Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register
  • ONE THREAD per pig please!
    We really want your pig's history all in one place to help you. Please don't start a new thread for a new issue. Just reply to your old one. We can edit the title for you if needed.

Medications Pig now 'looks' unwell

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
Hi I hope someone will have some advice.
Last Thursday I found some red mucus around Roxy's poop. I made an emergency vets appointment and took her (and the poop) straight there.
The vet checked her over and said she seemed fine, maybe a little infection so put her on antibiotics and a probiotic paste. She also told me Rox was a little over weight (again) and to cut down on pellets and fruits.

So I have done all of the above and she had her last dose's today (there has been no more mucus). The thing is she looks so fed up and unwell. She is usually such a soft silky shiny pig and for a couple of days now she has looked dull and ruffled. She is eating fine though and the nurse is going to check her over in the morning. Do you think she just feels unwell from the meds?? or is it because her diet has changed?
 

xoLauraox09

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
709
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
709
Did she lose weight since changing her diet?
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
I dont think so as its only been 5 days, the nurse will weigh her tomorrow.
 

xoLauraox09

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
709
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
709
You should weigh weekly ( daily if your piggie is ill ) using a kithen scales.
Do you know what weight was she when the vet weighed her?
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
I weighed her on the scales today and she is around 2 1/2lb, I think she was around the same weight on thursday. Obviously I'll know more tomorrow. Do you think its just because of the meds?
 

JD In Van

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
1,065
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,065
Which anti biotic and pro biotic was she on?
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
oh my gosh Im sorry I dont know and Ive thrown the containers away now. The prebiotic was fibreplex I think.
 

JD In Van

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
1,065
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,065
oh my gosh Im sorry I dont know and Ive thrown the containers away now. The prebiotic was fibreplex I think.

You'll need to find out what the antibiotic was when you go back to the vet. A lot of our members are very knowledgable as to what meds are safe and what aren't.
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
thank you, obviously I'll make sure I find out. So you think its the meds then? will she perk up again now they have stopped?
 

JD In Van

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
1,065
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,065
I have no idea. But I do know there's a lot of medications that vets routinely prescribe that aren't actually good for cavies. That's one of the reasons you should always keep a list of medications given and dosages given (I keep this on my weight chart).
 

foggycreekcavy

Moderator
Cavy Gazer
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Posts
5,899
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
5,899
Did the vet do a culture on the poop and mucus?

Bed her on white towels and see if there's still some bleeding going on. Weigh her daily for awhile to make sure she's not dropping weight. If she's lost any at all, I'd handfeed her.

Looking dull and puffed up is a bad sign. There's definitely something going on--either intolerance to the antibiotic or the original problem.

It's possible it's some other type of infection--perhaps uterine. Sometimes there's blood with bladder stones as well.
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
there is no 'bleeding' now, the vet was pretty sure it wasnt blood and had a real good feel of her tummy etc and said she felt fine.
Rox wasn't dull or fluffed up before the meds thats why I think Its that. She also is still behaving the same and eating too.
 

JD In Van

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
1,065
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,065
Cavy's hide their illness VERY well so once they start showing signs of sickness it usually means they've been ill for a while.

Is your vet an exotic specialist? Or does she mostly deal with cats and dogs?
Could you call the office and find out what the med was she was on?
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
The vet is really good with other more 'exotic' pets so I think I can trust her. The fact that Rox is over weight makes me suspect that she wasn't particularly ill before and it really has coincided with the medicine. I cant phone as Im in the uk so its late and the vets is closed. Rox is back at 11.30am.

She has just eaten some corriander and a little bit of apple (the 1st since Thursday) and has absolutly wolfed it down. The fact that she is eating helps me feel better and the meds are finished now. She hasnt had loose poops or anything and as I said before there has been no discolorment.
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
when I said the 1st since thursday I dont mean because she wasnt eating, I mean because Ive kept her off the fruit but wanted to treat her just.
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
Hi just a little update. Rox loos soooo much better this morning. Still a lttle ruffled but not nearly as much as last night. She was going crazy for her breakfast this morning, popping and squeaking..... so much like her normal self. She is a t the vets again at 11.30 so I'll let you know how she goes x
 

Silly Moo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Posts
43
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
43
Ok, so Rox went back and had a full check. She was so cute at the vets performing as usual. She lost 0.03 of a kg (Ithink thats right) in the week but the vet said that was fine as her food had been restricted.

The antibiotics were Baytril and she was taking 0.42ml (again hope Ive got those measurements right)

As I said she is looking so much better and a lot less fluffy so fingers crossed she will be back to normal in a day or two x
 

1frankie7

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Posts
1,545
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
1,545
Sounds good, glad she's all better!

I don't think 2.5 lb. for a pigger is overweight.
 

JD In Van

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Posts
1,065
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,065
I don't think 2.5lb is over weight at all either.
As long as they're getting a healthy diet and excersise they're fine.
Glad she's better though.
 

Candy

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Posts
41
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
41
I can't say for sure because I'm not an expert, but I want to share my experience with you.

My guinea pig Hemingway, was sick for about ten, or more, weeks straight from a bad abscess. I know this isn't what your pig has, but stay with me here. Hemingway was on several types of meds and had numerous shots and proceedures over those ten weeks. His coat was also puffed and dull. I think that the meds make them feel bad. Think about yourself when you have a cold or are sick, the meds tend to make you feel worse right? Think of how you look when you are sick. Sick and fed up right? My pig was so sick he would sit with one eye closed, we changed meds again and he got better. I think it takes longer for them to fully recover. You may just need another dosage or maybe a change of meds to reign things back in.

Good luck.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

R
Replies
6
Views
512
Anawilliam850
A
megamazing
Replies
5
Views
342
SSLee
SSLee
Lavendergirl99
Replies
2
Views
134
bpatters
bpatters
M
Replies
2
Views
563
ManxMargie
M
JustMe_Soso
Replies
5
Views
468
4boipigs
4boipigs
Top