Home remedy?

[soupz]

I'm pretty sure one of my little piggies has cystitis. She whines sometimes when she pees, and she pees quite frequently but only a little bit, and her bum is always wet. Just never found any blood, so I guess that's good.

But anyways, so the vets where I live are totally pathetic and inexperienced with guinea pigs. So what me and mum have done so far is keep feeding the pig water (flush out bacteria?) we've changed her bedding and going to keep changing so it's always dry and clean. We've given her some dried cranberries and going to find some organic juice soon. We've also stopped feeding her carrots, celery, silverbeet and all those high calcium foods etc.

I've felt around her areas and there doesn't seem to be any hard 'stones' or anything. I could be wrong?

Anyways! The main thing is, are the main antibiotics vets prescribe for pigs only? Is there any human alternative that can be given in small doses? What about Chinese herbal medicines? Sorry, I have to trust the better judgment of myself and the people on this site because the vets really are very inexperienced here.

[Silverbeat]

The antibiotic that vets prescribe, Baytril, is actually for dogs and cats. It will come in a pill tab form, flavored like liver, which you can crush and mix with some baby food for her. I'm not sure what the dosage is but I know it's not a whole pill all at once. When my pigs have had UTIs my vet has always given me liquid Baytril.

[soupz]

Oh ok, that's a relief. At least the vets will probably have some in stock if it's for cats/dogs, thanks! :)

[Silverbeat]

One of the more experienced members here or the mods should be able to tell you how much to dose. This calculator can help too: http://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html
Since it is in Milligrams, that's assuming that it's the pill form.

I don't know about home remedies, but everything I have read says that you need antibiotics, but in the future the things you are doing, can help prevent another UTI.

[soupz]

Ok cool, do you know if this is a prescription drug? Can you get it normally like in a shop?

[Silverbeat]

Try This Little Piggie: This Little Piggie Marketplace

[soupz]

Ok thanks! I will get onto getting her some Baytril. Meanwhile I found cranberry supplements at the supermarket and the bottle says relieves pain/prevents/helps cure urinary infections. I'm breaking up the capsules and spreading half the powder on a slice of cucumber. She's happily eating it. So I guess the next question is, are antibiotics essential to cure cystitis?