Fuzzbutt's Medical

Post Reply
User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Mar 05, 2018 1:20 pm


Wash your hands really well and maybe you could put a tiny amount on your finger and get it in the corner of the eye. This way a big finger would not jab so much (I hope). Hopefully there will be better suggestions from more people if the finger/distraction method does not work.

Also glad the hair is filling in!

Clint The Cuy

Post   » Mon Mar 05, 2018 2:04 pm


Vetropolycin is a brand of triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment. The 3 antibiotics being bacitracin, neomycin and polymyxin, hence the “BNP.” O.O. Is just short for ophthalmic ointment.

There are a few ways that I have administered eye ointment. I don’t generally use the tube directly because of waste, contamination and lack of control (like when a huge 4 inch line of ointment comes out after the slightest squeeze of the tube! So annoying!).

One is that I use a 1 ml TB syringe, pull out the plunger and squirt some ointment into the syringe. Then just put the plunger back in and then use that to administer your ointment. It has a fatter tip that isn’t as “pokey” and it allows for more control and less waste IMO.

It is also totally legal to use a clean or gloved hand to administer the ointment instead of trying to aim with another applicator. I usually use one hand to restrain/hold eye open and the other to put into either corner of the eye. You could also aiming for the top or lower lid. I sometimes gently lift the upper lid very slightly and aim he ointment in that area. Their eyes are tricky because of how convex they are.

Also remember that their eyes don’t hold that much ointment/solution and it only takes an extremely small amount to treat the eye. A larger eye can only hold 0.1ml of solution and maybe a 3mm strip of ointment. A guinea pigs eyes are a fraction of that size. I’ve had vets tell me to administer 3 drops of solution at one time and I hate to say that it is a waste, because they blink most of it out. Their eyes can’t hold that much.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:11 pm


Oh, I'm glad you posted, Clint The Cuy! It sounds like I was pointing in the right direction (for the finger method) but your explanation was so much better.

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:13 pm


Hahaha, Lynx. You were right on. I did use my finger to administer the Gentizol, and still ended up poking her. However, maybe I poked her first and worst with the q-tip I've been using. I think you're both right that my finger would work best for both medications. It's worth a shot anyway.

I'm not sure the distraction method will work but will certainly try. It can't hurt. I've been giving treats AFTER the application of meds, but maybe DURING would work better. And maybe a little more (it's usually lettuce) afterwards.

I thank you all for the ideas and suggestions. It is truly appreciated.

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:31 am


Using my finger did the trick, both with the Bacitracin-neomycin-polymyxin medication and the Gentizol. Fuzz is down to 4 or 5 small bare spots (according to the vet) and her eye is healed. She'll be so happy when she realizes there won't be any more messing with her eyes.

I can't believe how easy and comfortable she seems with me. She doesn't run away when I need to pick her up (must be all the treats!), but she still poops and pees on me regularly, so I use a chunk of fleece when I need to pick her up. Still have a problem with soft poos, though, so I have to watch out for her feet, too. I get smeared regularly. Vet said to try giving her 1 cc of pre/probiotic every day. Hopefully that will help.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Mar 09, 2018 7:35 pm


So glad you got the application worked out!

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Thu Mar 22, 2018 10:21 pm


Fuzz made it to the vet today. Along with the fungal infection (more on that in a minute) she also has a URI. She finally made the "snotty nose" sound so the vet checked her more closely and took x-rays to compare with the ones taken in December which weren't really good because we were checking for belly/g.i. issues back then. Today made it clear that there was fluid in her lungs, the left not as bad as the rights, but it is present in both lungs. So she's on Baytril - 10mg/ml. .28 ml twice a day for 14 days. I will try to get the vet's office to email both sets of x-rays tomorrow. They're pretty good about doing this if I ask for them.

Then there is the Metronidazole Benzoate (CA90) 100MG/ML suspension .45 ml twice daily for the soft stools for 2 weeks. Hopefully, this will do the trick. If it, does we can try giving it every other day. (Banana flavor (o: )

Then there is the super thin hair on her hip and side of the tummy. Dr. K. says it is part of the fungal infection so I should continue treating with the Miconazole lotion. She said she barely touched the hair and a bunch fell out. Thinking back, this area has been very thin haired for months. I wonder if FUZZ gave it to the babies when I brought them home, rather than the other way around, and they were so young and vulnerable! Whatever, I have to be more careful about washing my hands between each pig, so I don't accidently keep spreading it. (Dusty and Belle have new areas around/on the ears that I'm treating.)

Plus, I've decided to give her the Buprenorphine more often. It's not helping her when it just sits in drawer.

Dr. K. thinks Fuzzbutt may have a compromised immune system. :'o(

It's now more vital that I get the probiotic into her.

If she hated me before, she's going to REALLY hate me now. I'll need lots of "rags" because she poops and/or pees on me regularly now when I handle her.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:00 am


I hope she somehow knows you are doing this all for her own good.

User avatar
Zaphy

Post   » Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:22 pm


I'm sorry to hear that she's having such a tough time. Hang in there- I hope she starts feeling better!

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:12 pm


Posting x-rays of Fuzz. First set were taken in December but we were looking for G.I. issues, so not a good indicator of her lungs.

ImageFuzzbutt #1 12.11.17

ImageFuzzbutt #2 12.11.17

Second set we were looking specifically at her lungs.

ImageFuzzbutt #! 3.23.18

ImageFuzzbutt #2 3.23.18

Dr. K says there isn't enough white or opaque areas in the second set, which are of her lungs. She said these x-rays indicate fluid around her lungs (or in, I don't remember which). She diagnosed a URI and gave her Baytril. See above post for more specific information on that.

If you have any comments, observations, suggestions, etc., please don't hesitate to say them. Fuzz has had the on-again, off-again nasal congestion sound for months. I know nothing about reading x-rays.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:56 pm


I don't know much about reading xrays either. I hope the Baytril helps!

Have you ever tried nebulizing her?

User avatar
GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:07 am


No, but I searched out bpatters' instructions for building one. I may have to try that. She's fighting the syringes like she thinks I'm going to kill her. Actually, this little pig fights everything except snuggles that way, including the banana flavored stuff! I'll see if they can do strawberry next time.

On the bright side, her soft poops have all but disappeared. She's still eating and pooping, just not the soft mushy ones.

Do you think I should wait to give her a medicated bath with the URI still very active?

Post Reply