Metronidazole side effects?

[Janey]

Hi - does anyone know if this antibiotic can cause loss of appetite please? Meryn has been losing weight steadily and we can't seem to get to the bottom of it - she just doesn't want to eat - teeth have been checked more than once. Thanks

 

[eileen]

I'm not sure if this will be of any use,in humans it can cause nausea,vomiting,metallic taste in the mouth.very rarely pancreatitsis,bruising,... it maybe worth asking your vet for advice.i hope your piggie gets well soon.x

 

[VickiA]

I don’t know, I’m afraid. Is she on it at the moment? Are you giving her syringe top ups?

 

[Janey]

I don’t know, I’m afraid. Is she on it at the moment? Are you giving her syringe top ups?

She is on it now, but isn't interested at all in the critical care - she normally loves it. She's also on Frusol, a diuretic too.

 

[VickiA]

She is on it now, but isn't interested at all in the critical care - she normally loves it. She's also on Frusol, a diuretic too.

Have you tried mixing in some purée (banana or similar) or switching to Emeraid? I’ve never met a piggy that wouldn’t eat Emeraid.

 

[Janey]

Have you tried mixing in some purée (banana or similar) or switching to Emeraid? I’ve never met a piggy that wouldn’t eat Emeraid.

I haven't tried the banana, but I have tried the Emeraid Sustain and she's about as keen on that as the CC right now. I don't know of any appetite restorer as such for piggies in the UK - I know Sherwood do one, but that would take a long time to get here. She's nibbling pellets and a bit of hay, but most of the time is just not moving and of course is fighting me when I try and feed her. She's on a probiotic and I've supplemented her Vit C too.

 

[VickiA]

Poor thing. Sounds like you are doing all you can. Perhaps some grated sweet potato or carrot might tempt her taste buds?

 

[Janey]

Thanks Vicki - I'm thinking it must be the antibiotics as she was eating really well - although losing weight before she was on them. Will just keep trying to get food down her and see what my vet thinks on Tuesday.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

We’ve used it a lot, here at TEAS and have always found it is tolerated very well. What dose are you giving?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi - does anyone know if this antibiotic can cause loss of appetite please? Meryn has been losing weight steadily and we can't seem to get to the bottom of it - she just doesn't want to eat - teeth have been checked more than once. Thanks

It is not very common to be honest, but any oral antibiotic can cause loss of appetite.
Metronidazole is usually better known under the brand name flagyl.

 

[Janey]

We’ve used it a lot, here at TEAS and have always found it is tolerated very well. What dose are you giving?

Good to know - she's getting 0.5ml twice daily, plus 0.2ml Frusol twice daily and 0.8ml Loxicom once daily.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Not sure if this is relevant, but when my vet prescribed it for Zebedee's gas filled tummy (prob caused by yeast overgrowth), she told me it was thought that it could,if rarely, cause liver damage. Not sure how proven that is though.
He didn't have any appetite problems with it however.

 

[Janey]

Not sure if this is relevant, but when my vet prescribed it for Zebedee's gas filled tummy (prob caused by yeast overgrowth), she told me it was thought that it could,if rarely, cause liver damage. Not sure how proven that is though.
He didn't have any appetite problems with it however.

Ok - I think it mentioned that as one of the side effects when I googled it, but that would be for people not piggies. So thought I'd check with the experts.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Good to know - she's getting 0.5ml twice daily, plus 0.2ml Frusol twice daily and 0.8ml Loxicom once daily.

0.5 ml twice daily is what Simon prescribes too. Which Loxicom are you giving? Dog or cat? We always give Loxicom twice daily.

 

[Janey]

0.5 ml twice daily is what Simon prescribes too. Which Loxicom are you giving? Dog or cat? We always give Loxicom twice daily.

It’s the dog one. She has been given it twice daily before but not this time.

 

[Free Ranger]

Is Loxicom the same as Metacam? And is the concentration the same?

