Injectable Baytril dosage needed asap

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:17 pm


Oh, and he said that if he doesn't respond to our treatment, then we'll want to do bloodwork. (But what's our treatment?! So far, the only thing he's really said to change is to add Buprenex and to use a cream he's going to prescribe for his feet as he's starting to develop sores from sitting in his own urine.)

I told him that I'm concerned about quality of life, and that if he's not going to be able to walk again, I don't intend to let him suffer.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:25 pm


Mumble. Buprenex is a narcotic (well, you know that) and may zone him out to where he won't eat much.

Something analogous to a slipped disc makes a good bit of sense to me. Is he hurting? Or is it 'just' that he cannot walk? Not being able to walk does not necessarily equal suffering (to me, anyway). Chronic, severe pain does. MO only.
Last edited by Talishan on Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:28 pm


He's definitely in pain. When his Metacam wears off, he's puffed up and sometimes grinds his teeth.

What do you do to treat a slipped disc in a guinea pig? For that matter... what exactly IS a slipped disc? I understand the term, but physically, are we talking spinal area or leg area or what? I should really know these things.

Edit: OK, I'm reading about it online. But I can't even being to imagine how it could be fixed...

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:36 pm


Oh boy. I *think* it refers to a soft(er) piece of cartilage/spongy material that cushions your spine slipping out of place, often where the lower back joins the pelvic area. I think. Hopefully one of the med people will see this and tell us right.

Our vet told us a bundle of very large 'interstate' nerves come together near the guinea pig's equivalent of our lower back. These nerves affect movement, ambulation, digestion and some other major things. I could see where a slipped disc would affect all of those things, but at this point that's pure speculation on my part.

Edit: are you giving Metacam once or twice a day? He might do better on a half-dose, given every 12 hours.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:43 pm


That goes along with what I've been reading. I don't think spinal surgery is really a viable option for a guinea pig, so I'm not sure how it would be treated. It sounds like in humans, lots of pain control and physical therapy can help, but again, I can't imagine how to apply this to a guinea pig. I guess we'll just have to see what the doctor says, if that is indeed what's wrong. Though I can't imagine how he ended up with a slipped disc, as everything I've read suggests trauma. He's never been dropped or anything, and as I said before, he does *not* zoom around the cage, climb on his house, or jump off things. He's a very mellow pig and is probably a bit arthritic, so I have a hard time believing he was flinging himself around one night while we were all asleep and injured himself.

I'd much rather he have a vitamin C deficiency... :/ Not that that's a likely option either unless there's something *else* wrong with him causing him not to absorb vitamins properly (theory the vet dismissed), but the more I read about spinal injuries and slipped discs, the less it sounds like it will be treatable.

Edit: We're giving the Metacam twice a day right now, at full-dose strength. There's a thread around from a while back discussing Metacam dosing options, and while it's not ideal for him to be on that much so often, when we decrease the dose, he is obviously puffed up in pain and not as interested in eating. A higher dose once a day hasn't worked for him either... it seems to have worn off in 12 hours. This vet OKed the dose I have him on now so long as he doesn't start having symptoms of side effects and as long as he isn't responding to a lower dose. Perhaps with the Buprenex added in, we can reduce the Metacam dose. Buprenex is heavy-duty stuff. Aya-cat was totally stoned when she was on it. Of course, then there's the eating issue you mentioned... but if he is in severe pain, I wonder if he might eat better just because he feels better on it, even if he is out of it.
Last edited by chii on Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:48 pm


Ours twisted just very slightly funny, off to one side, very minimal, one time when I was picking him up and put him back down in his cage. This was from no height and was otherwise a normal landing -- just the very slightest twist -- but I injured my back one time, to where I could barely sit or move for nearly a week, by crossing my legs funny in an armchair. !

I felt horrible then and still feel like I injured him, or contributed to his injury. Yet he regained a good bit of his mobility and his attitude was always great. I saw very little evidence of pain.

Edit: IMHO Metacam wears off in 12 hours. I believe in 2x daily dosing, regardless of the amount used or prescribed.

Edit II: What about using Torbugesic? We've had good success with it, the few times we've needed it. They get the munchies after a while, and it's not quite as doping as Buprenex.
Last edited by Talishan on Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:54 pm


How long did it take him to regain mobility? Also, do you think the pain will decrease over time with proper treatment? (I have NO idea what that means, but I'm guessing anti-inflammatories, pain medication, trying to get the pig more mobile, and giving him time to heal? Some kind of piggy physical therapy?)

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:00 pm


Limited mobility, a few weeks -- maybe a couple of months. More mobility -- a few more weeks.

Ours didn't appear to be in pain, at least not severe, from whatever was causing the mobility problem, so your case may be a little different. Giving him time to heal, pain med sufficient enough to allow him to eat and rest comfortably, a form (??) of physical therapy, maybe -- ? We didn't pursue formal therapy with ours, but we would work with him -- help him to walk by gently lifting him up and moving him; putting vegetables within reach but to where he had to move just a little tiny bit to get them, stuff like that. This is also the same pig we gave the warm damp cloth soaks to.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:12 pm


OK, it's been an hour. Call me already, Mr. Doctor Man!

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:14 pm


IMHO give him 15-20 minutes, then you call him.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:51 pm


While I'm still killing time... This is the clinic Benji went to today. He's seeing Dr. Dan (see the staff page).

http://www.birdandexotic.com/

The vet he's seeing sounds impressive. He specializes in orthopedic and microsurgical techniques.

I'm giving him a few more minutes, then I'm going to call. I don't want to be one of *those* high-maintenance clients who doesn't understand that sometimes things take longer than planned or emergencies come in and whatnot.

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:06 pm


Just called, and apparently they haven't gotten to Benji yet... something came up or something. But to be fair, they took him as a drop-off even though they were full today, so I can't really complain.

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