How long should sulfatrim take to work?

[Wizzy]

Hi everyone!
Rexy and Pepper are now on sulfatrim to get on top of a uri that wasn’t responding long term to Baytril... we’re on day 2 and no improvement just yet.. although rexy is less lethargic today. Rexy has no crust around her eye anymore but it is a little watery. Peppers nose is clear but her breathing is still a little wheezy. They both have 0.25ml twice a day and the Firberplex (recommended by @wikebe thank you!) is coming tomorrow. How long until i should start to see any significant improvements? Rexys weight dropped by 36g yesterday but had increased by around 20 today. Not too worried just yet, i’m just hoping the sulfatrim does something soon!

 

[Wizzy]

@Weibke sorry i spelt it wrong previously

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone!
Rexy and Pepper are now on sulfatrim to get on top of a uri that wasn’t responding long term to Baytril... we’re on day 2 and no improvement just yet.. although rexy is less lethargic today. Rexy has no crust around her eye anymore but it is a little watery. Peppers nose is clear but her breathing is still a little wheezy. They both have 0.25ml twice a day and the Firberplex (recommended by @wikebe thank you!) is coming tomorrow. How long until i should start to see any significant improvements? Rexys weight dropped by 36g yesterday but had increased by around 20 today. Not too worried just yet, i’m just hoping the sulfatrim does something soon!

Hi!

It takes at least 1-2 days before an antibiotic gets going. Initially you just want a stabilisation before you see improvements. You should see ideally the first little steps around now but don't expect wonders; it is a slow and gradual process. Antibiotics build up in effect the longer you take them. That is the reason why you cannot break off a course as soon as acute symptoms disappear. They are a bit like an avalanche that builds up volume and speed gradually at first before it is ripping down the mountain.

Please be aware that we talk about weight loss only after 50g/2 oz since the difference between a full and an empty bladder is around 10g and that between a full or empty tummy about 30-40 so the weight is going up and down over the course of a day. It is a good sign that yours is basically holding their weight.

More about weight swings, weight monitoring and what to look out for in this guide, which you may find very interesting and helpful: Weight - Monitoring and Management

PS: Any complaints about my name and its spelling have to be laid at the door of my parents!

 

[Wizzy]

Hi!

It tales at least 1-2 days before an antibiotic gets going. Initially you just want a stabilisation before you see improvements. You should see ideally the first little steps around now but don't expect wonders; it is a slow and gradual process. Antibiotics build up in effect the longer you take them. That is the reason why you cannot break off a course as soon as acute symptoms disappear. They are a bit like an avalanche that builds up volume and speed gradually at first before it is ripping down the mountain.

Please be aware that we talk about weight loss only after 50g/2 oz since the difference between a full and an empty bladder is around 10g and that between a full or empty tummy about 30-40 so the weight is going up and down over the course of a day. It is a good sign that yours is basically holding their weight.

More about weight swings, weight monitoring and what to look out for in this guide, which you may find very interesting and helpful: Weight - Monitoring and Management

PS: Any complaints about my name and its spelling have to be laid at the door of my parents!

sorry about the name, i’m never any good at spelling
i read in a previous thread that sulfatrim can take a bit longer to kick in- is this true? As with Baytril i did see effects within a day or 2 but they then seemed to get worse again after, hence why the vet is trying a different antibiotic. This has been going on well over a month now, can’t believe how long this process is! Whilst Rexys lungs are still crackly she got the infection from Pepper- who’s lungs are now clear. Let’s hope the sulfatrim works

 

[Wizzy]

Pepper has now started croaking again- and i’m hoping it’s just because they hay in the cage is a bit dusty. The vet said her lungs were clear and id hate for that to change. Fingers crossed the sulfatrim does something very soon!

