Protozoa in Bladder/Urine and Metronidazole

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Lynx
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Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2022 8:47 pm


There are multiple guinea pigs who have been on heart meds successfully for some time. If you haven't read the heart page recently, it might be worthwhile to do so. Sometimes it takes a bit to balance medications. Hopefully your vet will give you guidelines.

The diuretic I imagine is lasix (furosemide). What was the other medication prescribed?
https://www.guinealynx.info/heart.html

DevoutHaruhiist
Supporter in '22

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2022 8:54 pm


Yeah it is furosemide and the other is enalapril. The latter is in a kind of quarter tablet that is dissolved in a tiny bit of water (they quartered them for me). Both twice a day.

I read on the heart medications page that enalapril can come with some risk of kidney damage though I am not sure I have the luxury of not using it.

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Lynx
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Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:52 pm


Guessing it is only some guinea pigs and more extended use so worth seeing if it helps.

DevoutHaruhiist
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Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2022 6:04 pm


I probably should note the dosages she is on here.

Twice a day she is getting:
0.2 mL of a 10 mg/mL solution of the furosemide (so 2 mg twice a day for a total of 4mg daily)
And
a quarter of a 2.5mg Enalapril tablet (dissolved) (so .625 mg twice a day for a total of 1.25 mg daily)

And for reference is is ~780g atm in weight

Not sure how this compares to other dosages. It seems about aligned with, at least for the furosemide, what is mentioned on the guinea lynx page for these medicines.

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Lynx
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Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:09 pm


Thanks for the details. It helps to have a complete record!

DevoutHaruhiist
Supporter in '22

Post   » Thu Jun 09, 2022 7:32 pm


Also I was curious if there is any expectation of some slight weight loss if she is draining the fluids. For awhile (1 or 2 weeks) before this she was holding at around 770-780 grams. Then she started gaining weight to around 790 prior to the crackling starting and the recent diagnosis. Now I am noticing her back down in the 770s again. Not sure if this is a sign she is losing weight a little generally again or a good sign that maybe some of that liquid is draining. (And thus maybe it was partially artificial weight gain in the first place).

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Lynx
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Post   » Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:07 pm


I think your theory is reasonable. I notice personal weight fluctuations caused by eating or not eating salty foods. The salt definitely affects water retention. A diuretic would likely make a difference.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Jun 14, 2022 11:27 pm


Agree. I can definitely see a difference in my own weight when eating salty foods ("water weight"). That would make sense in this case as well, I would think.

DevoutHaruhiist
Supporter in '22

Post   » Fri Jun 17, 2022 8:42 pm


Thought I would give a little update on Margaret.

She has been on her heart medicines for about 10 days now. Thankfully, and I'll admit somewhat to my surprise, her crackling in her breathing stopped around last Sunday (after a week on the medicines). I know this could be temporary but she seems to be in much better spirits. Still on all of her medicines and some syringe feeding, but she has started squeaking (in a good way) a little again and comes out to eat on her own pretty well. The only issue is her weight, which was up around the time of her starting this medication (albeit maybe due to a bad reason-- the fluid buildup), is slowly ticking down again. But I am very pleased with how she is doing at the moment.

She is also still having that lopsidedness and might be having some slight trouble with her back left leg. She can still walk fairly briskly when she needs to and stands up on her hindlegs while I am prepping her veggies sometimes, but I also notice that if she is lying down her left leg is quite folded under her, almost crumpled, and she sometimes stumbles/has a hard time getting up from it. Nothing was noted on her xrays so this might just be something she has to deal with. Her poops have generally been ok but occasionally, maybe once or twice a week, she makes some messy soft ones and I have to clean her hands or bottom. I have someone else coming to visit for the weekend and while I of course will keep her on her routine, I hope having another person around won't throw her off.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Fri Jun 17, 2022 11:02 pm


It sounds like the heart meds are helping her breath and get her energy back. I have a dog on furosemide, enalapril, and Vetmedin. He never had fluid in his lungs, but I noticed after we started the Vetmedin he slept better and seemed to relax more.

I hope you continue to see improvements in how Margaret feels.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jun 18, 2022 7:20 am


Sounds like some good progress! Fingers crossed for continued improvement.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jun 18, 2022 7:27 am


Yes indeed! Sounds encouraging! I am glad the heart meds seem to be helping. Ditto on hoping for continued improvements. Attitude is important!

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