Loss of appetite / strep pneumoniae

[Fenne94]

Dear forum I wanted to ask your advice on increasing appetite in my sick piggy .

She's about 5 months old. Was diagnosed with strep pneumoniae. She has been on various antibiotics that really affected her appetite and the gut. She still needs to continue antibiotics at the moment and we settled on sulfatrim however her appetite is very variable. She eats maybe like 1/6 of her normal daily intake voluntarily and rest we give as critical care every 3-4 h. She's on probiotics poop soup gut stimulants and prevomax . She's taken off veggies now as her gut is not tolerating that at the moment

We also discussed with the vet possibility of injecting or nebulising antibiotics if she won't tolerate oral did people have experiences with that and if yes which antibiotics did you use as injections and how did that affect gut microbiome ? And same in terms of nebulisation which antibiotics and how effective this was? If you have any additional advice on how to increase appetite that would be very much appreciated .

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry your piggy is poorly. I had a piggy on antibiotics for 6 weeks and he ate nothing for himself while he was on them. I just had to syringe feed until the course was finished. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. It’s a long road. Keep going you’re doing a great job.

 

[fluffysal]

I'm afraid I have no advice but want to offer support

 

[Wiebke]

Dear forum I wanted to ask your advice on increasing appetite in my sick piggy .

She's about 5 months old. Was diagnosed with strep pneumoniae. She has been on various antibiotics that really affected her appetite and the gut. She still needs to continue antibiotics at the moment and we settled on sulfatrim however her appetite is very variable. She eats maybe like 1/6 of her normal daily intake voluntarily and rest we give as critical care every 3-4 h. She's on probiotics poop soup gut stimulants and prevomax . She's taken off veggies now as her gut is not tolerating that at the moment

We also discussed with the vet possibility of injecting or nebulising antibiotics if she won't tolerate oral did people have experiences with that and if yes which antibiotics did you use as injections and how did that affect gut microbiome ? And same in terms of nebulisation which antibiotics and how effective this was? If you have any additional advice on how to increase appetite that would be very much appreciated .

Hi and welcome

I am so very sorry that you are struggling with a resistant persistent respiratory strep infection. It sounds like you and your vet are already doing all you can.

The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat, so every serious respiratory illness is a double whammy for the gut when additionally stronger antibiotics then also impact on the gut microbiome and wipe out a larger part of it.

Please double check that the recovery care you are feeding is enhanced with vitamin C or supplement with some additional mushed vitamin C enriched pellets if you are feeding for the longer term. Most formulas aren't because rabbits do make their own vitamin C in their body. This gene complex has been switched off in guinea pigs because their natural main food source is fresh grass, which is actually high in vitamin C.

I am neither a medication expert nor do I have personal experience with nebulising but I hope that other members with the relevant practical experience can help you on that score.