In the past I had a pig with bladder stone trouble who tolerated weeks of antibiotics like a trouper but she was the first time I increased the metacam dose beyond what had been 'normal'. I was told I could double or even triple it but the triple dose caused loss of appetite in my girl and she looked dog-rough. She was unaffected on double-dose though. Now I'm not certain of concentrations but if I tell you that we first used the dog Metacam (1.5mg/ml) with the syringe that actually has a pic of a dog on it - but was not in mls... it was in 'units'. For a 1-ish kilo pig they used to say 4u once a day, but for this issue they said we could do 4u twice a day (total of 8u) which was fine, but any more than that wasn't. When we tried 6u twice a day she went right off her food... dropped back down to 4u x 2 and she picked up pretty fast (she was very brave). The last few times we've been in they have dispensed metacam from a big bottle and given me a 1ml syringe instead. They said it was just cheaper to do it this way (fine) but I couldn't see the concentration on my little bottle. However, for a 1-ish kilo pig they said 0.24 ml which looked about the same as 4u as much as you can tell with such a small amount. Just like before they said I could do this twice a day (total of 0.48ml). IF it was the same concentration as before any more than that would not have suited her, but on this occasion pain wasn't the issue so I wasn't tempted to try.

So I guess I'm saying do you mean 0.8ml or 8units? Because if it's 1.5mg/ml and the same stuff 0.8ml would seem like a lot in one go (more than triple by our standards). But I'm not a vet. The only thing I can suggest is how is she eating at the other end of the day from her single dose ie. if you dose her in the evening is she any more interested in food before this, when the previous dose is wearing off?

I'm so sorry to hear she is ill and also if I've missed any previous threads as to why she might be losing weight. I hope I haven't been insensitive with this metacam suggestion and it might be a different concentration etc. And of course, if you know she has pain I wouldn't want you to cut her prescribed dose without good reason but it might be something to ask them about

 

[Janey]

Is Loxicom the same as Metacam? And is the concentration the same?

In the past I had a pig with bladder stone trouble who tolerated weeks of antibiotics like a trouper but she was the first time I increased the metacam dose beyond what had been 'normal'. I was told I could double or even triple it but the triple dose caused loss of appetite in my girl and she looked dog-rough. She was unaffected on double-dose though. Now I'm not certain of concentrations but if I tell you that we first used the dog Metacam (1.5mg/ml) with the syringe that actually has a pic of a dog on it - but was not in mls... it was in 'units'. For a 1-ish kilo pig they used to say 4u once a day, but for this issue they said we could do 4u twice a day (total of 8u) which was fine, but any more than that wasn't. When we tried 6u twice a day she went right off her food... dropped back down to 4u x 2 and she picked up pretty fast (she was very brave). The last few times we've been in they have dispensed metacam from a big bottle and given me a 1ml syringe instead. They said it was just cheaper to do it this way (fine) but I couldn't see the concentration on my little bottle. However, for a 1-ish kilo pig they said 0.24 ml which looked about the same as 4u as much as you can tell with such a small amount. Just like before they said I could do this twice a day (total of 0.48ml). IF it was the same concentration as before any more than that would not have suited her, but on this occasion pain wasn't the issue so I wasn't tempted to try.

So I guess I'm saying do you mean 0.8ml or 8units? Because if it's 1.5mg/ml and the same stuff 0.8ml would seem like a lot in one go (more than triple by our standards). But I'm not a vet. The only thing I can suggest is how is she eating at the other end of the day from her single dose ie. if you dose her in the evening is she any more interested in food before this, when the previous dose is wearing off?

I'm so sorry to hear she is ill and also if I've missed any previous threads as to why she might be losing weight. I hope I haven't been insensitive with this metacam suggestion and it might be a different concentration etc. And of course, if you know she has pain I wouldn't want you to cut her prescribed dose without good reason but it might be something to ask them about

Thank you for your concern; yes it is the 1.5mg/ml strength and we’ve only ever been prescribed this by our exotic vet along with a 1ml syringe. I’ve not noticed any difference in her appetite during the day, although I dose her at night, so it could well be the antibiotics that’s affecting her this way, as Wiebke mentioned. Thanks again.