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Guinea Pig with Pneumonia- loxicom dose

JosieK

JosieK

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi, my guinea pig Ted has suspected pneumonia and is really struggling.

He has eaten a little bid earlier but is now refusing to eat. I will try to syringe feed soon.

He has had two injections of antibiotics (one of them loxicom) at the emergency vet last night (approximately 22:30). I was advised to wait with the next dose for 24 hours but he is really unwell. Can I give him the loxicom earlier? I was advised to give him 0,5ml.
 
Has your guinea pig been prescribed cat strength or dog strength Loxicom ?
 
It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril
 
JosieK said:
Hi, my guinea pig Ted has suspected pneumonia and is really struggling.

He has eaten a little bid earlier but is now refusing to eat. I will try to syringe feed soon.

He has had two injections of antibiotics (one of them loxicom) at the emergency vet last night (approximately 22:30). I was advised to wait with the next dose for 24 hours but he is really unwell. Can I give him the loxicom earlier? I was advised to give him 0,5ml.
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Hi!

Loxicom is not an antibiotic but an analgesic (anti-inflammatory + painkiller), better known under the brand name metacam. Is it the 0.5 mg (cat) or 1.5 mg (dog strength)?

Please step in with syringe feeding and watering NOW.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Veggies Galore said:
Has your guinea pig been prescribed cat strength or dog strength Loxicom ?
Click to expand...
It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril of which we are supposed to give 0,8ml once a day. I'm just wondering wether I could maybe split this amount or is it not going to work?
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Loxicom is not an antibiotic but an analgesic (anti-inflammatory + painkiller), better known under the brand name metacam. Is it the 0.5 mg (cat) or 1.5 mg (dog strength)?

Please step in with syringe feeding and watering NOW.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Click to expand...
It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril of which we are supposed to give 0,8ml once a day. I'm just wondering wether I could maybe split this amount or is it not going to work?
 
JosieK said:
It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril
Click to expand...

Has the brown bottle got a label? Baytril is the most commonly used and licensed antibiotic. I can act as an appetite dampener/killer (impacting on the gut bacteria as much as on the bacteria in the lungs) in addition to the need to breathe coming before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat.
 
JosieK said:
It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril of which we are supposed to give 0,8ml once a day. I'm just wondering wether I could maybe split this amount or is it not going to work?

It is cat strength. We also have been given another liquid in a brown bottle, I think the vet said it was baytril of which we are supposed to give 0,8ml once a day. I'm just wondering wether I could maybe split this amount or is it not going to work?
Click to expand...

The loxicom is on the low side (ca. 0.16 ml of dog metacam) but it is just used for the discomfort. You can give it safely every 12 hours after the initial 24 hours wait.

As to antibiotics - a high dose once a day can be used for greatest impact (i.e. hitting hard) while giving half a dose of baytril every 12 hours means a more sustained supply. Your vet is going as high with the baytril as they can.
Please wait 24 hours as your piggy has been given a maximum dose by injection for best and fastest effect at the vet's. A higher dose of baytril is more likely to wipe out the gut microbiome.
What you can do for that is in this guide here: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
 
Fluid on the lungs can be a big issue too as they struggle to breath then they cant or dont want to eat and it just spirals. Did your vet mention Frusol (Frusemide) its a diuretic and can help with the breathing and something i have used a lot with guineas under vet advice, with respiratory illness. Poor little thing, I really hope the little chap feels better soon, pneumonia is a horrible thing esp in guinea pigs xx
 
Sadly Ted passed away just a little while ago, he wouldn't take any water or food and his breathing had gotten really bad. I feel so guilty but I rushed to the emergency vet as soon as I knew something was up. I just feel horrible..
 
I’m so sorry you have lost Ted. You were doing all you could. They can go downhill very quickly. Take care ❤️
 
I’m so sorry for your loss. My condolences. Please do not blame yourself.
 
JosieK said:
Sadly Ted passed away just a little while ago, he wouldn't take any water or food and his breathing had gotten really bad. I feel so guilty but I rushed to the emergency vet as soon as I knew something was up. I just feel horrible..
Click to expand...

BIG HUGS

I am so, so sorry.

Please do not feel guilty; you haven't done anything wrong. You just have been up against one of the real nasties bugs that can blow up out of nowhere and kill within hours; even if you see a vet as an emergency asap.
They used to lumped under the expression 'walking pneumonia' because of the speed they would hit and progress - far too fast for any meds to make a dent. It is one of the real nightmare scenarios that we all dread.
If you really need an exact answer, then a post mortem/lab test of lung tissue should show which of bugs beyond your classic bacterial pneumonia has been responsible.
If you want to find out more about respiratory illnesses beyond URI, then you may find the medical article in Guinea Pig Magazine issue 38 helpful in dealing with your overwhelming feeling of guilt and failure.
You can order back issues via their website: Guinea Pig Magazine

Please be sad for Ted for losing him in such a way without being able to brace for it but you haven't failed him in any way. It is just what I call 'cosmic bad luck' way beyond your control or influence. Be kind with yourself in the coming days.

This link here will hopefully come in helpful to make you understand better why you are feeling like you are right now and what you may experience in the coming days; what has happened with Ted and what you can do for any mate of his.
Here is the access link to our practical and detailed information with further links to rescources and helplines: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children
 
Thank your everyone for the kind words x I will just take it easy for now, I am absolutely devastated
 
I’m so sorry to hear about Ted:( It’s such a shock how quickly they can go downhill. You did everything you could, take care 🌈❤️
 
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