Doxycycline and Fibreplex- advice please!

[LucyP]

Hi all

Our 2 year old girl Mabel has been prescribed doxycline (0.14 twice a day) for suspected lung infection/inflammation and we’re wondering about probiotics to help keep her gut steady.

We have some in-date and unused Fibreplex.

Would you recommend giving this and if so is it about 2 hours after the antibiotic? That seems to be a view on here but wanted to check.

Anything else we should be doing to help with her gut? She’s normally an excellent hay eater and we’re hoping this won’t change but aware that some meds really mess with the guts.

She’s on the meds for 3 weeks as this is something she’s had for a while (the vets first went down the heart route but CT suggests may be more lung related). She seems ok in herself but has some issues with her lungs lately.

We’re weaning her off frusol at the same time too.

Advice on the Fibreplex much appreciated - thanks!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear she is unwell.

Yes to the Fibreplex and yes to it being 1-2 hours before or after an antibiotic dose (never at the same time as).

If you aren’t already, then daily weights checks to monitor hay intake, and prepare for syringe feeding if needed

Best wishes for her recovery

 

[Josie_lg]

I always use fibreplex with antibiotics with my girls. I have one piggie who has quite a sensitive tummy, lots of tests have been done but nothing fine I think she’s just more sensitive to some foods. After one dose of fibreplex her poops improve so much. Plus my girls so crazy for it they love it

 

[LucyP]

Thank you so much both I appreciate this. About to give her the first dose of AB now and will give her Fibreplex about 90 mins after. Hoping the meds will help her with her issues. Hoping she likes Fibreplex as much as she’s enjoyed the frusol (see below her wrestling me!)

Thanks again and all the best to your piggies too.

Mabel sends her love

 

[Josie_lg]

Aw bless her ! I’ve just re read my message and that meant to say nothing was found in her poop tests haha! I’m pleased she took her meds so well! My piggies act Feral the minute I get the fibreplex out haha. But if it drops onto their chins and they don’t lick it off in time it hardens like little crystals and is a pain to get off. Buttercup ends up grooming her chin for hours bless her

 

[LucyP]

Thanks, I’ll watch out for that with the Fibreplex then! Mabel’s little pal winnie once ended up with a blob of emeraid that settled on her chin like concrete once, poor thing.

Glad Fibreplex has worked so well on yours.

 

[LucyP]

Hi all

Just to double check about dosages of Fibreplex, the package says 1ml per kg of body weight. This is for rabbits and are we ok to give the same amount or should it be less? She took her first dose well but today’s was a bit more of a struggle and messier. How do most people administer it?

Thanks v much!

 

[Piggies&buns]

1ml is fine if your piggy is a kilo. (It’s just that obviously with rabbits they weigh more so could need two turns of the dial)

You can administer directly from the syringe if possible. Or, to disguise it, perhaps you could make a bit of a syringe feed (wouldn’t need to be much) using her normal pellets (so familiar taste) and put the Fibreplex into that

 

[LucyP]

Thanks very much. She’s 1290 so we’ll adjust accordingly and try thanks to get it directly or mix with syringe feed if needed.

Many thanks

 

[Merab]

I pop 1ml of Fibreplex into the syringe with the critical care if I need to use it.
Hope your girl recovers quickly

 

[LucyP]

Thank you!

She’s finally started to wise up to the harsh truth that not everything we offer tastes delicious, so I think we’re going to have to try that tactic!

If only everything tasted as nice to them as metacam and frusol!