Hello. Recently I had a sick guinea pig and I didn't have the money to take her to a vet and instead I had a connection to some lady who's owned guinea pigs for decades. I made the mistake of trusting her to hold onto the guinea pig so she can administer medicine and get the baby better. She then tried to steal my guinea pig but thankfully that didn't work and the guinea pig is back home. However, this leaves medicine up to me so I have a few questions
The topical eye ointment she would use is prescription tobramycin but there was also an anti-inflammatory twice a day medicine that unfortunately I couldn't get the name of. My first question is if anybody can strike a guess on what that anti-inflammatory medicine was so I can have that option on hand and any non prescription alternatives if possible that can go hand in hand with terramycin.
My goal is to avoid going to the vet if possible because I'm broke at the moment but if my options are exhausted then I understand there's not much I can do.
The alternative that I have so far for tobramycin is terramycin. From my understanding tobramycin is a prescribed medicine made for targeting eye infections but terramycin is more generalized and not as specific so not as effective in eye as tetromycin but you don't need a prescription. If there's anything you guys feel like I need to know concerning using terramycin or the difference between tobramycin and terramycin, I would deeply appreciate any knowledge you can provide.
The lady also gave my guinea pig benabac and liquid baytril. I have benabac but Baytril is a little harder to find and I'm assuming is a prescription. If I'm incorrect on that please let me know. My first question on this is if baytril/benabac is necessary for eye infections or hay poke and if it needs to be hand in hand with topical solutions or if it's not necessary and she was doing too much. A side note is that she did notice the guinea pig having dryer poop from not enough water intake. If baytril and benabac weren't necessary, then that would be my assumption on why she gave them it.
My second question on Baytril is alternatives I can use with benabac if baytril is only prescribed and not available to me.
My third and fourth question is what is the dosage for baytril and that I've noticed that they have baytril in pill form for dogs and stuff and if I can't find a liquid baytril, what dosage of pills should I get and how can I cut it down into liquid baytril with a proper dosage.
I understand how MacGyver this all sounds and if I'm talking crazy then please let me know, I just want to be able to continue treatment I already know is working for my animal without having to break the bank going to a vet. Anyways any info helps, even if you can't answer all the questions. Thank you!
Guinea pig medicine questions.
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ItsaZoo
- Supporter in 2024
I would strongly urge you to see a vet if you have a sick guinea pig. They may offer CareCredit or other payment options that would actually be less expensive in the long run. Treating a serious illness at home can cause complications or even the loss of your guinea pig.
You mentioned a hay poke and eye treatment. Flushing with saline and using a terramycin ointment may help but only if there is no debris left in the eye. If there is still a piece of hay or other debris, that needs to be removed.
Baytril is an antibiotic usually prescribed to treat upper respiratory or urinary tract infections. Do you know why this other person was giving Baytril? Signs of upper respiratory infection are sneezing, discharge around the nose or eyes, or crackling sounds and difficulty when breathing. This is deadly. It’s too serious to treat at home with over the counter meds, or by guessing on dosages of prescription meds. It’s difficult enough to treat with the help of a vet.
If there are no signs of upper respiratory issues, if your guinea pig’s weight is stable (you should be weighing regularly) and your guinea pig is eating and active, I would question why this person was giving Baytril. Antibiotics can cause digestive issues and sometimes guinea pigs stop eating. If that happens you will need to hand feed a recovery food like Oxbow Critical Care.
BeneBac is a probiotic that can help keep the digestive tract balanced with good bacteria. Since antibiotics can mess up the good bacteria, I think BeneBac would be a good idea for a few days after the antibiotics are done.
You mentioned a hay poke and eye treatment. Flushing with saline and using a terramycin ointment may help but only if there is no debris left in the eye. If there is still a piece of hay or other debris, that needs to be removed.
Baytril is an antibiotic usually prescribed to treat upper respiratory or urinary tract infections. Do you know why this other person was giving Baytril? Signs of upper respiratory infection are sneezing, discharge around the nose or eyes, or crackling sounds and difficulty when breathing. This is deadly. It’s too serious to treat at home with over the counter meds, or by guessing on dosages of prescription meds. It’s difficult enough to treat with the help of a vet.
If there are no signs of upper respiratory issues, if your guinea pig’s weight is stable (you should be weighing regularly) and your guinea pig is eating and active, I would question why this person was giving Baytril. Antibiotics can cause digestive issues and sometimes guinea pigs stop eating. If that happens you will need to hand feed a recovery food like Oxbow Critical Care.
BeneBac is a probiotic that can help keep the digestive tract balanced with good bacteria. Since antibiotics can mess up the good bacteria, I think BeneBac would be a good idea for a few days after the antibiotics are done.
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Lynx
- Resist!!!
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Sef
- I dissent.
