URI/Upper Respiratory Infection URI and Baytril

[Clairfy]

Hello, I wondered if anyone could offer me some advice please. My guinea pig was diagnosed with an URI a week ago and after check up was told to carry on taking baytril for another 2 weeks. The thing is as she is feeling better she is putting up a big of a fight with the syringe now and its getting impossible to give it to her orally without stressing her out more!

I have tried to give it her normally as the vet showed me.. the pig squirms far too much for this to work every time.. if i give her the left overs on lettuce she ignores it. I have tried cucumber and that was more successful. I have also tried giving the pig a syringe with a small amount of apple juice in and she liked that... so I dipped the baytril one in apple juice and she willingly took that but since I tricked her she won't do it again.

Does anyone have any other advice or tips they would like to share? She needs to take it for another two weeks as she is stills sneezing. x

 

[Toadies]

Unfortunately, the syringe is the most reliable method to make sure that they get the full dose. You could try wrapping her up in a towel with only her head exposed. That will minimize her escape attempts. I hold my little guy's head, from the back, with my left hand, thumb and middle finger on either side of his jaws. Then I lift his front feet off of the surface just slightly with my left hand and put the syringe in his mouth with my right hand. They will fight and they will hate you - momentarily. But they are forgiving little souls. It just takes a little patience on our part to get it down them.

 

[Clairfy]

Thank you for the reply. So the only reliable and effective way is to give her the syringe ok I will keep trying. I had been giving her slices of cucumber with the medicine squirted onto it and handfeeding her so i know shed eaten it all and gotten her dosage. Is that not good for her?

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Have you read Guinea Lynx :: Giving Medications ?

Wrapping her up in a cozy or fleece or having someone hold her still often helps. Gently push the syringe behind her molars. It forces her to chew.