A fair few of my piggies have been on prescribed antibiotics in the past, and on many occasions they have worked wonders. I generally find the antibiotics work very quickly and the health problem is usually cleared up within a day or two. This is not to say prescribed antibiotics can cure every problem.
In December last year, I noticed Holly was sneezing, snuffling loudly and had a deeper sqeak than normal and I knew it must be a respiratory problem. She had also lost a lot of weight. The vet prescribed her antibiotics, but after a week, by which time I usually find they have started to have a positive effect, Hol didn’t seem to have improved. I took her back for a check up and she had lost even more weight.
I was convinced the antibiotics weren’t working and were never going to work due to the lack of progress that I wasn’t used to. I reluctantly agreed to continue using them into the second week on the vets advice. By the end of the second week, she had started to gain weight, wasn’t as picky with her food and wasn’t sneezing, snuffling or squeaking as deeply.
Funnily enough, to highlight how much the antibiotics effect each guinea pig in different ways, Carrie also got the chest problem. After being on antibiotics for a matter of four days, her’s had cleared up nicely.
Now I know not to expect miracles within the first week when my piggies are on antibiotics.
