My poor guinea pig has had a terrible time lately. About a month ago, we noticed that she didn´t seem to be eating as much, but just thought that she was sick of her food, or didn´t feel like it, or something. Finally, it got to the point where she wasn´t eating hardly anything, so we brought her into the vet. They found that one of her molars had overgrown and was sticking into the roof of her mouth. They put her under general anaesthetic and clipped the tooth. After that, she should have started eating, but she didn´t, so we brought her back, and a different vet found pieces of tooth lodged in her mouth, supposedly from the previous tooth clipping. Again, they put her under general anaesthetic and removed the pieces. Throughout all of this, we have been feeding her Critical Care, which she seemed to love. Because the saliva around the lodged pieces was discoloured, the vet put her on sulfatrim. So far, she´s had 4 doses (she takes 0.3 ml twice a day) and I´m worried that she may be reacting to it. She still won´t eat much by herself, and she doesn´t seem as eager to eat the Critical Care. Also, we´ve noticed she´s lethargic and is having some mild diarrhea. Our vet says that the diarrhea she´s worried about is tarry and black, which this is not. I´m still very concerned, especially because our vet is not experienced with guinea pigs at all, and I know how dangerous diarrhea can be with guinea pigs. I´m also worried about her mouth-- sometimes when she eats the Critical Care she flinches. Normally, when she chews both of her ears move and now only one of them is moving! I´m worried that though the tooth situation has been fixed, that something underlying is what caused it.
If you could help me out with any advice you might have, especially concerning the antibiotic, I´d really appreciate it! Thanks!
Malocclusion and Antibiotics
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
The diarrhea may be a real problem. The reluctance to eat may be due to pain. Antibiotics are effective on different bacteria -- if there is an infection in her mouth, it could be the sulfatrim is not effective.
If you haven´t already, you might read the information on malocclusion and on antibiotic intolerance -- click on the Guinea Lynx button, top right and check the index.
I am so sorry for your poor little pig. I tend to think she is not reacting to this drug though, that something else is going on. Most pigs tolerate it pretty well. How much does she weigh? If you have a healthy pig, try to get a fresh soft poop into her a couple hours after the antibiotic. It almost sounds like she had a different antibiotic that disrupted her gut flora. Is the diarrhea smelly? If so, it is very serious.
I really wish I had better advice to give you (I´m not the most knowledgeable person here), but it sounds like she is in serious trouble. I wish you had a more competent vet who could provide better treatment.
If it were me, I would be calling the vet right now with all these concerns, trying something to firm up the stools (if you do a search on diarrhea you may find some products suggested), keep feeding adequate amounts of food, and see if the vet could give you a pain reliever like rimidyl so she could eat more easily. Any diarrhea is dehydrating.
If you haven´t already, you might read the information on malocclusion and on antibiotic intolerance -- click on the Guinea Lynx button, top right and check the index.
I am so sorry for your poor little pig. I tend to think she is not reacting to this drug though, that something else is going on. Most pigs tolerate it pretty well. How much does she weigh? If you have a healthy pig, try to get a fresh soft poop into her a couple hours after the antibiotic. It almost sounds like she had a different antibiotic that disrupted her gut flora. Is the diarrhea smelly? If so, it is very serious.
I really wish I had better advice to give you (I´m not the most knowledgeable person here), but it sounds like she is in serious trouble. I wish you had a more competent vet who could provide better treatment.
If it were me, I would be calling the vet right now with all these concerns, trying something to firm up the stools (if you do a search on diarrhea you may find some products suggested), keep feeding adequate amounts of food, and see if the vet could give you a pain reliever like rimidyl so she could eat more easily. Any diarrhea is dehydrating.
Last edited by Lynx on Sat Jun 15, 2002 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hi Kaitlin! Glad to see you can post here. I´m sorry to hear she isn´t doing well.
Are you giving a probiotic? Your mom mentioned acidophilus capsules, which would probably be better than yogurt. I didn´t think about it at the time, but you can empty the powder out of the capsule.
Like Lynx said I would also get a painkiller. (You might have to be insistant.) She may have gotten into a sort of pain cycle by now. It probably would have been better if she´d been started on it after the first procedure.
Our vet recommended a few drops of Pepto-Bismal for short-term diarrhea. I´m not sure what the concensus is on that but it worked for her.
If you need some poop, just ask Mitzi.
Are you giving a probiotic? Your mom mentioned acidophilus capsules, which would probably be better than yogurt. I didn´t think about it at the time, but you can empty the powder out of the capsule.
Like Lynx said I would also get a painkiller. (You might have to be insistant.) She may have gotten into a sort of pain cycle by now. It probably would have been better if she´d been started on it after the first procedure.
Our vet recommended a few drops of Pepto-Bismal for short-term diarrhea. I´m not sure what the concensus is on that but it worked for her.
If you need some poop, just ask Mitzi.
Thanks for your replies.
Tabi weighs 750 grams. She had already lost a lot of weight by the first surgery. She is eating a little on her own, not much though. Her appetite seems better, and I got a lot of water into her. I´m going to call the vet and get a pain killer, and we´re going to give her a poop from a healthy pig.
The diarrhea is still there, but isn´t too smelly. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know!
Tabi weighs 750 grams. She had already lost a lot of weight by the first surgery. She is eating a little on her own, not much though. Her appetite seems better, and I got a lot of water into her. I´m going to call the vet and get a pain killer, and we´re going to give her a poop from a healthy pig.
The diarrhea is still there, but isn´t too smelly. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know!
I haven´t been able to get a fresh poop yet-- is stale okay? And if I can´t get that, what can I do in the meantime? Will yogurt work-- and how much of it? I just gave her the antibiotic and was wondering how long I need to wait before giving her the yogurt? I can get a fresh poop tomorrow, just wondering what i should do for her tonight.
thanks!
thanks!
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Acidophilous capsules are great. Old poops aren´t much good. I think once they dry out, the good bacteria die off. Fresh is always better! Some people think yogurt is a good idea but I´m not one of them -- it is a dairy product which really shouldn´t be in a guinea pig´s diet.
My guess is a big drugstore might have acidophilous capsules. I got mine at a health food store.
My guess is a big drugstore might have acidophilous capsules. I got mine at a health food store.
Okay, something new I´m noticing! Tabi´s eating a little on her own now, and when she does, she stretches her neck upwards as she eats, like she´s trying to get the food in a certain place or something. I´ve seen her do that before, now that I think about it. Why do you think she´d be doing that?
Some pigs do lose appetite on Sulfa drugs (Sulfatrim). Some pigs lose appetite on Baytril. Tolerance seems to be an individual thing.
It sounds like there has been an ulceration inside the mouth. Was a dental xray taken?
Your vet could try consulting with an animal dentist.
Animal Dentist site.
http://www.avdonline.org/
There is probably a reason the single tooth overgrew in the first place. From what you describe, it sounds like the pig is only chewing on one side. You need to find out why. Abscess? TMJ?
It sounds like there has been an ulceration inside the mouth. Was a dental xray taken?
Your vet could try consulting with an animal dentist.
Animal Dentist site.
http://www.avdonline.org/
There is probably a reason the single tooth overgrew in the first place. From what you describe, it sounds like the pig is only chewing on one side. You need to find out why. Abscess? TMJ?
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