I second the giant ditto to ItsaZoo's advice. And this also highlights the importance of becoming established with a knowledgeable vet *before* serious illness occurs. Vet clinics are much more likely to accept a payment plan with established clients (I have had to do that on several occasions, especially with surgeries).
CareCredit is a very good idea, but for an immediate need you might also be able to set up a "GoFundMe" or similar page so that friends and family might pitch in to help cover veterinary expenses.
Also, it never hurts to talk to the veterinary clinic beforehand and explain your situation. They may say that they can't accept delayed payment or a payment plan, but on the other hand they might. My vet does routinely accept post-dated checks.
Good luck---I wish you and your guinea pig well.
CareCredit is a very good idea, but for an immediate need you might also be able to set up a "GoFundMe" or similar page so that friends and family might pitch in to help cover veterinary expenses.
Also, it never hurts to talk to the veterinary clinic beforehand and explain your situation. They may say that they can't accept delayed payment or a payment plan, but on the other hand they might. My vet does routinely accept post-dated checks.
Good luck---I wish you and your guinea pig well.
Care Credit is through Synchrony Bank and it's a godsend. It has saved me a ton of trouble and was instrumental in helping several of my pets. It can be used for more than just veterinary care. The terms are very reasonable with a lot of promotions, including interest free if paid within a certain time. Synchrony is not a big stickler and are understanding if your credit is challenged.
They also offer flexibility on how to charge your account. For instance, the vet can send you an invoice with a request for payment, which you can complete on your smart phone. They can also look you up and charge your account without the card if you don't have it with you. The care credit app is also amazing. Easy payment and management of your account and there's a virtual card you can use if you don't have your card with you.
You can apply here:https://www.carecredit.com/apply/?utm_s ... lsrc=aw.ds
They also offer flexibility on how to charge your account. For instance, the vet can send you an invoice with a request for payment, which you can complete on your smart phone. They can also look you up and charge your account without the card if you don't have it with you. The care credit app is also amazing. Easy payment and management of your account and there's a virtual card you can use if you don't have your card with you.
You can apply here:https://www.carecredit.com/apply/?utm_s ... lsrc=aw.ds
I started out with a $500 limit about the time Scruffy got sick and through the years of paying it off every time I use it, I've built it up to a $5000 limit. Now I can handle any pet illnesses that come up. It has literally saved several of my guinea pigs and my other pets and livestock because it allows me to get them to the vet at any time. Highly recommend.
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Talishan
- You can quote me
The anti-inflammatory was possibly Metacam, although she may have used a steroid. In my experience, they're usually not needed for eye injuries, although occasionally they might be.
I can only add my huge ditto to what everyone has said -- see a reputable exotics vet. First off, it may not be as expensive as you fear; tell them exactly what you've told us, and what seems to be working. Baytril, for example, can be a little pricey; if your pig doesn't need it, then you don't have to pay for it.
Ditto on looking into CareCredit.
In my experience -- most vets understand how much you care about your pets. A few will be hard-nosed, but most will give you payment options, and will work with you to get your pig the care they need. Exotics vets in my experience are exotics vets because they love small animals like guinea pigs, and they genuinely want to help them get the care they need.
Minor eye injuries, if properly treated, usually heal up pretty well. See a good exotics vet.
Good luck to you and your pig. Please let us know how it works out.
I can only add my huge ditto to what everyone has said -- see a reputable exotics vet. First off, it may not be as expensive as you fear; tell them exactly what you've told us, and what seems to be working. Baytril, for example, can be a little pricey; if your pig doesn't need it, then you don't have to pay for it.
Ditto on looking into CareCredit.
In my experience -- most vets understand how much you care about your pets. A few will be hard-nosed, but most will give you payment options, and will work with you to get your pig the care they need. Exotics vets in my experience are exotics vets because they love small animals like guinea pigs, and they genuinely want to help them get the care they need.
Minor eye injuries, if properly treated, usually heal up pretty well. See a good exotics vet.
Good luck to you and your pig. Please let us know how it works out.
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ItsaZoo
- Supporter in 2024
I had a friend who used CareCredit when her cat was ill. My friend had just lost her job when the company shut down, and then her cat got sick. That was the first time I ever heard of CareCredit. I remember how relieved she was that a financial option was available to help her.
Without care credit, Gilligan would have died almost 2 years earlier than he did; Muffin would be gone, Barry Jenkins and Sammy wouldn't have had a humane passing; Scruffy wouldn't have gotten an extra year with us; Mr. Bubbles might have lost his eye and probably wouldn't have lived as long as he did and the guinea pig wall of fame with the ones I've lost probably would not exist. None of my dogs and cats would be spayed/neutered and have all of their shots. Nail trims would be much harder. I don't have a lot of money and was able to pay for everything afore mentioned with my care credit account.
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