 

[Wizzy]

tagging @Wiebke i hope i finally spelt it right this time

 

[Wiebke]

sorry about the name, i’m never any good at spelling
i read in a previous thread that sulfatrim can take a bit longer to kick in- is this true? As with Baytril i did see effects within a day or 2 but they then seemed to get worse again after, hence why the vet is trying a different antibiotic. This has been going on well over a month now, can’t believe how long this process is! Whilst Rexys lungs are still crackly she got the infection from Pepper- who’s lungs are now clear. Let’s hope the sulfatrim works

Sulfatrim takes a bit longer to kick in fully and may be taken for longer but we are seeing recently that depending on the nature of the respiratory infection the response can vary enormously individually, especially when you are dealing with pneumonia/persistent URI.

If the sulfatrim is not doing the trick, then it is worth taking a swap and considering a lab test as to which antibiotics you get a response to. Not cheap but more effective than going by trial and error. There are another three non-licensed antibiotics that can be used alone or in combination in severe cases (zithromax (azithromycin), marbocyl and doxycycline).

It is always hardest when you are waiting for results and there is nothing to can do to rush things on!

 

[PigglePuggle]

Yes as Wiebke says it can take a few days to see any effect, especially with a stubborn infection, maybe 3 or 4 or 5 days- if no improvement after a week though you should speak to the vet about trying a different antibiotic. Hope your piggy improves, waiting for the medicine to work is a stressful time but give it a chance and hopefully it will! X

 

[Wizzy]

Sulfatrim takes a bit longer to kick in fully and may be taken for longer but we are seeing recently that depending on the nature of the respiratory infection the response can vary enormously individually, especially when you are dealing with pneumonia/persistent URI.

If the sulfatrim is not doing the trick, then it is worth taking a swap and considering a lab test as to which antibiotics you get a response to. Not cheap but more effective than going by trial and error. There are another three non-licensed antibiotics that can be used alone or in combination in severe cases (zithromax (azithromycin), marbocyl and doxycycline).

It is always hardest when you are waiting for results and there is nothing to can do to rush things on!

Yes as Wiebke says it can take a few days to see any effect, especially with a stubborn infection, maybe 3 or 4 or 5 days- if no improvement after a week though you should speak to the vet about trying a different antibiotic. Hope your piggy improves, waiting for the medicine to work is a stressful time but give it a chance and hopefully it will! X

Thank you! i’m starting to think a very very long course of Baytril may be the answer, as they improved a lot on a 3 week course of that, but weren’t completely better so the vet switched to sulfatrim. Now they’ve both gotten quite bad again. Both are still eating normally so i’m not too worried yet. My dad said to give it a week and then we can always go back. I hope this is all over soon as it started back in may! thank you very much for your help, it’s very appreciated x

 

[Wizzy]

Thank you! i’m starting to think a very very long course of Baytril may be the answer, as they improved a lot on a 3 week course of that, but weren’t completely better so the vet switched to sulfatrim. Now they’ve both gotten quite bad again. Both are still eating normally so i’m not too worried yet. My dad said to give it a week and then we can always go back. I hope this is all over soon as it started back in may! thank you very much for your help, it’s very appreciated x

Also, around how much would the lab test be?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you! i’m starting to think a very very long course of Baytril may be the answer, as they improved a lot on a 3 week course of that, but weren’t completely better so the vet switched to sulfatrim. Now they’ve both gotten quite bad again. Both are still eating normally so i’m not too worried yet. My dad said to give it a week and then we can always go back. I hope this is all over soon as it started back in may! thank you very much for your help, it’s very appreciated x

Just give your piggies more time for the antibiotic to work. the fact that they are still eating and keeping their weight means that they are not badly affected by their illness. Because the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to drink, serious respiratory illnesses are always accompanied by a massive/total loss of appetite and a pretty quick deterioration/lethargy as they run out of gas.

 

[Wizzy]

Just give your piggies more time for the antibiotic to work. the fact that they are still eating and keeping their weight means that they are not badly affected by their illness. Because the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to drink, serious respiratory illnesses are always accompanied by a massive/total loss of appetite and a pretty quick deterioration/lethargy as they run out of gas.

Thank you, @Wiebke the past few weeks have been quite overwhelming, so that’s good to hear. I have about £55 saved up including my birthday money, so hopefully that will be enough in worse case scenario