URI help!

[Pigmom95]

Hi everyone,

Maybe 2 months ago, my guinea pig flash was making some funny noises when breathing and had nasal discharge, he also lost a small amount of weight. I took him straight to the vet who said his lungs sounded okay-ish, but recommended an x-Ray, nasal swab and blood tests to confirm an infection. Flash had these and it came back he had a URI and Pneumonia- (they also found arthritis as he’s getting older, so he’s on loxicom 0.5ml x2 a day and oxbow joint support biscuits for that)

My query is, Flash was initially given a 4 week course of antibiotics- Enrofloxacin 0.27ml x2 a day, along with a probiotic (pro c). His nasal discharge cleared up, the funny breathing noises went and he put all his weight back on- completely back to normal! At this point, he had a check up at the end of the 4 week antibiotic course to see how he was. The vet said he looked fantastic, but she could hear a tiny noise in his upper respiratory system every few breaths, so recommended another 4 weeks of antibiotics to 100% clear the infection (so that would be 8 weeks in total)

It’s been 2 weeks since that appointment (so he’s 6 weeks into the antibiotics), and it’s like all of his symptoms have came back! He was doing so well at the 4 week mark and I was initially cautious of him having further antibiotics as all his symptoms went (except the tiny noise she could hear)

I know this may be a silly question, but could having more antibiotics have caused antibiotic resistance and the infection is ‘fight back’? Or made it worse? Can being on them for ‘too long’ cause symptoms to return? Should he had been given something else to also treat the pneumonia? She also at this appointment recommended Bisolvon, could this be causing upset? Sorry lots of questions I know!

He hasn’t lost any weight, but the nasal discharge came back and funny breathing noises again, I can also tell he just really isn’t himself. I’m continuing with the probiotics with vitamin C to stop his gut from getting bad. She also recommended some pro-fibre for rabbits, but said this is fine for guinea pigs and will help prevent him getting a bad belly so he’s started on that.

Sorry for the long post! I can just tell he’s suddenly got worse again, and I’m wondering whether it could be from too much antibiotics?….If that’s a thing!
Many thanks, Hannah

 

[Pigmom95]

P.s- He’s also started squinting when eating, this started around the 5 weeks mark of antibiotics, and was never a symptom he had before then

 

[PigglePuggle]

8 weeks of a very low dose of antibiotics is a very long time, it is quite posdible due to the low dosing and continued use the original bacteria is now resistant- or something else could be going on.
Bisolvon is an excellent decongestant which can be given long term quite safely- whereas antibiotics should ideally be given at a high dose for a shorter time.
Probiotics are a good idea but no need to give extra vit C if he is eating his veg.
The vet should now really be takung swabs and samples for lab culture to see what bacteria are present and what antibiotic is effective (they should really have done after 2 weeks of baytril if symptoms persisted) and also doing a chest xray and xray of his nose and sinuses to see what's going on.
Maybe its time to try a different more specialist vet?

 

[Pigmom95]

8 weeks of a very low dose of antibiotics is a very long time, it is quite posdible due to the low dosing and continued use the original bacteria is now resistant- or something else could be going on.
Bisolvon is an excellent decongestant which can be given long term quite safely- whereas antibiotics should ideally be given at a high dose for a shorter time.
Probiotics are a good idea but no need to give extra vit C if he is eating his veg.
The vet should now really be takung swabs and samples for lab culture to see what bacteria are present and what antibiotic is effective (they should really have done after 2 weeks of baytril if symptoms persisted) and also doing a chest xray and xray of his nose and sinuses to see what's going on.
Maybe its time to try a different more specialist vet?

Hello,

Many thanks for your reply. That’s reassuring the Bisolvon won’t be making things worse, I’ll continue with that then!

He’s not having separate vit c, the probiotics have it in with the formula (brand is Pro-C) xx

Flash had a nasal culture done when initially taken to the vet at the same time as the x-Ray to confirm what antibiotic to have, so she said the one she gave him would treat the bacteria he had. I’ll definitely mention to the vet whether a higher dose would be better, so many thanks for the suggestion!

I think my exotic vet is one of the top in the south west so she’s pretty piggy savvy, just can’t understand why he’s got worse and worried it’s linked to how long he’s been on the antibiotics! Thanks so much for replying xx

 

[Free Ranger]

If it's any consolation I think that if your problem was caused by bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic you were using it would have happened anyway whether you'd continued or stopped the course at 4 weeks. For each antibiotic there seems to be a range of effective concentrations so vets can choose either high doses over a short period or low doses for longer. If your piggy has tolerated them well (some don't, but mine have always been fine) your vet might just switch to a different antibiotic... esp if samples have been taken and tested. But I'd be getting back to the vet at this point and not waiting for the 8 week mark.
Good luck Flash x

 

[Pigmom95]

If it's any consolation I think that if your problem was caused by bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic you were using it would have happened anyway whether you'd continued or stopped the course at 4 weeks. For each antibiotic there seems to be a range of effective concentrations so vets can choose either high doses over a short period or low doses for longer. If your piggy has tolerated them well (some don't, but mine have always been fine) your vet might just switch to a different antibiotic... esp if samples have been taken and tested. But I'd be getting back to the vet at this point and not waiting for the 8 week mark.
Good luck Flash x

Thank you so much! That’s really helpful.
I’ve booked him in for this coming Tuesday which is the 7 week mark. He’s not lost any weight, pooing, weeing fine, eating and drinking as normal. Just the slight nasal discharge and funny breathing noise has came back, and just ‘mothers instinct’ haha. If he gets any worse I’ll take him as an emergency of course! Thanks again xx