Azithromycin powder?

[CinnamonSmokey121]

Hi wise piggy friends,

My girl Smokey developed a sudden lump on her cheek a couple of weeks ago. I took her to the vets, who suspected an abscess. Luckily it's not teeth/jaw and she's eating fine, but it's on her cheek. Vet prescribed Baytril and metacam, which I gave her and thought the lump had gone down a bit. Took her back to the vets and he examined her again, and said that although some swelling had subsided, unfortunately the lump itself was the same size. Having read on here about different antibiotics, I asked about them and he'd never prescribed them before! He was very good and we looked into it together and I was ordered some azithromycin. I picked it up this evening (£52, then realised it's a human one so could've got it on the NHS for £9.35!) but it's a powder - it's got instructions for making it up, but just wondered if anyone has experience with powder, what temp water to use, how to store it and how long it stays fresh for? She has been prescribed 0.75ml twice a day.

Pics of the lump for reference, thank you for reading!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi wise piggy friends,

My girl Smokey developed a sudden lump on her cheek a couple of weeks ago. I took her to the vets, who suspected an abscess. Luckily it's not teeth/jaw and she's eating fine, but it's on her cheek. Vet prescribed Baytril and metacam, which I gave her and thought the lump had gone down a bit. Took her back to the vets and he examined her again, and said that although some swelling had subsided, unfortunately the lump itself was the same size. Having read on here about different antibiotics, I asked about them and he'd never prescribed them before! He was very good and we looked into it together and I was ordered some azithromycin. I picked it up this evening (£52, then realised it's a human one so could've got it on the NHS for £9.35!) but it's a powder - it's got instructions for making it up, but just wondered if anyone has experience with powder, what temp water to use, how to store it and how long it stays fresh for? She has been prescribed 0.75ml twice a day.

Pics of the lump for reference, thank you for reading!

Hi

Please follow the instructions for making it up yourself with normal tap water. I have done that a couple of times when it has been ordered in and not already made up at the vet clinic for you. Azithromycin is an off-licence antibiotic so there is no veterinarian brand. It only lasts as long as the course so it needs to be made up freshly at the start.

All the best.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi. Once mixed with tap water it can just be kept at room temperature but has a very short life, which is why it comes in a powder form. The instructions which come with it will tell you how long it lasts once made up. It is days not weeks so I usually divide the powder in half and mix it with the water half at a time.
I have only ever been prescribed it to be taken once a day at a dose of 1ml per kg of body weight. So a 750g pig would get 0.75ml once a day. How much does your piggy weigh? You may need yo check the dose eith your vet.
It is an excellent drug at dealing with abscesses but can be harsh on some piggies guts and might cause bloat, so I like to have a gut motility drug, such as emeprid, on standby in case this happens. It would be worth speaking to your vet about this too.