Please help me, I’m going round the bend

[Spoink]

My guineapig Biscuit was diagnosed by the vet with an infection, prescribed us Loxicom anti inflammatory (0.4ml every 12 hours) and Baytril antibiotics (0.5ml once a day).
We did around 7 days course of this, she stopped eating.

Obviously, we took her back to the vets and they have given us more of each but a lesser dose. They also provided us with Recovery which we have been syringe feeding to her, we have also been syringing water to her.

After a full day of that yesterday, she today seemed brighter and had started pooing again - all be it not the best poops but I was glad to see her poop at all.

Now I feel like she has diarrhoea. I picked her up earlier to give her water and realised she had smeared on my leg. I checked her bum and wiped the poop away, gave her the water and placed her back down. I checked on her soon after and she had done another poop like the ones she had done through the night - not loose. So I picked her up to give water, put her on my blanket and realised the same thing again she had smeared on the blanket and had it on her bum.

Please can someone give me some guidance we have now been to the vet around 5 times in the past couple of weeks and I have her booked in again tonight.

She won’t eat anything. Not veg, not hay, nor pellets. She does take the recovery but she has no choice in that.

I just need some faith and wisdom from this wonderful forum as I can’t sleep, can’t relax I am so scared for my princess.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Antibiotics can sometimes upset the tummy and giving a probiotic to a piggy on antibiotics can help. I am currently having a complete mental block on the name of the probiotic so hopefully one of my fellow H&I advisors can help me out! (I’ll edit this post if it comes to me in the meantime).

EDIT - Pro-C is a probiotic often used

What infection was she diagnosed with?

 

[artcasper]

Antibiotics can sometimes upset the tummy and giving a probiotic to a piggy on antibiotics can help. I am currently having a complete mental block on the name of the probiotic so hopefully one of my fellow H&I advisors can help me out! (I’ll edit this post if it comes to me in the meantime).

EDIT - Pro-C is a probiotic often used

What infection was she diagnosed with?

is it Fibreplex @Piggies&buns ?

 

[Spoink]

Antibiotics can sometimes upset the tummy and giving a probiotic to a piggy on antibiotics can help. I am currently having a complete mental block on the name of the probiotic so hopefully one of my fellow H&I advisors can help me out! (I’ll edit this post if it comes to me in the meantime).

EDIT - Pro-C is a probiotic often used

What infection was she diagnosed with?

Thank you, Is this something to obtain from the vet or can I buy it myself?
How and when do you use it?

It was a Respitory Infection - I originally took her in for crusty eyes and we got eye drops but then she started breathing heavily like her nose was blocked. Almost like a snorting piggy. So back to the vets we went, came home with antibiotics and anti inflammatory.

 

[Piggies&buns]

is it Fibreplex @Piggies&buns ?

Yes fibreplex is one, thank you!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, Is this something to obtain from the vet or can I buy it myself?
How and when do you use it?

It was a Respitory Infection - I originally took her in for crusty eyes and we got eye drops but then she started breathing heavily like her nose was blocked. Almost like a snorting piggy. So back to the vets we went, came home with antibiotics and anti inflammatory.

You can buy it online - amazon etc if your vet doesn’t have any in stock. You need to give at least an hour after a dose of antibiotics.

Ah ok, URI. So, a piggy cannot breathe through their mouths so if she can’t breathe through her nose then she won’t want to eat. You will need to syringe feed her regularly while she isn’t eating anything for herself.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

I would also recommend you weigh her daily at the same time each day. It is the only way you will know that she is taking enough syringe feeds.

 

[Spoink]

You can buy it online - amazon etc if your vet doesn’t have any in stock. You need to give at least an hour after a dose of antibiotics.

Ah ok, URI. So, a piggy cannot breathe through their mouths so if she can’t breathe through her nose then she won’t want to eat. You will need to syringe feed her regularly while she isn’t eating anything for herself.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

I would also recommend you weigh her daily at the same time each day. It is the only way you will know that she is taking enough syringe feeds.

