Mixing baytril with foodstuff

[Rogue_runner]

Hi there! So my girl has a rather nasty UTI, and is on a long course of baytril + anti-inflammatories. So far we've seen good improvement, but she is a literal NIGHTMARE to get the baytril in to, and after a week she hates me, and is getting more and more difficult to wrangle. I can manage, but my partner just can't get her to cooperate. Additionally, we're away for a couple of nights soon and the piggies will be going to a relative- who we have our doubts about being able to manage one incredibly feisty furry potato.

So my question is- can I mix the baytril into a mashed food? Wet pellets or critical care, or a tiny piece of banana? Will this reduce the effectiveness at all? I'm not mixing it with a probiotic, simply something wet that will disguise the taste enough that she'll take it on her own.
(And we have tried to mix it with things like fruit juice, it was just worse because we had to fight with twice the volume!)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there! So my girl has a rather nasty UTI, and is on a long course of baytril + anti-inflammatories. So far we've seen good improvement, but she is a literal NIGHTMARE to get the baytril in to, and after a week she hates me, and is getting more and more difficult to wrangle. I can manage, but my partner just can't get her to cooperate. Additionally, we're away for a couple of nights soon and the piggies will be going to a relative- who we have our doubts about being able to manage one incredibly feisty furry potato.

So my question is- can I mix the baytril into a mashed food? Wet pellets or critical care, or a tiny piece of banana? Will this reduce the effectiveness at all? I'm not mixing it with a probiotic, simply something wet that will disguise the taste enough that she'll take it on her own.
(And we have tried to mix it with things like fruit juice, it was just worse because we had to fight with twice the volume!)

Thanks in advance!

Hi and welcome

Guinea pigs have double the taste buds to humans and baytril is about the foulest tasting medication there is. Mixing it into food or water will not work; they will not touch it. Nor will you be able to control whether everything has actually gone in.

The most effective way is to syringe it pure, so it goes into the mouth in one fell swoop and then following up with water to wash away the taste and a little healthy treat or favourite veg.

Our medicating guide guide contains a chapter with pictures and videos on how to best deal with uncooperative customers and more helpful tips: All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures