ok i suspect my guinea pig is in the early stages of pneumonia or something similar we recently introduced him to a new little friend, but lately hes been laying down in the corner not too interested in food as he used to be. (he used to be an insane vegetable stealing monster, now .... its like he lacks enthusiasm for it) when i go to pick him up he really doesn't try to avoid my hand unless he jumps off, then when round 2 for getting him comes he will run to the corner and i can pick him up again (though we have been putting a lot of work in to taming him) he has no problems with norman routines like urinating or pooing his fecal matter is quite solid and a bit green, he keeps himself fairly well groomed exept after eating and he has a clean nose, bum ect, its just his behavior that is so strange ....
now i would take him to a vet exept the problem here is all the vets where i live will not accept a guinea pig, they are not trained to handle him so if anything is to be done sadly it falls on to me.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com its a bit depressing, he just sits in his cage on his towel a little bit hunched up, he is young but he can be long when he wants to, these days hes just short n fat,
i asked the pharmasist for a anti-biotic that was not in the penicillin family, and they gave me Roxithromycin, not in the penicillin family but also not sold in the US from what i understand,
i need advice fast, i have a feeling it might slowly develop if i leave it but once it gets going there will be no point to turn it around, please help i love my piggy
note, i have not used the antibiotics yet, ive come to the community to help me ensure my pig needs it or something else and not just my paranoia taking control of me,
please dont tell me to take him to a vet, i have called every vet in the city and they will not look at him no matter how much i insist ...
**** DO NOT **** give that antibiotic to your guinea pig, although it is not penicillin-based, it is derived from erythromycin, which is also lethal to guinea pigs. There is a list of dangerous medications on the guinea lynx website, se:
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com http://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_med ... Baytril is the antibiotic that is licensed for guinea pigs, although Septrin (also called Septra and Bactrim) can also be safely used.
You could contact Vedra, who runs the Cambridge Cavy Trust and is a guinea pig specialist, contact details available here:
http://www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/cambridge/in ...
The Doxy is generally regarded as safe, the only one in the tetracycline family that is recommended. The macrolides like Roxithromycin are not a good idea. The normal Doxy dose is 5 mg/kg body weight 2x daily by mouth. Dose individually not in the water.
Expect that you will have gut flora disruptions. We have had good luck with periodic doses of plain yogurt to help re-establish the gut flora
Going to the vet is better but if they won't see you, then you have to do what you have to do
