Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Glenn Hodgson — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:16:29 GMT

No ab's, remove problem tooth debride, marsupialise abscess and flush may well be the call of the day.

Yea, is on 'tinternet. Must be correct Evelyn Such as the vital 5 days of synulox that must be given prior to a bitch mating and 7 days prior to whelping so the bitch can "make better puppies"

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:37:09 GMT

[quote user="Glenn Hodgson"]

[quote user="James Laidlaw"]

no antibiotic injection is going to fix a dental abcess - that should be the key to the discussion with and education of the client.

[/quote]

Agree 100%, They are in later today for this.

[quote user="James Laidlaw"]

I may be being overly harsh, but I think that there are other drugs available, such as baytril and septrin that do a good job...

[/quote]

Sadly these perpetuated severe bloat.

[/quote]

Then why give it any antibiotic at all?

[quote user="Glenn Hodgson"]

Don't worry about being overly harsh anyone

Discussing such things is inevitably productive.

[/quote]

As for the internet.......... no, don't get me started.

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Glenn Hodgson — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:25:07 GMT

Don't worry about being overly harsh anyone

Discussing such things is inevitably productive.

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Glenn Hodgson — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:22:55 GMT

Thanks Dagmar and Marie re Azithromycin info.

[quote user="James Laidlaw"]

no antibiotic injection is going to fix a dental abcess - that should be the key to the discussion with and education of the client.

[/quote]

Agree 100%, They are in later today for this.

[quote user="James Laidlaw"]

I may be being overly harsh, but I think that there are other drugs available, such as baytril and septrin that do a good job...

[/quote]

Sadly these perpetuated severe bloat.

Re Penicillins/Betamox:

Over 10 years I have had a fair bit of conflicting advice from GP's and exotic specialists alike regarding parenteral pinicillins/Amoxycillin, over and above here. Anecdotally they appear not to be all that bad. I am away to open a thread on this

http://www.vetsurgeon.org/forums/p/14556/84247.aspx#84247

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:12:14 GMT

I use azithromycin in guinea pigs regularly and am generally quite happy with it - no diarrhoea or dysbiosis evident, good tissue penetration and they tolerate medication/taste well. Occasionally they will have reduced appetite on it but doesn't seem a common response. I use 20mg/kg bid but tend to reserve it for infections where the usual antibiotics aren't appropriate or have failed (mostly chronic URTIs, otitis media, C&S dictated treatment).

For abscesses I tend to use metronidazole and a fluoroquinolone, along with meloxicam for 5d prior to surgery.

Marie

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

James Laidlaw — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:53:02 GMT

Would seem pointless when there are other drugs available without a warning on the label not to give... Ultrapen LA was what we always used, not the synthetics. Think in rabbits it's a little safer, maybe someone with more exotics experience will pop in on this, but oral and synthetics like betamox shouldn't be used in Guinea Pigs. What do you say if the patient gets very sick or dies and the owner does a quick google to see the data sheet stating not to use in that species, or you end up at disciplinary, without much leg to stand on...

I may be being overly harsh, but I think that there are other drugs available, such as baytril and septrin that do a good job, and no antibiotic injection is going to fix a dental abcess - that should be the key to the discussion with and education of the client.

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Dagmar Steele — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:52:31 GMT

Never ever try Betamox in guinea pigs unless you want to get rid of them! It works in rabbits but kills gps. Azithromycin works in guinea pigs, dose for abscesses close to bones 50mg/kg sid. But I do agree with James, just draining and antibiotics will most likely not be enough, the teeth need sorting out.

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

Mark Holmes — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:37:28 GMT

[quote user="James Laidlaw"]DON'T give it Betamox la. "Amoxicillin, like other penicillins, should not be administered orally or parenterally in rabbits, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs." It's on the label. Give it surgery. No antibiotic is going to penetrate the core of an undrained abcess, and there's like a primary dental problem that needs fixing to fix the cause. Azithromycin won't do any better than any other antibiotic - regardless of what the owners internet says!!!

[/quote] I think you'll find a lot of people use Betamox La in rabbits and over time it does a great job. I've never tried it in guinea pigs though. So couldn't help re safety or efficacy there.

Re: Azithromycin in Guinea Pigs

James Laidlaw — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:27:50 GMT

DON'T give it Betamox la. "Amoxicillin, like other penicillins, should not be administered orally or parenterally in rabbits, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs." It's on the label. Give it surgery. No antibiotic is going to penetrate the core of an undrained abcess, and there's like a primary dental problem that needs fixing to fix the cause. Azithromycin won't do any better than any other antibiotic - regardless of what the owners internet says!!!