SEEKING ADVICE ON DIARRHEA

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Sunder

Post   » Wed Sep 18, 2002 1:46 pm


I have tried everything...yogurt, acidophillus, lactonex, kaopectate, gerber baby rice cereal, bananas.....I´ve tried it all, except the "poop" trick, which I will try tonight.

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Alison

Post   » Wed Sep 18, 2002 11:30 pm


Sunder, sorry to hear about you little piggie.

I get Flagyl from my vet. However, my little piggie shows some adverse effect when taking the medicine. Though the medicine proves to stop BB from diarrheoa quite effectively. (see my latest posting in "Diarrheoa again")

Is it possible for you to get the Oxbow Critical Care. This product is very good for piggie. Whenever my little piggie is in trouble, I give her the Critical Care to ensure enough nutritional value.

I would say KP, Avipro, Critical Care and the poop work for my little piggie. Continue to try and see if the situation improves.

My piggie is now suffering from another problem. I am trying to go through the problem together with the piggie. She is showing improvement bit by bit. I am sure that you and your pig can do it. Keep up!

All the Best!

Sunder

Post   » Mon Sep 23, 2002 2:52 pm


Thanks Allison. Yes, Sunder´s diarrhea is gone after being on Flagyl for 3 days (will continue for 7 days), however, now he has no appetite and NO poops. Now what?

babypiggy

Post   » Mon Sep 23, 2002 10:33 pm


I am so worried about Baby my 3 month old female pig. Please forgive me I am a new cavy owner. Baby was showing signs of decreased energy for about two weeks but had been eating and drinking. Yesterday she started with runny stools (not foul smelling) and will not eat. I took her to the vet this morning and she thinks its a vit C deficiency. So she gave Baby a shot of vit C and just incase she also gave Baby antibiotics (1 SMZ-TMP per ml). The vet also hydrated Baby. I have continued with Pedialyte (unflavored clear) and water. Every 2hours 3-5 small dropperfuls per hour. (about .8 ml/dropper)

After reading the websites I am concerned that the vet didn´t check baby´s temp. I will call her in the morning tomorrow and ask.

When can I expect Baby to show some sign of improvement? Baby shows no desire to eat solid food. Not even her favorite hay. ?(

pinta

Post   » Mon Sep 23, 2002 10:47 pm


It can take up to 48 hours for the antibiotic to kick in. However, some pigs can´t tolerate some ABs and some bacteria is resistant to some ABs.*

Did the vet check the stools for parasites?

I´m wondering if Flagyl might have been a better choice due to the diarrhea.

Give her 50-100 MG/KG C daily while she is ill. And you need to handfeed her. Critical Care is best.

A temperature could help in diagnosis.

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*If she gets worse you will need to consider changing meds.
Last edited by pinta on Mon Sep 23, 2002 10:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

babypiggy

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 1:04 pm


My poor Baby isn´t doing any better. I am now feeding her critical care, water, and pedialyte. One of her eyes has a milky discharge. She is losing the desire to be hand fed. Is it hurting her to be held and cuddle? (super delicate of course) I feel like she still needs love now more than ever. I´m afraid to try the mash w/poop & yogurt too. I´m worried its too much. Any thoughts or suggestions?

pinta

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 5:03 pm


Try the poops and yogurt to try and rebalance her gut flora and ask your vet about trying Flagyl. I don´t think you can wait on this. I doubt it hurts to hold her - she would let you know.

Diarrhea is extremely serious and I´m not really aware of Bactrim doing too much to stop it.

Since she sounds worse I would get her to the vet ASAP and ask about Flagyl and get a hydration subcue treatment. The Flagyl dose we have used is 25MG/KG every 12 hours for 7 days.

babypiggy

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 6:35 pm


I went to the vet this morning. She thinks there is nothing to do but wait. They said to bring baby back on Friday for more Vit C.

Evangeline

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 6:59 pm


Yikes!!

New vet! New vet!

Nothing to do but wait? Unfortunately, with pigs, waiting is NOT an option. Are you sure this vet is experienced with guinea pigs? They are so different from cats and dogs, and incompetent vets don´t realize that.

Evangeline

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 7:00 pm


Wait for what, by the way? Wait for the pig to die to start treating? Wait for things to go back to normal by themselve? Wait for what?

babypiggy

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 7:07 pm


Obviously I´m as inexperienced as the vet. I should have realized when she didn´t mention that I should feed Baby by hand or give her the critical care that she was operating on a different schedule. I hope we can make it through the night and I´ll get the other antibiotic in the morning.

pinta

Post   » Tue Sep 24, 2002 7:09 pm


Your vet is wrong. If she is still having diarrhea and not getting better, Flagyl is worth trying. Did she get a hydration subcue? If you are giving her C orally 50-100MG/KG daily you don´t need the C from the vet.

If it was a C deficiency she wouldn´t be getting worse with daily C. It sounds more like enteritis. Without the correct treatment she will not get better if it is enteritis. In some cases Antibiotics can make enteritis worse by killing off good bacteria allowing bad bacteria to proliferate.

Your vet needs to understand that waiting is not an option with guinea pigs. Friday is too long. My vets are experienced in guinea pigs and when they are ill make sure they see them right away. Waiting is NOT an option.

Signs of scurvy (C deficiency)include a rough coat, bad teeth, hopping motion when pig is moving, pain when being touched. I can´t remember if diarrhea was one of the signs. Does anyone know?

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Just checked a med book - diarrhea is another sign of scurvy.
Last edited by pinta on Tue Sep 24, 2002 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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