[Gpdd] HEALTH: Meds for UTI's

[Candy G.]

Greetings, Lisa -

The best case scenario is that your vet will know (or be aggressive about 
finding out) which antibiotics cover which bacteria.  QUESTION THEM and 
don't feel bad about it!!!  Ask specifically if they are SURE that the 
bacteria is sensitive to what they are prescribing.  Baytril is the most 
common antibiotic with GP's - tell them that it doesn't cover some bacteria 
and ask them if they are aware of that.  If they don't seem to know (or 
care) about the details, then - if you have time without it doing more harm 
to your piggie - do some research on your own if you can, or ask your vet to 
contact an exotocs vet to verify the medication.  Even my exotics vet 
consults other vets routinely - a vet that is not willing to do this for the 
sake of your pet is one that should be viewed cautiously and carefully.

Pseudomonas is a stubborn problem for both humans and animals.  It has a 
built-in defense mechanism of sort of a mucous coating that protects it from 
most antibiotics.  That makes it very hard to completely get rid of and 
recurrent infections are very common.  The drug family of choice in humans 
is Penicillin.  Unfortunately for our little critters, Penicillin is very 
very dangerous (pretty much lethal) for them and should not be given except 
under circumstances where you absolutely KNOW beyond ANY doubt that the vet 
knows what they are doing (and even then I would question it VIGOROUSLY and 
still maybe not agree to it except under the most extreme circumstances).

My vet (my exotics vet) - after intense research - has decided on Cipro for 
Mollie.  The generic name for it is ciprofloxacin.  You may be familiar with 
Cipro from the news in recent months about anthrax scares.  This is the durg 
that is given as a preventative (or curative, hopefully) for anthrax.  Also, 
it is used in GP's (and others) as an opthalmic ointment for eye infections 
that are psuedomonas-based.  I, too, have come across using it for 
psuedomonas in my research.  I am praying that it works.  It only comes in 
human form, so it has to be made up in a special dosage suspension for 
animals.

I hope that answers your questions.  I wish that we could all be experts on 
every single detail about our little critters.  I feel so inept and 
inadequate and it would be so wonderful to KNOW what the right decisions are 
for the piggies.  If any of you see any errors in anything I have written, 
please let me know.  I only want to pass along the best info possible and I 
definitely want the correct info for all of our little girls and boys.

I can send you the info that I have gathered so far on meds if you wish - it 
is very scanty and incomplete, but more than I had to begin with.

Candy; Topper and Mollie

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From: Lisa B <cavylover74 at yahoo.com>

I have a question about the bacteria cultured.  After you ask the vet
what kind of bacteria it is, how do you know if the antibiotic they give
you will take care of that certain bacteria?

What kind of antibiotic will kill Psuedomonas?
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