URI Help! Doxycycline & Baytril?

[kenzie0621]

i know i’m about a year too late, but my little Astro is going through the exact same thing. he’s been on bayril and doxy since about march or april, and he’s had bouts of gut stasis between then and now. i don’t know why it never crossed my mind, that the antibiotics are hard on his stomach. heck, antibiotics are hard on MY stomach. We’ve had MANY trips to the ER and even to a veterinary university. I’m losing hope. After entering another bout of stasis tonight, i’m deciding to pull him off both meds for the night at least and seeing if he improves. He was eating moderately okay today, but i’m seeing him slow down again tonight. this seems to happen weekly, and it’s hard to watch. I gave him half of a newborn dose of gas-x and a small dose of meloxicam tonight to ease any gas build up or pain. i’m hoping and praying i’m making the right decision. I know i’m not a vet but i’m his mom, and somewhere inside of me i feel like this is a better decision. Astro is a special boy to me, i rescued him, and though it may sound dramatic, he rescued me in some ways too. Astro is only 2 and he has bounced back EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. i’m thinking i caught it so early this time and i had adequate time to react, so i’m thinking he’ll be okay. If anyone has any thoughts or insight, let me know. Astro came to me with an infection, and we’ve been battling it for about a year and a half together now. he was kept in poor conditions and alone before i got him. it’s been my duty to nurse him back to health. he never had stomach problems before those two antibiotics, and the TMS (sulfur base AB) stopped working. Please please if someone is out there and is reading this, let me know any ideas or thoughts.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can you tell us a little bit more about the background please.
You say he came to you with an infection a year and a half ago and that he has ben on baytril and doxy since March.
What infection was it and has there been any improvement in his symptoms from the infection?
What has your vet said about stopping medication? What you dont want to do is stop antibiotics if there is still an active infection going on as that could make things worse.

Are you weighing him daily and stepping in with syringe feeding?

Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

 

[PigglePuggle]

Antibiotics can be hard on the guts, especially doxycycline, but you must continue the antibiotics until you discuss things with the vet.
As mentioned above, support feeding, probiotics, and gut stimulant medicines like emeprid can support gut function while on antibiotics.
If you arent happy with the treatment given and piggy has been ill for a while have you considered seeing another vet for a second opinion? Further diagnostics to find out which antibiotic is most suitable? Requesting referral to a specialist vet?

 

[kenzie0621]

I got astro when he was roughly 9 months old. he had an upper respiratory infection, (snot out the nose, minimal eye discharge). he was put on TMS on and off for awhile, it helped but never took it away. It got worse and his primary vet was concerned about pneumonia so she put him on doxycycline and baytril. that was in march or april of this year. he responded well, and she decided to extend the treatment out for a month. he was off it for a week or two. he got some dental work done. he was on doxycycline and baytril after that too. he responded well to the dental work and his teeth have stayed even since. i thought that the teeth issue is what caused his loss of appetite. however, even after the teeth trimming we still have run into bouts of stasis. he gets it about every 1 or 2 weeks. he has been see by his primary vet, the university of davis in davis california (it’s a veterinary school), he’s been seen by some very good vets at an emergency hospital, and he is scheduled to see a guinea pig specialist on august 24th. he HAS finished MANY courses of antibiotics. and his primary vet actually recommended we try to get him off the antibiotics. i told her that the other places say he should stay on them. so i’m trying to figure out what to do. i didn’t give him them last night, and to my surprise, he didn’t wake up congested and snotty, he was a little more himself this morning. he takes the timothy hay seeds i offer him, and he’s been taking his oxbow vitamins and eating most of them (yesterday he wasn’t really eating them) and he ate all his veggies last night. he even got a little bout of zoomies. i haven’t noticed any water intake, but i’ve been checking for dehydration. he has been pooping normally, and i gave him probiotics today. and yes, in the past and currently (when needed) i definitely give him critical care via syringe. he absolutely hates it but will take about 6ml each sitting. and yes, he hasn’t lost or gained more than a few ounces recently so his weight has been good. his temperature is also good. his coat is still very soft and shiny. he’s a strong boy.

 

[kenzie0621]

i forgot to add, he’s had 2 cultures done on his nose and nasal passages and eye discharge to see if we need to try different antibiotics. they both came back the same, and we’re doing the right antibiotics. a ct scan has been considered but he doesn’t do well when put under anesthesia. i finished his bottles of doxy and baytril yesterday morning, so the dose that would’ve been given to him last night would’ve been actually new bottles. so technically, he did finish another course. and his symptoms improved as they typically do.