How do I give powdered medication to my GP

[SuburbanRhonda]

DGP2 has developed an infection of some kind. The vet squeezed her bladder and pale pink liquid came out - not red, so not blood. Her stools are also very soft and her rear end was caked in it before she had a bath.

The vet has given her Baytril and a probiotic in the form of a powder. The powder has to be divided into 5 parts and one part given per day. We briefly discussed how to administer powder to a GP but DGP2 shares her food bowl with DGP1 so I'm struggling. I could probably get it to stick to a piece of cucumber at a push, but wondering if anyone else had any ideas?

Does the Baytril have to be as a powder (my GP had a liquid antibiotic and powder probiotic)

We used a syringe (without a needle ) that I had in the Guinea First Aid Box (eBay) or if you need it now, Calpol syringe
It's not easy, there's alot of little animal protest involved and you need to make sure it goes into their mouth and swallowed (rub the throat to stimulate a swallowing reflex) not into the windpipe.

IIRC the vet said don't worry about GP1 (the non-ill one) getting the probiotic .
But you could give your ill guinea food first/seperate , otherwise you 'waste' half of it down the neck of the piggie who doesn't need it.

If you need the antibiotic in powder, you'd need to seperate them, try parsley sprigs rinsed in water and dipped in the powder?

You can make an emergency probiotic from the "eating pooh" of a well piggie (you know when you cuddle them and they lift their body up, duck their head under, grab the pooh, scoff it and glare judgily at you . Or is that just my pigs that think I'm going to steal them. Well, it's that pooh you need to steal.)
I'd only do that in an emergency TBH

Ooh, good luck with your piggie , it's horrible when they're ill.

Seperate to feed the medication, not seperate totally unless your vet adviced .

70, that's brilliant advice.

The Baytril is a liquid. I gave her her first dose this morning when I got back from the vet. The vet gave me a couple of syringes which is just as well as the dose is 0.3ml, so you need a syringe graduated in 0.1ml. She didn't like the taste (though didn't choke so I assume it didn't go down her wind-pipe). I gave her lots of parsley afterwards!

I did think it wouldn't matter if DGP1 accidentally scoffed some probiotic as it's a supplement but I'm liking the idea of damp parsley dipped in powder. Very Masterchef!

I did read about the pooh. Not sure I'm ready for that step, but I will keep it in reserve!

I knew I could count on MN to help me with this one

Definitely go with the parsley dipping - I have used a similar tactic with a rabbit and she loved the extra cuddles and treats. Syringe the liquid slightly into the side of her mouth then don't remove the syringe immediately and they have to swallow.

Ok, first day yesterday with the powder. I had run out of parsley as DH had used it in the dinner .

So I got some dandelion leaves from the garden and it worked surprisingly well. I got about half of it down her and the rest I sprinkled on top of the dried food, all of which was gone by this morning. So at least she got some.

fernie - will try that trick with the syringe today.

She also had a bath yesterday and smells a lot less like a farmyard, so I think we're on to a winner here.

Thanks everyone

DH used your guinea-pigs parsley

Your ill guinea-pig

You need to LTB send him out to the 24 hour Tesco (even though it'll be shut) or get him outside cutting fresh grass.

YY the syringe, if you put it between their front teeth they just chew it, then when you squeeze the fluid in, they spit it out (we gave Critical Care too. GP2 wore alot of it )

I wrapped him in a towel (and ignored the protests) with his bum towards my stomach, then held his head gently while DD administered.

I know, I know, 70, he just doesn't get that the GPs come first in this house .

I tried something novel tonight. We had a day-old bag of salad so I picked out the spinach leaves, laid each one out on the table, then sprinkled the powder onto the leaf and rolled it up like a roll-up! It hid the powder and made a nice little tube of green loveliness which went down a treat, I can tell you.

The syringe is working very well for the ABs. DGP2 is very placid and just accepts it, though she makes some strange licking and sucking noises afterwards!

Unfortunately she doesn't seem much better yet smell-wise, but it's early days.

@ nice little tube of green loveliness

Y'now they can put up with alot of spoiling

"No, unhand me woman.......Well, okay, I'll eat the dandelions, as you went out in the rain for them, but only 'cos I'm wasting away here....."

IME syringing stuff into them is my too bad. My Smoothpig loves a syringe full of medicine and opens his mouth ready then licks his lips after. With human medicine they make it taste foul to stop people eating it like sweets. They do the opposite with animal medicine - my lads think it tastes lovely.

Love the spinach roll ups

human medicine - my DD (nearly 12) practically inhales baby Calpol from the bottle . She can't O/D because it makes her skin hivey.

I was in Romford once giving my DS Calpol after he'd had his dental brace and I could feel the judgey looks

Hmm, maybe that's what the strange noises are - she actually likes the medicine!

And my DS is 15 and still likes Calpol

at your drug loving guinea-pigs .

(Says alot about them I reckon )

Update: the low dose of Baytril didn't work, so I went back to the vet, who prescribed a much higher dose. She also prescribed Metacam because she said it is probably crystals in DGP2's bladder and they might be painful to pass.

So, a week later and she is cured! No more wet patch on her back, either. She seems a lot happier in herself as well.

However .....

I've just found DGP1 dead in the cage, so I'll need to make sure DGP2 has lots of cuddles and attention, as they were constantly huddled up together and slept like that, too

Oh at DGP1 . But it sounds like a peaceful passing in her own bed.

Extra hugs from the 70 boars to your piggie. I've had GPs that have thrived well when their cagemate died (almost like they relished the extra attention) living over a year as an only.
But keep a close eye on your DGP2 because the stress of the recovery from illness and the loss might be too much
Is she an indoor piggie?

Thanks for your kind words, 70, and a loud squeak to the 70 boars .

I've lost a few piggies over the years but it doesn't get any easier, does it? DGP2 is an outdoor pig, in so far as she loves in a hutch in the shed (door open, of course) with plenty of light coming in. When the weather's nice, she goes out in the run - in fact, I've just brought her in because it started to rain and DD wanted to cuddle her.

Of my previous two, one died age 4 and her companion lived until she was 7, so obviously wasn't too affected by it. I think DGP2 will be ok, she's had lots of attention and hand-feeding recently, so as long as we continue with that, she should be ok.

*lives in a hutch, obviously