Elwood's sinus trouble.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:24 pm


Elwood is a six month old boar, he has had a sinus infection since May 1st. Quick background: Elwood had two abscesses when he was 5 weeks old that were treated by his previous owner. He also tested negative for CL. On May 1st he was sneezing and had clear discharge from both eyes and both nostrils. I put Gentocin ointment in his eyes and took him to the vet, she said to keep up the Gentocin and gave him a course of Bactrim. He cleared up with this treatment, but the sneezing started again a few days after he had finished. So I gave him another course of Bactrim and again he cleared up while on the medication and sneezing returned when he finished it.

On June 3rd I took him to another vet. He was put on Doxy and Gentocin eye drops used in both eyes and both nostrils, he is still on these now. A culture was done from his nose which came back showing both E-coli and Pasteurella. Elwood's lungs have always been clear, this is isolated to his nose. He has been in good spirits throughout this ordeal, friendly, playful and energetic. His weight has gone from 514 grams up to 740 since May when this started.

Elwood went to the vet earlier this week for a recheck and he is doing a lot better. The swelling in his nostril has improved but is not back to normal and he was still sneezing. The vet wanted me to keep up the current treatment (Doxy and Gentocin drops) for two more weeks and also get a nebulizer for him. His sneezing has stopped (knock on wood), but I'm still planning to buy a nebulizer this weekend.

The vet wants to use injectable Baytril in the nebulizer, I've never heard of using Baytril this way and wanted some input from you guys. Also she told me to put apple cider vinegar in his drinking water to acidify the water and kill germs. Has anyone heard of doing this for a guinea pig before?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:54 pm


No, I have not heard of the cider vinegar treatment. Is there any question about the safety of your water? I think having a nebulizer around would definitely be helpful for him.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:05 pm


I use refrigerated bottled spring water for them. Elwood has been a very good sport about drinking the vinegar water and has stopped his sneezing just after I started giving it to him.

My other question is about using the Baytril in the nebulizer and delivering it in mist form, not the nebulizer itself.

User avatar
mmercedesmom
Supporter in '09

Post   » Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:47 am


I have not heard of administering Baytril this way, BUT the mist would be going right to the mucous membranes that are affected.
Makes sense on that level.

Hopefully someone with experience with this will come along too.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:22 pm


It's going to make the mist smell hideous. I would hope that doesn't affect him or his recovery.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:28 pm


I have to say, I'm really leery of using it that way. These are the drugs that the bacteria in his culture were sensitive to: Baytril, Chloramphenicol, Bactrim, Doxycycline and Gentamicin. I keep thinking that there must be a better combination to use them in. The Gentocin drops in his nostrils are helpful, but he snorts it back out as soon as I put them in (one time he got it in my eye)!

We did get the nebulizer, but I will have to wait until Monday to talk to the vet and pick up the medication for it.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:10 pm


I had the consultation with my vet and expressed my concerns about using the Baytril in the nebulizer. So she gave me injectable Amikacin to use in Elwood's nebulizer instead. I haven't started it yet because we are still waiting for another component from the pharmacy.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:50 am


Elwood went to the vet for a recheck today. He is doing a lot better, but is not out of the woods yet. No more swelling or redness on his nostril and very minimal sneezing, but still has wet sounds in his nose. He occasionally sneezes in the morning when he is eating his hay. His spirits are high, his appetite is very good and his weight is now up to 790 grams.

He has been taking Doxy Orally two times a day, his dose has been increased to keep up with his current weight, he's also still using the Gentamicin drops in his eyes and nose once a day. And he gets a nebulizer treatment every day with Amikacin, Acetylcystene and saline. The man at the pharmacy where we got the nebulizer was very helpful, he told us that it puts out an electrostatic charge and was concerned that the mist would be attracted to a plastic tub. So I got a small glass tank to use as the chamber and it works pretty well.


Image



Image

User avatar
mmercedesmom
Supporter in '09

Post   » Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:39 am


Aww, look at that precious boy. I am glad Elwood is doing better. I like the tank idea for nebulizing him too.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:59 am


Very cute! I hope the Amikacin does the trick. Let me know if I can add your pics to the board.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:10 pm


Thanks! He is a good sport about it also, one time he waived his nose into the mist then popcorned!

I forgot to mention that I stopped using vinegar in his water, he liked it okay but drank less, I think higher water consumption is more important. I also have been giving him some Critical Care for its probiotics even though he is eating well on his own, and I have been giving him cecotropes from Gilbert.

Lynx, of course you can add the pics! Maybe someone will find them helpful. I used a glass jar inside to hold the nebulizer cup upright since I couldn't make a hole in the glass tank.

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:59 pm


Very nice setup! Elwood looks comfortable. :)

Post Reply