that. They are a merely supportive measure that you as an owner take at your own discretion.

Please weigh daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (the weight swings around 40g throughout 24 hours dpending on how/empty tummy and bladder are) and adjust any syringe feed according to the weight. keep in mind that hay is making 80% of the daily food intake, which you cannot control otherwise and which is often the first food group that is dropped.

Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs

All the best for a good recovery! Try to get as much fibre in for the time being and stop any fresh veg if the diarrhea is fluid and until it has firmed up again for at least 24 hours. Speak to your vet if necessary.

Ordered probiotics that should come today and will start CC today as a precaution. She tore into a toilet paper roll this morning and seems her old self, just a bit off her fresh food and now the soft serve poop.