Medicine

[4pigsies]

My guinea pig has a broken tooth and got an abscess in her mouth. We are giving her some health diet from a syringe so she doesn’t loose weight- she seem to like this a lot. But it’s so hard to give her the pain relief and antibiotics from the syringe.
Can I mix the antibiotics and the food diet? And same with the pain relief?

 

[Tigermoth]

I don’t think I’d mix it in with the entire feed as if she doesn’t take it all then you have no idea of how much medicine really got in. If she really enjoys the health diet (I guess that is some sort of recovery feed) then perhaps a little just to take the taste of the medicine away a bit might help.

Are you mixing the pain relief and antibiotic in one syringe? If you are then try to separate and give the antibiotic first. It’s horrid but they often like the painkiller so it might cut down the fight a bit for you.

Hope she feels better soon xx

 

[Piggies&buns]

What pain relief and antibiotics is she on?

Most antibiotics do not taste nice so getting them in piggies isn’t always easy.
Metacam (anti inflammatory pain killer) is usually willingly accepted by them as it does taste nice.

It is usually easier to give the dose and then follow it up with something tasty.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I had a piggy with a tooth root abscess last year. I hope your piggys abscess clears up soon.

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pig has a broken tooth and got an abscess in her mouth. We are giving her some health diet from a syringe so she doesn’t loose weight- she seem to like this a lot. But it’s so hard to give her the pain relief and antibiotics from the syringe.
Can I mix the antibiotics and the food diet? And same with the pain relief?

Hi

Guinea pigs have double the taste buds compared to humans (and about five times that of cats). Unflavoured medication doesn't taste nice but they will still taste it in the syringe feed; give the painkiller before the antibiotic since it tastes better - this way round will go down that bit easier. You need to be tough, give the medication and wash off the taste with a little water (the mouth can only hold 0.3-0.5 ml at once) followed by more syringe feed to take the taste away.

Please have a read through our comprehensive guide about all aspects of medicating and syringe feeding/weight monitoring, including a chapter on various way of dealing with uncooperative guinea pigs with pictures and videos.
Here is the link: All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

What medication (brand and dosage) have you been prescribed and where does the abscess sit?

 

[4pigsies]

It is a tooth abscess it sit in the upper jaw. We use Exoflox antibiotics and the painkiller is called Meloxidyl.
How long does it take for the abscess to go away? And how long do we need to keep giving her the medicine?

Thank you so much for the help.

 

[weepweeps]

In my experience it can take weeks. Here is my piggies story if you’d like to have a read. There is lots or helpful advice on it from everyone on the forum which will hopefully be helpful to you too.

Dental? Pepper is off to the vets tomorrow

 

[4pigsies]

Thank you all for helping