Is Baytril safe for young guinea pigs? 12 weeks old

[Lucy2103]

Is Baytril safe for young guinea pigs? 12 weeks old

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Can you please give us a bit more background information?

We have seen it prescribed plenty of times on this forum for newly bought pet shop babies but without knowing what it is being prescribed for and at which dosage we cannot comment on your own situation.
There are only two officially licensed antibiotics for guinea pigs in the UK; and sulfatrim has only been licensed for a few years.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

I'd be interested to know a definitive answer to the question. A couple of years ago I took a 7 week old piggie to the vet to have a wound looked at. The young vet initially indicated she was going to prescribe Baytril to prevent infection, but then she checked with a more experienced vet and said she wouldn't. Her explanation was that it was thought it might cause growth issues in baby pigs- that was the gist of what she said, I can't remember the exact explanation. I don't know where the info came from , if there has been proper research etc into side effects of Baytril.

 

[Freela]

Guinea Lynx states that it can potentially cause growth issues in very young pigs. Here's a link to their info.
Guinea Lynx :: Antibiotics

 

[Lucy2103]

Hi

Can you please give us a bit more background information?

We have seen it prescribed plenty of times on this forum for newly bought pet shop babies but without knowing what it is being prescribed for and at which dosage we cannot comment on your own situation.
There are only two officially licensed antibiotics for guinea pigs in the UK; and sulfatrim has only been licensed for a few years.

A UTI and the dosage 0.14

 

[Wiebke]

A UTI and the dosage 0.14

Hi

As you are in the UK, you have sulfatrim (previously known as unflavoured adult septrin or bactrim) as a secondary option. It is generally considered more effective with urinary tract issues whereas baytril is better with respiratory ones but they to work with either issue.

Is the baytril once daily or twice daily? I assume that you are seeing a no frills general vet chain?

 

[Lucy2103]

Hi

As you are in the UK, you have sulfatrim (previously known as unflavoured adult septrin or bactrim) as a secondary option. It is generally considered more effective with urinary tract issues whereas baytril is better with respiratory ones but they to work with either issue.

Is the baytril once daily or twice daily? I assume that you are seeing a no frills general vet chain?

Baytril is twice daily. 0.14 every 12 hours. It has worked and has cleared up the UTI effectively. Most recent urine sample on Friday showed no blood finally and a slight trace of protein. The previous Friday there was significant blood after a week of Baytril which means 2 weeks of baytril has been effective. Vet has requested we continue baytril for one more week as part of general practice to make sure infection has totally cleared and can't come back. This will be 3 weeks of baytril once we finish the dosage. I am just wondering if 3 weeks of baytril at such a young age will have had any effect on bone development as I'm hoping it hasn't. She is still very small but has put on weight, whereas her sister is much larger than her now but I don't know whether this is just down to her being ill.

 

[Wiebke]

Baytril is twice daily. 0.14 every 12 hours. It has worked and has cleared up the UTI effectively. Most recent urine sample on Friday showed no blood finally and a slight trace of protein. The previous Friday there was significant blood after a week of Baytril which means 2 weeks of baytril has been effective. Vet has requested we continue baytril for one more week as part of general practice to make sure infection has totally cleared and can't come back. This will be 3 weeks of baytril once we finish the dosage. I am just wondering if 3 weeks of baytril at such a young age will have had any effect on bone development as I'm hoping it hasn't. She is still very small but has put on weight, whereas her sister is much larger than her now but I don't know whether this is just down to her being ill.

From what we have seen on here in the last 15 years when baytril was the only officially licensed antibiotic, I would not worry. Baytril sometimes can affect the appetite (or rather the microbiome in the gut that is responsible for the digestive process) but we have never come across a stunted piggy because of baytril.

Your smaller girl will always remain smaller and the weight/size difference will actually widen - but that is a normal process that happens in siblings/age mates irrespective of whether they are on baytril or not. Please keep in mind that the birth weight in guinea pigs can vary from 40-120g; the average is about 70-100g. Size and weight have however nothing to do with longevity. I have had piggies who were pushing 800g in their prime live to see their 8th birthday as well as my Nerys (the large teddy in my avatar), was brought pretty much double of that on the scales at her best.
If there really was a serious problem with baytril, it would be taken off the market or there would be very clear guidelines for vets in the UK vet online reference resource that lists the dosage range for every licensed medication for every species and will also include any age-related prescription issues. If new research does influence recommendations for UK vets, then they will be taken up into the reference online book in due time.

More about weight, working out whether your piggy is a good weight for their genetically determined size (which varies a lot more than textbooks suggest), i.e. the 'heft' or BMI and how to monitor your piggy life-long. It also has a chapter on how weight changes naturally over the course of a lifetime etc. You should find the guide rather interesting and helpful in allaying any fears and putting the whole weight issue into the proper perspective.
Here is the link: Weight - Monitoring and Management

The guide is part of our much more comprehensive practical New Owners Guides Collection, which you may want to bookmark, browse, read and re-read at need. It is one of the more extensive information collections around and has been specifically written for new owners with the kind of practical and precise how-to approach as much as possible.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

It's good that the UTI appears to have cleared up.
Baytril affects the gut flora and can dampen the appetite, so your piggy may have been eating less than her sister, reducing her growth perhaps. It's generally recommended to give a probiotic to support the gut when giving Baytril, as a result. Also to weigh daily when a piggy is ill, so as to ensure that they are eating enough still.

It's interesting that others have heard the same as me regarding Baytril and growth, but I couldn't say whether it has affected your little one. It may be a case of time alone will tell- and she may just be genetically smaller than her sister anyway.

 

[Lucy2103]

From what we have seen on here in the last 15 years when baytril was the only officially licensed antibiotic, I would not worry. Baytril sometimes can affect the appetite (or rather the microbiome in the gut that is responsible for the digestive process) but we have never come across a stunted piggy because of baytril.

Your smaller girl will always remain smaller and the weight/size difference will actually widen - but that is a normal process that happens in siblings/age mates irrespective of whether they are on baytril or not. Please keep in mind that the birth weight in guinea pigs can vary from 40-120g; the average is about 70-100g. Size and weight have however nothing to do with longevity. I have had piggies who were pushing 800g in their prime live to see their 8th birthday as well as my Nerys (the large teddy in my avatar), was brought pretty much double of that on the scales at her best.
If there really was a serious problem with baytril, it would be taken off the market or there would be very clear guidelines for vets in the UK vet online reference resource that lists the dosage range for every licensed medication for every species and will also include any age-related prescription issues. If new research does influence recommendations for UK vets, then they will be taken up into the reference online book in due time.

More about weight, working out whether your piggy is a good weight for their genetically determined size (which varies a lot more than textbooks suggest), i.e. the 'heft' or BMI and how to monitor your piggy life-long. It also has a chapter on how weight changes naturally over the course of a lifetime etc. You should find the guide rather interesting and helpful in allaying any fears and putting the whole weight issue into the proper perspective.
Here is the link: Weight - Monitoring and Management

The guide is part of our much more comprehensive practical New Owners Guides Collection, which you may want to bookmark, browse, read and re-read at need. It is one of the more extensive information collections around and has been specifically written for new owners with the kind of practical and precise how-to approach as much as possible.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Thank you for your response. The bigger guinea pig now was actually the smaller one. Since the ill guinea pig went on meds and has been ill, the smaller guinea pig has gotten much bigger than her. The ill pigs weight has gone up but it worried me as she was the bigger guinea pig before she got ill and now the sister is much bigger. I was just worried it has stopped her bones growing. She never lost her appetite that I noticed, still went mad for veggies.