Great thank you I will ask the vet tonight.
Thank you for the link, the vet advised me to syringe feed her every 4 hours, is that not enough? I am managing to get 10ml every 4 hours so 40ml a day as advised by the vet. I’m giving her water hourly.
I’m not trying to doubt the vet but with so many visits it’s feeling like an uphill battle as everything we do seems to have come with another issue. Like her eyes are fine now, she’s breathing fine not making that noise but now she’s not eating - so we do the recovery and now her poos are weird. Like argh! I just want some light at the end of the tunnel.
Is this at least common? I need some calm to my anxious brain.

 

[Swissgreys]

Firslty you are doing a wonderful job having her seen by the vet and getting all her meds into her.

What you are going through is totally normal and whilst not every pig is senitive to antibiotics (which are totally necessary) some do not tolerate them well.
I had similar issues when Ruby was on antibiotics, although all of my otehr pigs have dealt with them fine.

Keep doing what you are doing.
Weigh daily at the same time.
Cut out all foods except critical care/recovery formula and pellets and hay - no fresh veg until her tummy settles. Try tempting her with as many different types of hay as you can. I found that hay was the key in getting them interested in eating again and settling the tummy.
Definitely get pro-biotics from the vet - I like Benebac which is a paste and can just be syringed into their mouths, but not sure if you can get it in the UK.
Whatever one you can get will help though.

Hang in there you are doing a wonderful job for your girl.

 

[Spoink]

Firslty you are doing a wonderful job having her seen by the vet and getting all her meds into her.

What you are going through is totally normal and whilst not every pig is senitive to antibiotics (which are totally necessary) some do not tolerate them well.
I had similar issues when Ruby was on antibiotics, although all of my otehr pigs have dealt with them fine.

Keep doing what you are doing.
Weigh daily at the same time.
Cut out all foods except critical care/recovery formula and pellets and hay - no fresh veg until her tummy settles. Try tempting her with as many different types of hay as you can. I found that hay was the key in getting them interested in eating again and settling the tummy.
Definitely get pro-biotics from the vet - I like Benebac which is a paste and can just be syringed into their mouths, but not sure if you can get it in the UK.
Whatever one you can get will help though.

Hang in there you are doing a wonderful job for your girl.

Honestly you don’t know how much that means to me. I’m feeling so emotional right now that touched my heart thank you dearly.

I will 100% ask for pro biotics tonight, her appointment is at 6:10pm.
I’m doing all I can for her I’ve been staying home to monitor her all day rather than work but I’m worrying myself sick haha. It feels so good to have it confirmed to be normal my head has been going crazy.

Is there any kinds of hay you can recommend?In the house I only have Timothy and Meadow but I can buy more!
Thank you thank you thank you.

 

[rhymer]

Fingers crossed she's feeling better soon. You're doing a great job.
My piggies are often tempted with readigrass.xx

 

[Spoink]

Fingers crossed she's feeling better soon. You're doing a great job.
My piggies are often tempted with readigrass.xx

Thank you so much hun, I’m trying my best

Great thank you I will try it! I have so far 3 different piles of various hay, she came bounding over to one as I placed it down, sniffed it and walked off like a diva.

I’m sure she likes to get my blood pressure up lol.

 

[sport_billy]

How long does she have left on the course of baytril? How many days?

 

[Spoink]

How long does she have left on the course of baytril? How many days?

She didn’t actually say she just gave me the bottle and said she thinks the infection is still there so to take it and book an appointment for the next day (today, we are booked in for 6:10). There isn’t much in the bottle though, a couple of days tops - I could only hazard a guess. She lowered the dose from 0.5 to 0.32 - still once a day.

 

[Merab]

I can’t add any advice but you are doing a great job.
Biscuit is a lucky piggy to have such a dedicated owner.
Holding you in my heart

 

[Spoink]

I can’t add any advice but you are doing a great job.
Biscuit is a lucky piggy to have such a dedicated owner.
Holding you in my heart

Thank you so much, that is so kind; it means the world to me.

 

[Spoink]

UPDATE:
We have returned from the vet. She was happy with her progress, she felt her tummy and said it felt softer. She weighed her and noted that she has not lost any weight, so the Recovery food is working.

