• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Human Medicines for Piggies

Status
Not open for further replies.
mannyd

mannyd

New Born Pup
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Carterton, Oxon
Hi again

Another quick question.

I bought some Medised infant suspension (for 6 months+ I think) for potential use on my piggies for pain and inflamation relief recently. This was along with gripe water, Buscopan and Vicks vapour gel.

This was based on information I'd found on a piggie-related web site to nurse one of my teddy boars about 6 months ago. Unfortunately I can't find the web site item nor my pencilled notes I'd made at the time on how much to give. I thought it was the Peter Gurney site but can't find any reference.

Does anyone know any information about administering infant medicine such as Medised to a guinea pig or where I can (re-)find the information on this please?

I've not used it yet btw.

Thank you once again.:)p
 
I've never used Medised for piggies but I googled it and it didn't advise using it in kids under 6 due to possible side effects so I wouldn't risk it. Someone more experienced may have some more information on it. I would feel happier using baby Calpol at 0.2 mls twice a day.

I've never used gripe water either so can't advise on how much to use but I know it's safe as I have friends that have used it. For bloat I normally give 1ml of infacol then if necessary 1 tablet of buscopan, crushed and mixed with a little water.

Again, never had to use Vicks but I would probably put the pig in a steamy bathroom with some vicks dissolved in hot water, so he could breathe in the vapour, same as I would do with a child. I wouldn't apply the Vicks directly to the piggy.

These would of course be temporary measures until I could get the pig to a vet.

Hope this helps!
 
I would also stay away from medised. It used to be allowed for younger children and babies and it gave my daughter terrible hallucinations. It's one of the side effects for a small minority. Hence the reason they stopped it for babies and younger children, that and the fact that it's a sedative. It makes children drowsy.

Calpol / calprofen would be better.
 
I agree that Medised isn't really ideal for piggies. Children's Nurofen or infant Calpol are safer alternatives, dosage depends on age/weight of piggie but the large majority of adult guineas have a dose of 0.2ml 2x daily to manage pain and inflammation.

It should be said that no human meds should be used on guineas until you're sure of the diagnosis and should be used under the advice/supervision/guidance of someone experienced and qualified (vet and/or rodentologist) and the use of human meds should not replace the assistance of a qualified veterinarian.

If you've got any specific questions or thoughts about particular meds there are plenty of us with experience of dosing piggies who can share what we've learned and share our experiences, but you should still opt for veterinary medicines wherever possible.

I often use human meds on my piggies when waiting for an appointment to have them examined, they are useful to help guineas in such an interim, some meds can have their uses alongside some veterinary treatments and some even make up the whole treatment as they are so effective, but then I am sure of many of the diagnoses I have made based on symptoms (and had them confirmed at said appointments) and as such am sure of the suitable treatments; whenever I'm not sure, I check and/or leave.
 
Last edited:
Don't use Medised, purely for the reason it's not as widely used as other medications for guinea pigs, so we're not sure if it's as safe. Like the others have said, I give infant Calpol. You need the lowest strength you can purchase, which is 120mgs in 5ml. I personally only give 0.1mls twice a day, leaving, if possible, twelve hours between the doses. Like Laura, I wouldn't only really use human medications on my guinea pigs in times of desperate need! One of my guinea pigs recently had a terrible UTI and was hot to the touch and clearly in real discomfort so I gave her 0.15mls of Calpol twice a day. She sadly passed away though. Really, I think it's best to remember that human medications are best for humans, and wherever possible you should use medication designed for guinea pigs. Unfortunately not all of us have guinea savvy vets, so in some circumstances you'll still need to use human meds.
 
I agree, human meds have their place and their use shouldn't be dismissed given the benefits there are to using them in many situations, but the advice does have to be to use animal meds wherever possible.

We really need many more guinea savvy vets though, that's the real root of just about everything!
 
Yep..we need more knowledgeable vets. You'd make a perfect vet Laura ;)
 
My Mr Pig had strawberry nurofen for children as a pain relief and daktarin gel for his mouth. Both of which he took from a syringe with no towel wrapping required!
 
Haha, thank you Tracy, I considered training as a vet, still open to the idea, but I'm too specific! I would be very happy to just be able to work alongside a vet in some form - just to have vets listen to a rodentologists take on things would make a big difference. But it's finding a vet willing that's the problem. rolleyes

Kaz, I too have some pigs who'll take strawberry Nurofen no problems, don't even need to pick them up to dose them. However, the one pig I'd really like to take it just for a few days post neuter, fights tooth and nail over it. Luckily I can deal with the stubborn ones but I know there can be some real stinkers of pigs out there. :))
 
Medised can also cause respiritary problems - very potent stuff! I don't even give it to my kids I use paracetamol and piriton liquid to stop runny noses! I'd stick to plain old paracetamol for piggies much more gentle and few if any side effects x
 
Wow thanks very much to you all for your responses.

Just to alleviate your concerns, this is only for my emergency kit, and not instead of a proper professional diagnosis and prescription.

I travel a little way to my vet as she is recommended by the rescue and has several of her own pigs. I live round the corner from a vet practice but would rather travel to get their teeth clipped than walk there and risk a general anasthaetic (is that spelt right?)

So the Medised is in the bin and I got some Boots own instead! lol
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top