GI Upset

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rshevin

Post   » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:46 pm


I don't know about the size of the stone. It looked big to me, probably too big to pass, but scale is often skewed on ultrasound if you're not a skilled diagnostician.

I can always give him the other medicine tomorrow, or late tonight. I doubt I'll sleep much again. I am so lost with all this, as you know. The vets keep saying there's nothing other than baytril, they haven't heard of a pig not tolerating baytril, i have read better than this so many times, but it's SO hard when you have an "authority" in person telling it to you who wants to argue that they have all this education and experience and you don't.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:05 pm


I'm so sorry you're having to go through this.

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rshevin

Post   » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:56 pm


It's 10:53 pm. Do you know what you're Piggy's doing? Munching hay, yawning, and pulling with the fleece to make a pillow (even though there is a pillow in the cage). I am watching him like a hawk. His poopies are normal, for now. He's got lots of probiotic in him, a little cranberry, plenty of C. I don't know what else supportive care I can do tonight. I think he's tired of being watched.

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lisam

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:06 am


Make sure you get some rest! Good wishes for you both tonight.

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Amy0204
We miss our sweet Oreo

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:11 am


So sorry you're going thru this. My vet has a preference for Baytril as well and at least in his experience is not aware of pigs having intolerance issues with it. Having said that, he was more than happy to substitute Bactrim for me and when things went from bad to worse, was very aware of which abs would be best for which kinds of infections.

Perhaps you could encourage the vet to contact another vet? I know my guy was very willing to expand his knowledge base by calling fellow vets he knew or knew of. We got some insights from this. Also, maybe one of the vets could post on VIN? (Vet Info Network online). It's a terrific resource and might broaden their perspectives.

I don't know your circumstances but as difficult as it might be, you may need to take a road trip to find somebody in a neighboring area who is more cavy savvy. Good luck and try to get some sleep!!

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:16 am


You are doing a wonderful job with Piggy, and he is so lucky to have you as his advocate. Sending more good thoughts for Piggy, and I hope he has a nice, quiet, calm night. :)

"they haven't heard of a pig not tolerating baytril"

I experience this with the two vets that I use. They always rely on Baytril as their "first choice" antibiotic.

Although my local vet has trained in exotic care, she does not see many guinea pigs or other rodents as repeat patients. I wonder if the owners wait too long to bring their pets in, and then the animals are too weak to respond to treatment when they do receive it.

I also wonder if Baytril is considered to be "well tolerated" because owners do not recognize the signs of a/b intolerance, and therefore do not inform their vet.

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rshevin

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:35 am


Amy, I do have one place Piggy can take a roadtrip to. That offer is SERIOUSLY under consideration right now. Of course, I don't have my crystal ball yet and I can't tell if that would be better or worse. I would like to talk face to face with the local surgeon. I hope I will have a gut vibe after that.

Lisam, thank you. I think I will go upstairs and at least read in bed. Piggy will come with me thankfully. I'm SO glad I kept my petstore cage. I can't believe he ever lived in this full time, but for emergencies like this, it's a life safer. I can have him right by me at all times, monitoring intake and output.

Tracis, you make many, many good points. All of which I will re-read tomorrow to try and make a sane, logical, non-pig-freak-know-it-all case with my vet Thursday.

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Halva
Supporter in '10

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:32 am


I got the same when I mentioned Baytril intolerance to the vet I first saw for Amber and her UTI/stones. They'd had very few problems. I think that is likely to be due to 1. people not recognising it and therefore reporting it and 2. fewer people taking guinea pigs to the vets over here. Amber seems to have tolerated hers so far though.

I hope you and Piggy had an okay night.

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:23 am


So, how is the adorable Piggy today? I hope you got some good rest as well.

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rshevin

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:29 am


Good morning everyone. Thank you Halva, we did indeed have a good night. I got a few hours of sleep and Piggy ate a pile of hay and made some poopies. I have decided to be strong and go with my gut with the Bactrim. My argument is going to be "I know you don't see it much, and I've read dozens of stories of guinea pigs whose lives were inarguably saved by Baytril, but I can't argue with my experience of him becoming seriously ill after 2 doses." I hope he can respect that.

I wouldn't hesitate to give Baytril to a pig the first time. If he'd never had it, I'd have no problem with him taking it. I just can't rationalize giving it to him a 2nd time. If I took a medicine that made me that sick, I wouldn't take it again. Why should I do it to my pet?

Piggy got his Bactrim this morning, along with a nice, wet piece of lettuce to wash it down since the label says "take with plenty of water." I'm going home at lunch to give more probiotic as I wasn't up early enough to have a 2 hour window. He may get even more lettuce as even though he's eating, pooping, and peeing, he doesn't seem to be drinking that much. I moved the water bottle to a more convenient location. He's also been getting a lot of fluid with his probiotic (I suspend it in baby apple sauce, vitamin C liquid, and cranberry juice) so he could just not be all that thirsty. He was a good boy and begged on the bars when I asked if he wanted a snack. There seems to be less bloody urine this morning, but he's also been in the hay box a lot.

Kishes to Amber. I hope she's feeling better soon.

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rshevin

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:15 pm


What are the prevailing opinions on the alternative medicine supportive treatments? I know of:
Cranberry
Glucosamine (with anything else mixed in?)
Shilingtong

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:27 pm


Don't forget Pinta's thread on Actigall.

If I had a pig with an inoperable stone, I'd give that a try.

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