We asked her about her poops, as she smeared the table with it... (can’t take her anywhere! ) and the vet said that could be from the build up in her tummy. She said the not good dry poops she did through the night were the start and now this soft poop is what’s been sitting there.

We have been prescribed Metoclopromide (0.4ml every 12 hours) and Ranitidine (0.28ml every 12 hours).
I did call the vets to see if that is instead of or as well as the antibiotics and anti inflammatory - the receptionist asked a nurse and the nurse said it is as well as.
Please can someone advise me if this is correct? And if so, should they be spaced out?
For reference, she is taking Baytril and Loxicom.

Thank you so much everyone for your support so far, joining this forum was the best decision I have made. Sending out so much love to you all.

 

[sport_billy]

All four drugs can be given.

my only concern here is that the baytril could be causing the poo Issue, and it won’t resolve until she is off it.

just to clarify when you first took her to the vet what where her symptoms? Was it for breathing not wet poo?

 

[sport_billy]

Also where are you located please?

 

[Bill & Ted]

Fingers crossed Biscuit recovers soon x You are doing a great job!

 

[Spoink]

All four drugs can be given.

my only concern here is that the baytril could be causing the poo Issue, and it won’t resolve until she is off it.

just to clarify when you first took her to the vet what where her symptoms? Was it for breathing not wet poo?

Brilliant, thanks for that.

That is what I thought to be honest with you, I thought that is what stopped her eating and upset her stomach.
The original reason for being on it was for the breathing issue - her poops were fine at this point. I called the vets to ask if she could stop the course as she only had a day left, but when I took her in she saw a different vet the day after and she advised to be back on the meds. The poops have started today, 2nd day of Recovery feed.

I’m in Manchester.

 

[Spoink]

Fingers crossed Biscuit recovers soon x You are doing a great job!

Thank you so much hun. You have such gorgeous piggies!

 

[sport_billy]

All four drugs can be given.

But I would be concerned that the gut stimulants (metachlopromide and rantadine) while great for something like bloat would over stimulate the guts and increase the wet pooing.

If I was you in this situation I may be inclined to seek a second opinion on the situation. Did you get a pro biotic?

We may be able to recommend a vet local to you

 

[sport_billy]

Brilliant, thanks for that.

That is what I thought to be honest with you, I thought that is what stopped her eating and upset her stomach.
The original reason for being on it was for the breathing issue - her poops were fine at this point. I called the vets to ask if she could stop the course as she only had a day left, but when I took her in she saw a different vet the day after and she advised to be back on the meds. The poops have started today, 2nd day of Recovery feed.

I’m in Manchester.

When you say the poops started today do you mean the wet poo? At any point has biscuit stopped pooing?

 

[sport_billy]

Dr Molly Varga BVetMed DZooMed MRCVS
Rutland House Referrals
Abbotsfield Road
St Helens
WA9 4HU
Tel: 01744 853510

 

[sport_billy]

@Flutterby who you use Ruth?

 

[Spoink]

When you say the poops started today do you mean the wet poo? At any point has biscuit stopped pooing?

Yes, sorry wet pooing. Her pooing had slowed down a lot as she wasn’t eating but it was normal poop. Only this morning I discovered the wet poo. She had yesterday a full day of recovery then this morning she had one feed, I came back to give her water a little later and sat her on my knee - this is when I realised the wet poo as it was smeared on my leg and I cleaned her bum.

Thank you for the recommendation!

 

[sport_billy]

How many days has she been on baytril now?

 

[Spoink]

This will be the second day only.
We did a 7day course, got permission from the vet to stop as I had concerns it was curbing her eating and we only had 1more day to go anyway. So we stopped. But this new course will be just her second day.
Important to note, her poops were fine during the 7 days first, just slowed down as she stopped eating.

 

[sport_billy]

So she had six days.then you stopped for a day then she has started again for two days so far?

 

[sport_billy]

Right so wet poo has occurred for one day? The gut stimulants will keep everything pushing through while she is eating less, if she gets worse or no better I’d be back at vets

do you have another piggy? You could make some poo soup