Temporary Sticky - azithromycin feedback?

User avatar
kaihai

Post   » Tue Feb 24, 2015 10:26 pm


I almost lost one of my pigs to an azithromycin antibiotic intolerance.

About two weeks after adopting my two pigs (early January), Willie came down with what seemed to be a mild URI. The vet immediately prescribed 0.2 mL of azithro 2x daily for both Willie (sick pig) and Chester (healthy pig). Not knowing much, and only researching far enough to see that azithro was not on any danger or warning lists, I administered the medication to both.

Willie tolerated the azithromycin. In fact, he was able to take it for the full week. Chester on the other hand, was intolerant. He stopped eating and pooping, developed bloat, and I've spent the past two months trying to restore his health. He is still having some poop issues.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:04 pm


I am sorry he had such a bad reaction. Do you know the concentration of the drug in mg/ml? And the weight of your guinea pigs? (I'd need this info to estimate the dose he was given)

www.guinealynx.info/_dose.html

User avatar
kaihai

Post   » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:32 am


Chester was about 950 g at the time, though the dosing was based off of Willie's weight of 726 g. The concentration of the azithromycin was 50mg/mL. I will try to dig up the prescription bottle, but I am almost certain that he was given 0.2cc.

User avatar
kaihai

Post   » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:29 pm


My apologies for the numerous messages. He was actually prescribed 0.3 cc. His dosage was 20 mg/kg q12h.

User avatar
MrsSuzy

Post   » Thu Apr 09, 2015 6:34 am


I have experience with Zithromax and my vet swears by it. Im in UK and my vet is one of the best piggy savvy over here (Simon Maddock, Cat and Rabbit Clinic).

Following removal of a mammary tumour, Itsy (2yrs at time) developed teeth problems and suddenly a massive abscess popped up under her chin (on side). After surgery to open and drain the process of flushing daily started but the drug of choice was zithromax. She was on 0.9ml once a day she weighed 850gr). She stayed on the zithromax for 2 weeks but a month later the abscess returned. She went for surgery again and this time vet decided on zithromax for 1 month. Very frustrating but the abscess returned and on 3rd time, vet decided to try and remove the whole capsule (not attempted before because abscess was deep). This time vet decided to put her on the zitromax for longer (2 months) and, touch wood, its been 5 months since and no signs of it.

Itsy absolutely hated it (its very gooey and sweet smelling) but her appetite, poops and behaviour was never affected by it, even when she was on it for longer.

From what I know, he tends to use Zithromax mainly for stubborn abscesses or wounds sites that are at huge risk of developing infection or those who have previously been Septrin and not worked.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Apr 09, 2015 4:46 pm


Do you know what the concentration was in mg/ml? Glad this worked for her.

User avatar
MrsSuzy

Post   » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:25 am


I'm pretty sure it was 200mg/ 5ml suspension and each packet lasted a little bit over 2wks, dosed at 0.9 so I'm assuming makes 15ml. It is a dry powder to mix with water.

User avatar
MildredM
The-Fairy-in-my-Heart

Post   » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:47 am


I was encouraged to use it after seeing, online, that Simon Maddox had been mentioned in other cases where it had been used successfully.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:39 am


And what was the weight of your guinea pig?

This is why I need it to figure out the dosage:

www.guinealynx.info/_dose.html

User avatar
MrsSuzy

Post   » Fri Apr 10, 2015 10:33 am


Itsy was initially 850gr. She eventually regained weight she had lost because of teeth and got to 1kg. The dosage was then adjusted to 1ml.

Hope that helps?

Countrylass

Post   » Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:24 pm


Sweep has just spent 10 days on it, his weight was 1.2kg and the dosage was 0.1ml per 100g making two doses per day of 0.6ml. Concentration was 200mg/5ml. He didn't like the taste and it affected his appetite for salad. If young spring grass hadn't been available he would have lost a lot more weight plus thankfully Lulu allowed him to raid her bottom for beneficial bacteria. Now he's finished his course, his weight is creeping back up and his appetite is back to normal.

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:51 pm


My Peek developed a limp and our vet thought it might be bumblefoot, so she put him on 1 ml once per day, along with the metacam and a betadine solution soak. It took a while, and we never found out for sure what caused the limp, but it cleared up and came back off and on for several months. Gone now, and that was last summer & fall.

Scatter-bug developed an infection after his neutering. Vet removed a "huge" sac of yuck & put him on the azithromycin. 1 ml, once a day, and told me to flush the incision site with a 1/10 betadine solution (this was before I found out the betadine stings like you-know-what). It did heal well though.

P.S. Those Health Record Books are so handy!!

Post Reply